Brian63
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2001
- Messages
- 1,639
- Location
- Michigan
- Gender
- Male
- Basic Beliefs
- Freethinker/atheist/humanist
Embarrassing admission here---as long as I have been an atheist, even an atheist activist, even as someone raised nominally as a Catholic (but privately an atheist)---I know extremely little about Christianity. Read the bible in full at least once (twice if memory serves), but it was nothing like anticipated. Given its great reputation and influence throughout history, I had gone in with very high expectations, thinking it would be a book of profound wisdom and inspiration. Then I read it and thought it was stupid disgusting shit. I never believed in any deity to any significant measure, I also never really cared about the minute details of Christian history, theology, biblical studies. If there is no god, then those are in large part human exercises in error. I was more interested in studying what was actually true about the world, not what humans keep getting wrong about it.
Similarly, I have no knowledge of Islam or other world religions. Could not tell you what the difference is between a Sunni and Shiite Muslim. Have no plans to ever read the Koran. No interest in other world religions.
So I have some related questions, in case I or others ever want to start learning some basics of these religions---
What are some good introductory books or videos or articles on the topic of historical religions?
For those of you that are knowledgeable about the theologies and histories and texts of various religions, how did you become that way? Is it just because you were raised in a religion and the knowledge remains with you? As a nonbeliever are you interested in studying the details of wrong beliefs to that great of an extent, and so you want to learn more about religions even though you think they are wrong? I can understand wanting to understand the accurate psychology and science of why humans form wrong beliefs, for the sake of correcting that trend, but I have trouble understanding why people care about the detailed theological nonsense of religions. What other, if any, specific false beliefs in the present day are you similarly interested in studying the finer points on?
How is it that people can so easily memorize and recite particular chapters/verses of the bible? At my peak I could only for a few of the most famous, but I was never much religious. Some people, atheists even, seem to have the bible memorized really well. Not just the stories, but knew the book and chapter and verses too by heart too.
Interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
Thanks.
Similarly, I have no knowledge of Islam or other world religions. Could not tell you what the difference is between a Sunni and Shiite Muslim. Have no plans to ever read the Koran. No interest in other world religions.
So I have some related questions, in case I or others ever want to start learning some basics of these religions---
What are some good introductory books or videos or articles on the topic of historical religions?
For those of you that are knowledgeable about the theologies and histories and texts of various religions, how did you become that way? Is it just because you were raised in a religion and the knowledge remains with you? As a nonbeliever are you interested in studying the details of wrong beliefs to that great of an extent, and so you want to learn more about religions even though you think they are wrong? I can understand wanting to understand the accurate psychology and science of why humans form wrong beliefs, for the sake of correcting that trend, but I have trouble understanding why people care about the detailed theological nonsense of religions. What other, if any, specific false beliefs in the present day are you similarly interested in studying the finer points on?
How is it that people can so easily memorize and recite particular chapters/verses of the bible? At my peak I could only for a few of the most famous, but I was never much religious. Some people, atheists even, seem to have the bible memorized really well. Not just the stories, but knew the book and chapter and verses too by heart too.
Interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
Thanks.