American's religious IQ lacking

[burnin_vernon]

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

[MacGr3gor]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

I started with The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. His chapter on agnosticism was what pushed me off the fence. A fascinating read all around.

[Weiser Wonder]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

Youtube Christopher Hitchens and you'll find several lectures about religion, as well as several debates with Christians. Hitchens is relatively entertaining and extremely knowledgeable, but don't take his opponents as any sort of worthwhile opposition to him. He picks easy targets.

[Cheese]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

Here is a good read on Mormonism from ex Mormons..
http://www.exmormon.org/tract2.htm

http://www.atheistnation.net/videos/

George Carlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaOVPaYf780

[Thor]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

Actually I think there is a few by the 'dummies' publisher on world religions.

I'd like to hear what Peter, Photon, textcritic, etc... would suggest for that.

[kirant]

Got 10/10 on the CNN link.

Do Americans really not know that much?

Also did CNN actually screw up that Indonesia question? That's a Hindu shrine.

[IliketoPuck]

Are you sure that "religious" in the thread title is accurate, I think just deleting that word makes the thread more representative of the truth.

All hail Fox News.

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

This is true, but I would argue that the focus (on Christianity) of an atheist's scorn often has more to do with personal bitterness because of past experience- And not so much because it is the western, more local
tradition. Islam is growing at a faster rate, arguably has more followers (certainly devout ones), and I would argue is the cause of more strife in the world than Christianity. Regardless, I am very cynical towards all of the major religions, and am ok with the criticism that atheists throw out.

With regards to the fear of Islam, and the retribution one may face because of criticism/mockery directed towards Islam, I don't see how anyone can argue- but this is a commentary directed at everyone, and not just atheists... Taking jabs at Islam in our country, regardless of the medium, is not generally accepted. The same cannot be said for Christianity.

Edit- when I refer to jabs at Islam not being "accepted", I am of course referring to reception on a mass scale, in the media/political sphere.

I strongly disagree. Most atheists I communicate with have equal 'scorn' for all organized religions. The fact of the matter is that you only hear about the scorn for Christianity because that is what is in our everyday political arena. When there was talk about Sharia law being adopted in Western countries, the atheists were hugely vocal about it. They are vocal about it when the government does something with a religious motivation because it directly affects them. What most atheists don't do, contrary to popular opinion, is go around declaiming religions and proselytizing (with a few obvious exceptions). I disagree with all organized religions but if you want a hierarchy of what I feel to be the most damaging religions to least in terms of culture and politics, Radical Islaam is far worse than any flavour of Christianity, but then Fundamentalist Christianity is worse IMO than Moderate Islaam.

Mainstream Christianity doesn't bother me except to the extent that I still think it has too much primacy in political discourse and ther is an immediate rejection of secularism in polititics as something dirty.

[Calgaryborn]

Independant Baptists tend to reject any Seminaries or Bible colleges that aren't under the direct control of a local church. Because of this they tend to teach a lot more within their churches.

Our church has taught religious history from Genesis to today. Other religion's beliefs are taught but, not in too much depth. More time is spent on the various Christian sects; their history and doctrines. Of course the majority of the time is spent on teaching what we believe and why.

Going to church once a week on Sunday morning isn't going to give you much of an education. Also, a lot of churches have fallen into the trap of neo-orthodoxy. They don't teach doctrines that traditionally divided their sect from the one up the street. Christian unity is achieved by drastically reducing the church's core teachings.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

Other religion's beliefs are taught but, not in too much depth...

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

Going to church once a week on Sunday morning isn't going to give you much of an education.

A lot of those questions required little more than common sense or just the most fleeting "education" to answer them correctly. I was never formally taught any of that stuff and I managed to struggle through 14 of 15 questions correctly.

Who doesn't know Mother Theresa was Catholic? It's like not knowing the Pope is Catholic. Or that the predominant religion in Pakistan is Muslim? How can any Christian not get the question about the 10 Commandments?

It almost seems like willful ignorance to not know some of that stuff.

[Cowperson]

I had 14 out of 15 right . . . . and I'd describe myself as agnostic, not caring much one way or the other and open to be convinced if the religious side ever came up with some evidence (unlikely to happen) to overcome common sense.

Regardless of opinion, religion and history are things people should have a basic flavour for . . . . . and I did win a jacknife for perfect attendance at a Protestant Church when I was a boy (around the time of dinosaurs, which makes it ironic).

Cowperson

[troutman]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

Any kind of comparative mythology is interesting, for example, The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Her...Thousand_Faces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_mythology

Comparative mythology is the comparison of myths from different cultures in an attempt to identify shared themes and characteristics.[1] Comparative mythology has served a variety of academic purposes. For example, scholars have used the relationships between different myths to trace the development of religions and cultures, to propose common origins for myths from different cultures, and to support various psychological theories.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

Here's an excellent book on Mormonism....

http://www.mazeministry.com/resource...aacontents.htm

Jim Spencer was a Mormon Elder for ten years. He was an honor student at Mormon college and served in virtually every auxiliary of the Church. He and his wife, Margaretta, were married in the Mormon temple in 1966. Jim taught Gospel doctrine Classes in the Church for five years.
After a number of years however, Jim began to be troubled by nagging questions:

*Despite the lovely image of a typical Mormon family, why were divorce and suicide and child abuse so rampant, and why did no one really get close to one another?

*What were the real reasons behind three different Mormon organizations, each claiming to be the One True church and each declaring the others to be apostate?

*Why was his church-affiliated college so isolationist, to unable to converse honestly with students about relationships and problems?

*Why did he continue to feel so troubled by the secret ceremony of the temple that was supposed to be the height of his spiritual experience as a Mormon?

*Worst of all, if he had entered the inner circle of God's True Church, why did he begin to feel again a nagging sense of emptiness?

[firebug]

I have really enjoyed the podcasts from Irreligiosophy (NSFW - Language).

A couple of former mormon boys, they do a pretty detailed analysis of many of the worlds major religions from a non-believers perspective.

Catholic
Hinduism
Islam (pt 1 of 2)
Scientology
Jehovah's Witnesses
Seventh Day Adventists
Mormonism

As well as many topical explorations of Biblical Archaeology, Apocrypha, Pagan precursors to the Old and New Testaments etc.

Note, their podcasts are rather long (~60minutes) and the first 10 - 15 min or so are often filled with off-topic discussion (along with rather profane and juvenile humour). You will either love them or hate them.

Not for the squeamish, but I really enjoy them.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by photon

During all my time going to church, almost always whatever was taught was a devotional perspective.. how does this scripture apply to your life kind of thing, so this isn't that surprising to me, I didn't learn about church history or any of that until I decided to do it myself.

Exactly. Nothing is ever taught of other religions (aside from fear-mongering and blatant exaggerations and lies and misconceptions) or even the history of your own religion. Bible study is all about the devotional aspect with some mild quasi hermeneutic/apologetic pseudo-science theological non-sequiturs when you get older to appeal to the more discerning adult crowd but it's still completely wanting.

There's only so much you can stand hearing about Ephesians over and over again every few months before you start wondering just really what it is about (I'm sorry, reading something over and over again without any critical or skeptical thinking does not somehow give it any deeper meaning) and you do some research and find that many Biblical scholars don't even believe Paul wrote the thing. No wonder they never bring that up in Church.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

Going to church once a week on Sunday morning isn't going to give you much of an education. Also, a lot of churches have fallen into the trap of neo-orthodoxy. They don't teach doctrines that traditionally divided their sect from the one up the street. Christian unity is achieved by drastically reducing the church's core teachings.

And you consider this a bad thing? That the primary reasons for divisions and schisms are not emphasized but rather the churches try to be all encompassing and more open? I guess that is part of the whole protestant populism. What doctrines do you specifically mean and why is neo-orthodoxy a bad thing? Schisms and divisions are one reason why people don't accept religion. Is God really so petty that he is going to accept the Church on one side of the street while the Church on the other side is going to burn in hellfire?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

Wow...that is so ironic

It's fixed now.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by MacGr3gor

I started with The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. His chapter on agnosticism was what pushed me off the fence. A fascinating read all around.

http://www.freeratio.org/index.php is good forum. Used to be the internet infidels discussion board.

[photon]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I have always wanted to expand my knowledge of religions as I feel I don't know nearly enough. Though I am agnostic (leaning to atheist) I would like more knowledge to back up my (non) beliefs.

What is a good way to start? Is there , like, a Religion For Dummies book or something?

Oi, there's so much out there it's really hard to know where to start. Popular books are a good place to at least get an idea of where you'd like to dig into.

The Bible Unearthed is a good book about the time that the Hebrew Bible came out of, so might be a good place to start.

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

http://www.freeratio.org/index.php is good forum. Used to be the internet infidels discussion board.

This is a good resource for good books as well, the Biblical Criticism & History forum has a number of knowledgeable posters and a huge searchable archive of discussions on every topic imaginable.

[Huntingwhale]