Are you open to religious experiences?

[bennyboy]

In my opinion, you are confusing religious institution with religious experience. Many people have had what they consider transcendent experiences when listening to more modern music-- Wagner, for example. It's semantics whether you'd call this "religious" if it's not explicitly Christian-themed-- but it produces similar changes to brain chemistry and causes similar experience.

Ah, that's what I'd can a transcendental experience. I can get it listening to Christian music. But the feeling is not religious. If you use spiritual very broadly, that would cover it, like looking at the stars or listening to rain on a tent.

Okay, if we are defining religious expeirence in music based on content, then I'd agree with you that it begins to fall with the Baroque. I'd say Bach was probably the first bona fide rock star in a lot of ways.