I'm admittedly atheist but I do have an interest in religion. How could you not? With such a large population in our world in some sort of religion it's impossible to ignore the impact it has on our lives in some way or another.
I haven't read the bible, entirely. In fact I'd posted on my main account (suggestivetongue) a while back asking what kind of bible I should be reading because it seems there are so many different kinds. Sometimes entire shelves. It's a bit confusing for someone who just refers to the bible as "the bible" and presumes there is only one edition, just one copy.
But I digress,
I pride myself in being open minded and that is why I am interested in reading the bible. But I also think that people should read books from other religions. I don't think it matters how religious you are, if you want people to respect your views you should respect theirs as well. That doesn't mean you have to agree with them, and it doesn't always mean you have to particularly even be quiet that you disagree, but you should respect them enough to understand where they are coming from before you disagree.
How many of you who are religious have studied a religion outside of your own?
Comments (33)
I read some exerts from the Bible and I'm Buddhist. I've been trying to get into reading more about Buddhism since my family has a strong connection with it and I want to fulfill a suffer free life. I already do respect other people's religion, but that automatically changes when they force it on me or they tell me that I'm wrong and that they're always right because their religion says so.
Don't worry. I'm a Christian and I haven't read the whole of any version of the Bible. :O
I've tried to study other religions on my own though especially those that seem to be misunderstood (ex. Islam). I like learning something new about other religions. Like you said, there are so many of them and they're all so interesting in their own way like how they influence cultures, how they developed, what kinds of histories they have, etc. I don't want to be ignorant about the world of religions around me especially since some Christians (and even non-Christians) like to generalize an entire religious group based on erroneous "facts" (again Islam as an example). I don't want to be like that.
If you want to know what Bible to read, I recommend both the King James Version and the New Living Translation. In fact, read both simultaneously. :D
And yes, I do study other religions. I find it essential in order not to tread on anyone else's beliefs. It's also a great way to view the diversity in the world. If anything, learning about other faiths would enhance and even strengthen one's own beliefs. You may learn something new or see an idea presented in a different light. It's certainly made an impact on what I believe.
I'm a Christian and other religions interest me. I like to know what other people believe and when I have the time I'll study them. The two I've studied the most would be Buddhism and Islam.
I'd go with NIV, King James or New King James versions as far as reading the Bible, but that's my personal opinion.
Yeah, I'm Christian and have studied/am studying other religions. You find out that a lot of what you hear (and what they hear) is straight up lies - for example, I went to the masjid with a friend to see what it was like on Eid after fasting for a week of Ramadan and it was very lighthearted and fun, not nearly as somber as it's portrayed. Granted, it was a celebration, and there were pinatas and stuff. On the same token, though, I overheard one of my Muslim friends talking to a Christian friend and they said that the bible couldn't be true, because it was written two-hundred years later. I corrected him with historical facts and evidence, but it was disconcerting to hear how matter-of-factly he said it.
I took a world religions course last semester. Buddhism and Hinduism is pretty awesome. :D
I am a former Hindu as I have said on my personal site. I also looked into Islam and I knew a lady who tried to get me into Baha'i, so yeah I've studied other religions. I didn't really study them from an academic standpoint though, it was more of an individual thing for me.
I was raised Catholic, with a little Baptist and Methodist thrown in from relatives, and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young adult and have stayed with it. I read the Bible cover to cover as a teenager. I studied many of the protestant churches, took classes on the Eastern religions and Islam, and read some in the Qur’an. It is no surprise to me that God has inspired many writers with portions of the truth.
I'm agnostic after viewing a few religions in their light. It's the best choice for me.
I am Christian, and I agree with what you say. I think it is very important to know exactly what you believe, and why, and exactly what you do not believe, and why.
I've read most of the Quran and have been lucky enough to talk to a devote Muslim regarding some of their core beliefs; of course, in the amount of time I had to do both, I was not able to fully sympathize or understand them. As soon as I graduate, I will pick back up my study on this subject, but as of now, between preparing sermons and my assignments, I do enough reading.
I have also studied the book of Mormon (more so than the Quran) and have talked with several following that faith.
Thats about all.
P.S- As I have studied greek, the most accurate translation is the American Standard and now the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The widely accepted #2 most accurate (and slightly easier to understand) is the ESV. Some might put the NKJV (New King James) in #2, but it's typically considered #3 as far as accuracy goes.
I personally do not recommend the old King James. Most people today do not understand the form of english used well enough to get teh full meaning. If you understand it, then it is alright.
Although I would say I don't recommend someone studying (in depth) a different world-view until the first know their own.
I know a little about some other religions, and I actually think that learning about them helped me become Agnostic. You'll realize how ridiculous some of the things that people believe are, and all the same you realize that so many of them are similar to your own belief system, and you can't help but wonder if it's all bullshit.
Please, PLEASE don't let my words discourage you... Open up your minds, by ALL means, and see what happens. Plenty of people do grow stronger in their faith by studying other faiths - but it's not a gurantee, is all I am saying.
Have fun!
My favorite religion is Paganism followed closely by the Greek beliefs of old(Zeus and what not). Christianity is pretty lame, only one god and his son. Where' the 3 headed fire breathing dog? The bible needs an update.
i agree with your post. i don't understand how people always put down others for their religions without better understanding the religion first. as for me, along with reading and studying the bible, i've studied a lot of buddhism (my family is buddhist, i'm not). the thing with buddhism is, there are so many sects out there it's difficult to say you understand buddhist concepts. there are a lot of different beliefs regarding buddhism out there. i would like to study other world religions as well as what atheists/agnostics believe too just to better understand others' views on religion.
I'm a Christian, and my minor in college was in religious studies. I liked learning about other religious beliefs, and it never shook what I believe.
I'm a Christian...I have studied Hinduism, Buddhism and Muslim faith quite a bit but i know Hinduism the best probably.
Otherwise, i know Chrisitianity the best...obviously. Anyway, trust me, the Bible is awesome if you try reading the whole book.
Awesome blog. I just typed and explanation about this on the last blog I viewed. It would be easy to copy/paste here but I won't. I was raised a Christian. My father and maternal grandfather were ministers. Starting in my late teens I started studying Hinduism, Sufism, Arcane teachings, Transcendental Meditation, various forms of Yoga, and I studied as much as I could get my hands on about Buddhism. I also have many Muslim friends from India and Bangladesh. Although I've never studied the Koran my friends are good people. What most amazed and encouraged me are the similarities and universal truths that so many religions point to and describe. I practice the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.
I have studied other religions. I do not claim expertise on any of them, more of just a passing interest on what they believe and why. I did read through the English translation of the Koran and a bit of the Mormon book.
@deepestrecesses - "As I have studied greek, the most accurate translation is the American Standard and now the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The widely accepted #2 most accurate (and slightly easier to understand) is the ESV. Some might put the NKJV (New King James) in #2, but it's typically considered #3 as far as accuracy goes."
Accuracy is not so easy to declare. There is a marked difference between the NASB and KJV/NKJV because of the different families of Greek NT texts relied upon. Some will agree with your NASB view, others will claim your Greek NT text as corrupted and point to the NKJV/KJV as the most accurate. And then you have the KJV-only crowd. But, then you have the Hebrew OT vs. Septuagint OT crowd ---- again a difference. So, "the most accurate" is not easy, although the Gospel of salvation through faith in Christ alone is clear in all of them.
As for reading and becoming familiar with the Christian Bible, any of the newer translations are easy to read. New International Version, New King James, New American Standard are a few that come to mind. If I were going to study the Bible, I would use a parallel Bible. They have two, three, or four versions laid out side by side, so you can see the differences in language, sentence structure, etc. The Catholics use a version with the Apocrypha, and sometimes the Pseudepigripha included. These intertestamental books, while not included in the "Official Bible" are interesting reading nonetheless. Some are expansions on Old Testament books, or continuations, others are completely separate manuscripts. There are many historical writings out there from early times that shed light on social and political conditions that occured at the time of Christ and before. While these are not necessarily "God inspired", they are interesting supplemental reading.
I have read the Quran a bit, lots of it is parallel with Proverbs and other Wisdom literature of the era. Seems to be a quite contradictory book, yet it refers to Jesus as "a Son of God" (not exclusive) and does promote destruction of non-believers instead of conversion. The Bahai's seem to have the idea that if you are physically deformed on earth, you will be in heaven too. Not much to look forward to for those folks.
As for the books from other religions, again, there are a lot of parallels with the Bible. Most of them ascribe to the idea that we are refined by trials and perhaps multiple lives, to eventually gain perfection, and blend into the Great Energy or some such. Christianity is one of the few religions that promote the idea of retaining the person, and the personal relationships, with our Creator. Something that appeals to me. I am not wild about it's exclusivity as promoted by Jesus, but I don't pretend to fully understand it all, either.
Good Luck in your studies.
Took my friends world religion study class with him. (I did it in a very Good Will Hunting way). Then I tought on them for eight years... Gave strength to my Christian faith even more. No other religion in the world is like Christianity! All other religions achieve their particular ends via works. Christianity is the only one that is about grace. By this I mean that we count on the work done by someone else (Christ).
Grace and peace!
~Michael
@HLPU@xanga - "So, "the most accurate" is not easy, although the Gospel of salvation through faith in Christ alone is clear in all of them."
Amen! and AMEN!!! The notion that the bible said something different in it's autographs and has been corupted is just plain false!
well said!
~Michael
@HLPU@xanga - yes, I know. That's why I mentioned that they're the most widely accepted accurate translations.
i love studying other religions, but i haven't had the time as of late.
This is what I posted on the original post:
It is incredibly important for someone to know the position of those around them. I've studied several religions (and cults) through high school and college. I was atheist and then agnostic during high school. I have copies of the Book of Mormon and The Qur'an. I've read the scriptures/literature of several other religions as well. In studying other religions (Buddhism, Islam, Mormonism, Baha'i, Jehovah Witness, Sikhism, Hinduism, and more) I've attended their worship services and spoken with those practicing the religion over meals.
It's amazing how much we all have in common. I think that says something important. All my studying and journeying has led me to Jesus Christ.