non believers and religious literature.

[nailit]

From browsing around the Q&A in this section of AB, it appears obvious that religious people are loathe to read anything that is contrary to their faith. However, I was wondering about the reverse of this. What 'faith' literature have non believers read? As mentioned elswhere on AB I regularly read Watchtower and Awake magazines of the JW's. Ive read the entire bible, some of the Koran and the Bhagavad Gita. Ive read works by numerous christian apologists and classics such as the Pilgrims Progress and nearly all of C S Lewis' work.
(must admit that ive never read the Book of Mormon even though I have a copy)
It does brass me of a bit when religious people accuse me of been closed minded when Im quite willing to read their books but they wont reciprocate and read books that question THEIR beliefs.
So, what religious literature have you read?

[naomi24]

Fred, pleased you clarified that. :o)

Boxy, since what you are suggesting means treating some differently to others, where healthcare paid for by the public purse is concerned, one size must fit all. Religion should have no influence on patient care whatsoever.

[Nibble]

Naomi, allowance is made for prohibited items - certain medications (for example) are alcohol- or gelatine-based, in which case prohibited to people who can't ingest those products. Allowance is also made on the effect of medicines for people who may be fasting (although generally, if people are unwell, they are exempted from fasting). Care these days is patient-centred, so patient preference can be taken into account.

[boxtops]

^ sorry naomi, that's from me.

[naomi24]

Boxy, If the people you cite who can’t ingest these products are unable to do so due to some medical condition, common sense dictates they shouldn’t be given them, but where religion is concerned it isn't a case of 'can't' - but 'won't'. I really don't see why the NHS should be inconvenienced in any way whatsoever, or find itself out of pocket to pander to religious foibles. Additionally, patient preference is certainly not taken into account across the board. For example, a Muslim woman would probably automatically get her wish if she refused to share a mixed ward - but would the same concession be granted to someone else because, say, they found mixed wards embarrassing and undignified? No, it wouldn’t. They’d be stuck with what they were given.

[atalanta]

If you want to argue with religionists, there's nothing as satisfying as knowing their scriptures better than they do.
For instance, try asking a Creationist which of the two accounts of Creation in Genesis s/he prefers.

[naomi24]

Atalanta, if you're talking about the creation of man, I've tried it - but as always when something doesn't meet with the preferred option, the answers have been 'well, that's just another way of explaining what happened' - or more usually..... silence.

[birdie1971]

atalanta -

I always like to ask Christians which set of ten commandments they prefer.

[flobadob]

nailit, will you please post a link to something meaningful to you and I will read and digest it and give you my opinion. Likewise could you add to my post http://www.theanswerb.../Question1109304.html

[jomifl]

The enemy has dodgy ammunition which is why I prefer to use my own.

[nailit]

flobadob, not quite sure what kind of link you mean. Do you mean something to do with the case for atheism or some kind of religious literature that ive read and discredited?

[flip_flop]

I have never read any religious literature, and my knowledge of religion is pretty poor.

I do not need to read any religious literature simply because I knew, from a fairly young age, that the very concept of their being a greater being was extremely absurd and complete nonsense.

I admire the Naomi's of the world who have a deep understanding of religion and are therefore able to intellectually point out its absurdities, and part of me wishes I could, but basically because I 'just know' religion, all religion, just consists of made-up nonsense, I simply can't be arsed!

[beso]

Many Christians have not even read the book they claim as the Word of their God. Sure they have read the passages recommended to them by their pastor but on the whole they are ignorant of the Bible's content.

[mibn2cweus]

//...but on the whole they are ignorant of the Bible's content.//

I've never found reading religious literature of any kind contributed much to my store of knowledge or conducive to an improved understanding. If anything I've found attempts at comprehension of religious gibber jabber mind numbing and utterly stupefying . . . but then perhaps that is the intent.

* Presses 'Submit' and awaits the inevitable, "You don't say?" *

[Paul_M]

What religious books have I read?
None, why would I want to?
I have no interest at all in nonsense put forth for nefarious reasons 2 thousand years ago that some control freaks still profit from today.

[sith123]

so not all atheists read all religious books?

[naomi24]

Sith, apparently so - just as all religious people don't read all religious books. Many don't even read their own.

[boxtops]

I know people (sadly) who wouldn't dream of reading literature relating to a religion other than the one they've chosen to follow. To me, that's narrow-minded - I read as much as I can, just to inform myself (if that's possible) of what motivates people who follow the various creeds.

[naomi24]

//I know people (sadly) who wouldn't dream of reading literature relating to a religion other than the one they've chosen to follow.....I read as much as I can, just to inform myself //

And even more sad are people of religion who refuse to read anything at all that might contradict their own belief - and therefore remain forever uninformed.

[sith123]

well that is not me. i have read other books. both religious and not.

[jomifl]

I have attempted to read several books on religious subjects. However I also suffer the MIB effect, mind numbing followed by stupefaction. I think the reason for his is that having worked most of my life in the area of science and technology I have become used to authors who use the scientific approach ie. state the case, give the evidence, discuss the evidence and use logic to draw conclusions. I find the nebulous thinking, irrational deductions and disconnection with reality, all influenced by personal bias completely destroys any respect for the author's intellectual credibility in religious writing.