Is a religion more valid if it has an accompanying sacred text?

Question

Example: Christianity has the Bible, Judaism has the Torah, Islam has the Quran, etc. These are the top three religions with the largest following, however there is no sacred text associated with atheism, or "the flying spaghetti monster."

SERIOUS answers please...I thought a lot about this question.

Answer 1

I'd say the more credible witnesses the better. And these "sacred texts" are generally a collection of the writings of witnesses (of God, Jesus, Allah, etc).

Answer 2

Yes a sacred text makes a religion more valid. The bible for example has historical accounts of Jesus doing things-some real, some possibly exaggerated. But if you don't have any type of text or documents on how a religion came to be or at least having some written 'religious guidelines' (i.e. 10 commandments) to follow, then why should the average person believe that your religion even exists? I hope I make at least a little sense... I'm almost off break-only had 5mins to think about this question.

Answer 3

FSMism does have a sacred text. It's available online.

But in answer to your question, no, a sacred text does not increase the validity of a religion. The religion is either teaching truths, or it's propogating myths. A sacred text doesn't change that. The only thing a sacred text does is to increase the liklihood of the myths remaining relatively constant over time.

Answer 4

Not really. Many religions had oral traditions before writing, that didn't make them any less serious. And the FSM has a text, just not in the sense that everyone is supposed to hold it above all other things. Besides, there are so many translations and versions and edited out parts of the various holy books that they are all but incomprehensible. They were all written by someone. And I garantee you, the Deity did not reach out and will the words into physical form.

Answer 5

You do have a good point . History is based on the witness of many writers,
and these Religions you mentioned have the Most History to back them up. Oddly enough they all started with the Same History. and evolved to different cultures. as you said Christianity is from the Bible but only the New Testament.

Answer 6

No, it does not. A sacred text is merely an advertisement for that religion. Those three that you mentioned are really the only ones that I know of that have a sanctified, holy guide book. All of the others that I know of just have simple rules to live by.

Answer 7

I think a sacred text is necessary for the people who are part of that particular religion and for all who may want to investigate the religion for whatever reason. I agree that oral traditions typically are a prelude for written documents, but both are necessary. Just my opinion!

Answer 8

The three religions that you mentioned originate from the Bible once you really start to look into them you will discover this for yourself !
The tora is the first five books of the Bible and the Quaran is basically the words of the Bible reworded and added onto, and theres some debate about it but the origin of the muslim faith is in the story of Abraham, found in the book of Genesis in the Bible !

Answer 9

Mere existence of a Holy book doesn't make any value addition to a religion. But what really matters is whether the religion preaches the Truth; whether it gives the manking clear guidelines on how to live; whether it provides feasible solution to all problems faced by human kind.

Answer 10

without any sacred text you cannot know what the religion preaches to the world. so it is pretty good to have a sacred text for a religion. The religion has a more value if the sacred texts has life in it.