to insist that it is 'I love THEE' in Away in a Manger

[Balfe]

I have turned into one of those ancient teachers grouching in a corner but really, they're singing 'I love you Lord Jesus'.... It's got to be proper!

Nope, I don't go to church all year round. I go when there are functions my daughter's involved in, or when invited to weddings and funerals, and I go on Christmas Eve. I can like carols like I like poetry, or old songs of any kind. The Church involves itself in my kids' education whether I like it or not, and if I want to go on Christmas Eve I will!

If the Church doesn't want people going on Christmas Eve, I'm sure it can let us know. But it's deluded if it thinks people are suddenly going to turn religious because previously the beautiful, lyrical, antique, traditional words were getting in their way, but once the baby Jesus has been laid in a feeding trough instead of a manger things suddenly become relatable! The concept of a benign god stretches logic enough anyway - calling him 'You' instead of 'Thou' hardly makes him suddenly probable!