Why are you all so ignorant of other faiths besides your own?

Question

How many of you have actually taken a comparative religion course, or course (outside of your mosque, synagogue, or church, etc) about another religion, simply to learn? Or compare? Or at least understand?

Why does the thought of simply learning about other religions scare people so much? Why is knowledge threatening?

Answer 1

I have studied most of the major religions. I have went in depth with all those studied and came to conclusions on their ideals and their foundations of "truth." With all these religions and nonbeliefs(agnostics and atheists), I have found the Christianity s the only one that has backed up its clam with FACT AND TRUTH 100%. Even though not all has been proven, the one truth remains:
Jesus is the only one who rose from the grave AND the Bible prophesied over 1000 years before. No other religion has been able to back these claims.

Answer 2

You are making a blanket statement of everyone here in Y! Answers. Please try to be more mindful that not everyone is afraid to read and learn about another belief system. You are correct, however, because there are many who are ignorant of other beliefs/religions, and who are actually merely to about another religion, as if it's some kind of sin or something. Maybe they're afraid that what they find in another religion will be true.

In 2000 I was afraid to study Islam, but did it anyway with the help of a friend. I was afraid to study the Baha'i Faith, but did so anyway with the help of the same friend. You know what? I converted. It was scaryyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I lost sleep, I cried, I was so worried that it was a mistake, I was so AFRAID of abandoning Christ. Because I was Catholic, I believed in transsubstantiation, so I was so so sooo afraid of denying the Eucharist. And to think, I spent 3 years in the RCIA to prepare for taking the Eucharist! (RCIA = Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, like adult catechism)

To make a long story short, I took a leap of faith and have NO REGRETS. (Actually it wasn't , it was based on fact. I read and saw time prophecies fulfilled by the Baha'i Faith, stuff no one can ever prove untrue.) I'm not saying that people who study different religions will have a conversion, but the possibility of that happening frightens many people, so they become defensive and extremely closed-minded.

People, read about different religions, and if you come to a conversion, then you come to a conversion. If it brings you closer to God, good!

Answer 3

I can't speak for all people but I am very interested in all religions. However I do find it a little hard to find information on all the religions or specific answers to my questions. I must admit I have taken no classes. I think most people are like me and haven't been exposed to any other type of religion regularly and just believe what they are told by their parents. As the saying goes "You go with what you know"

Answer 4

Nothing about it scares me. Ask me what you will about any religion and I will tell you the answer. I have done a lot of research on the religions of the world. So why do you put ALL people in one boat when you don't have ALL the facts? Learning about someone else and what they believe is scary to many as they know if they find something they know is right in the other religion, they may have to accept it and admit they were wrong. Self righteous people are scared to learn anything or to look at others as it may burst their baloon and they may have to admit they are wrong about what they believed. I love to learn so knowlege is not threatening to me. Bring it on.

Answer 5

Actually, I have. I have also studied by myself on many religions so that I understand where others are coming from. Does that mean that I believe they are right? No. I do not. But I hope to understand enough to be able to answer their questions about the Bible in a way they might understand from their belief system and to ask intelligent questions of my own.

Answer 6

I am a Jew, I have either taken course, read books on or both on Christians (Catholics and Protestants), Muslims, Various Pagan beliefs, Buddhism and have started reading up on Hinduism.

Kind of generalizing aren't you? Although I do agree with you on the amazement I experience reading some of these answers. People answer questions about other faiths that they have no concept of. Also the venom between different beliefs is staggering on this site.

Answer 7

Because acceptance of one truth as absolute causes people to close their minds to all other possibilities. And it's not just other Religions. Science also challenges the securty of their life-long beliefs.

throughout history religious groups have branded new ideas as heretical and stifled such radical ideas as the earth being round and the Sun not beng the center of the universe because they were blasphemous. To this day Christians refuse to accept the theory of evolution fearing that evolution disproves the existence of God. Many great thinkers have been crushed by the Inquisitions.

Answer 8

As a Christian Pastor, here's what I think happens sometimes. I think that a lot of times we don't know enough about our own religion. Also, we aren't always as strong in what we believe and feel that we could be swayed in any way. So if you've ever run into someone who won't talk about other religions, it's not just because they don't know about that one, but it can mean that they don't really know about their own, either.

Answer 9

Other religions don't scare me. I have read books on what the so called religions of the world are based on and I have found they are all based on man's doctrine. There is only one person that was God that came to earth as a man and died for our sins on the cross. Philippians 2: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Philippians 2: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Philippians 2: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He did it all for us and all we have to do is believe and trust in what He did for our salvation. Religion is where you have to do something for your salvation. Grace is where God has done it for you. Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Ephesians 2: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Answer 10

It may be because they are not well grounded in there own belief system and have not checked out all of the objections to their faith, which could be a lifetime of study. I have been a christian for over 50 years and I am still learning.Try the following so you will see what I mean.
http://www.amazingbible.org/Documents/Bible_Prophecy/Tribulation_part2.htm