Would you watch Dave? - Page 3

Kyt · 24-09-2007, 11:47 AM

I had to read the Bible (both Old and New), the Koran and the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book) for my research (and parts of the Torah - but Judaism is complicated because the Talmud is often given equal weighting) - not my idea of bedtime reading, but interesting to compare the books. Basically the same in their core messages. But as an atheist, I wasn't the most receptive reader.

morse1001 · 24-09-2007, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyt

I had to read the Bible (both Old and New), the Koran and the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book) for my research (and parts of the Torah - but Judaism is complicated because the Talmud is often given equal weighting) - not my idea of bedtime reading, but interesting to compare the books. Basically the same in their core messages. But as an atheist, I wasn't the most receptive reader.

I still have two versions of the bible in my collections as well as the Gnostic Gospels and the complete dead sea scrolls! There is also a translation of the koran and a koran concordance, plus the talmud and the babyloenian talmud. They all come in handy as I post on a atheist forum as well!

I spend holidays away at Plusgardan Abbey near Elgin, which is on the flight path to Lossiemouth and so we get some interesting fly pasts!

My brother John who was training to become a Deacon used to borrow all of my religious books!

Kyt · 24-09-2007, 12:05 PM

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a fascinating subject, especially the works of Geza Vermes and Robert Eisenman. Two completely different interpretors on the Scrolls, and yet both are compulsive reading.

Have you read the two books by Ehrman - "Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew" and "Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It into the New Testament"?

I love stuff like that.

morse1001 · 24-09-2007, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyt

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a fascinating subject, especially the works of Geza Vermes and Robert Eisenman. Two completely different interpretors on the Scrolls, and yet both are compulsive reading.

Have you read the two books by Ehrman - "Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew" and "Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It into the New Testament"?

I love stuff like that.

I have not read them, I prefer the works of Elaine Pagel which are both detailed and readable

Kyt · 24-09-2007, 12:20 PM

Haven't read her stuff - though I've heard that her works are considered very contraversial amongst the Biblical "fraternity".

morse1001 · 24-09-2007, 12:23 PM

Her conclusions are very contoraversal indeed! Nuw since religion is all just a matter of personal intrepretation then her view is just as valid as the mainstream writer on the subject!

Kitty · 24-09-2007, 07:08 PM

Oh good grief.

Adrian Roberts · 25-09-2007, 12:22 AM

I'm going to stick my head over the parapet here and say that I am a Christian.

I hope I'm not mindless about it; there's lots of doubts that I wrestle with, but faith is about more than having all the answers. Issues around suffering and evil bother me more than the science - I don't take Genesis literally enough for the latter to be an issue.

I've moved away from Conservative Evangelicalism over the last few years, precisely because they are dogmatic about stuff that I can't be (and not as consistent about interpreting scripture as they like to think). But I do think that without God in my life I would have screwed up even more than I have. (I have read the Koran as well by the way).

By the way, I'm not saying this because I'm offended by anything any of you have said above, but I don't want to hide under any false pretenses. There are plenty of non-Christians who I would rather spend time with than with some Christians.

Adrian

Kyt · 25-09-2007, 12:32 AM

Interesting post, Adrian. I have to say that I am an atheist through and through. However, I have never had any issues with any individual who follows a particular religion, which ever one it is. My only issue would be with anyone who decides that my way of life is "immoral" or lacking because of my lack of belief. In the same way, I would not criticise any person who believes in God (unlike a lot of militant atheists who seem to see it as a sport).

What I've always been interested in is the way that religion has played a part in the development of different cultures. It seems to be central to the way that people perceive themselves, whether they themself are "believers". I often describe myself as a Sikh, not because I follow the tenants of the religion, but because Sikh Punjabis have a distinct culture as opposed to, say Hindu or Muslim Punjabis (though, of course, there are many overlaps).

The bottom line is that we're all individuals, and we believe what we believe. It's only when someone tells you that what you believe is wrong that the trouble starts.

K

Kyt · 25-09-2007, 12:39 AM

I should also add that my interest in the different religions, and the books that I mentioned, really started when I started doing research into the religious constructions and intrepretations of disability. For example, the Judeao- Christian view of disability, as explored by two different perspectives:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/PDF/AMcKennaBodies.pdf

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-st...rnes/chap1.pdf