Question 97

Do you own any religious texts? Do you read them for any purpose besides the rebuttal of theist claims?

• I own several bibles, a translation of the Nag Hammadi library, the Koran (Pickthall's translation), one of the Free Daist books (I forget which one) and a substantial number of commentaries, concordances, discussions, etc.

  Yes, I read them still for other purposes. Self education; general interest, verification of stuff heard elsewhere, etc. Having the Koran on hand was very handy when I was reading Salman Rushie's "Satanic Verses", for example. Some of the books I don't read any more. (Chris Ho-Stuart #150)

• Quite a number of them, actually.

  > Do you read them for any purpose besides >the rebuttal of theist claims?

  Yes. I find them to be interesting both as windows into their respective cultures; I also love myths. (Victor Danilchenko #696)

• My pile started with the Mormon book, it was given to me in the late 60's on a tourist trip thru Salt Lake City. I just reread it last year, it's as fun as it ever was. I have all the major religious texts, several translations of the bible, and comment aires from theologians of all stripes. Most of the biblical ones I have not touched in years. I spent some years teaching Comparative Religions to a Unitarian High school group, my library was mostly aquired earlier but were very useful for that purpose. I love reading the old myths, I have a half dozen different paperbacks on mythology of different areas of the world. (Suzane Watkinson #62)

• Yes. Actually, these are my wife's - she's a Unitarian Agnostic. A copy of the Quran, an old Douay Version Bible (OT & NT) and an copy of "The Teachings of The Buhdda". I've read the first two, may read the third one, but probably not. (Aaron I. Spielman #1467)

• I have a "scripture shelf" that so far includes the Bible, Koran, Bhagavad-Gita, Upanishads, Tao Te Ching, Analects of Confucius, Lotus Sutra, Dhammapada, Book of Mormon, Divine Principle (Moonies), Kitab I-Aqdas (Baha'i), Science and Health (Christian Science), Satanic Bible, Popol Vuh (Mayan) and Dianetics (which I bought for a quarter at Goodwill - not a cent went to the Church of $cientology). I haven't read them all, but I have found some things that I've used as rebuttals to theist claims - particularly in the buybull and the Koran. (Chris Nelson #135)

• Yeah, I have three versions of the Bible (King James version, version with the 'thee's and 'thou's, and a children's version), a Book of Mormon, LaVey's Satanic Bible, numerous books on Wicca and Asatru, and a book on 'true' Satanism, with the Grimoires and stuff)

  >Do you read them for any purpose besides >the rebuttal of theist claims?

  I read them to learn about that culture, for entertainment, out of curiosity, or just to learn about that religion...there's many reasons. (Drake #1611)

• A bible, a koran, and some new-age crap, all collecting dust out in the garage.

  Maybe it's time for a garage sale. ;-) (Erikc #2)

• I own an 'American Standard Bible' and a 'Strong's Concordance of the Bible'. I have had these since the time I was a Charismatic Christian (20 years ago).

  I do still use them, occasionally, when arguing with Christians here.

  I also have some Zen Buddhist and Taoist texts. (pan #1432)

• I have a basic King James bible. I haven't even opened it in years. (Michelle Martin #1474)

• Hmm, let's see. The RSV Bible, The Living Bible (Catholic version with Apocrypha), The Tanakh, The Qu'ran, The Bhagavad Gita, The Rig Veda, The Tao Te Ching, Norse Mythos, Bullfinch's Mythology, various and sundry commentaries like "Willmington's Book of Bible Lists", "The Tao of Pooh", etc.

  It's almost as much fun to try and get a handle on the different philosophies in these books as it is to gather refutation ammo... (Eric Franklin #1532)