Can one “understand” a religion that one does not practice?

Question

For instance: Is it possible for me as a Pagan to “understand” Christianity? Can a Christian “understand” what it means to be an Atheist?

If yes, what is required to gain such an understanding?

Answer 1

Only if they had felt the faith/belief in their heart. They can understand intellectually but not completely.

Answer 2

it would be very differcult but not imposible.

You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places
I guess it must be so
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't know ...

You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends

How high will the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind.

Answer 3

I can only speak to the Christianity part... If you concider Christianity to be a "religion" then you will have to state which form of that you are refering to. Every "denomination" is it's own "religion"..then throw in the various sects... and then the cults that claim to be.... If you are speaking of The Christian "religion" then you do not understand it... because thinking of it as just one"religion" is incorrect....

To be one of The True Christian Faith, which is not a "religion" is an intirely different matter. Can this be "understood" Yes it can... by those who are of The Faith... It can not be "understood" by one not of The Faith. One dose not "practice" The True Christian Faith. One of The Faith strives to follow the teaching of Jesus The Christ.

There is no way a proper answer can be made to the question, relative to The True Christian Faith, in this forum.

I accept email questions concerning the basics of The True Christian Faith. 1 honest question receives 1 honest answer to the best of my ability.

what "understanding" any one may achieve of some of the baics is ultimately between God and the seeker. An Honest seeker will receive from God what God wants for the individual. For those of The True Christian Faith. it is personal and is different with each one. But The common tie that binds is Jesus The Christ who is The Head of The Church and all fo The Faith are The Body of The Church.

Answer 4

Yes, and no.

There is definitely a degree of understanding that can be achieved, of a religion that one does not practice. Other respondents have also given examples from other fields.

But... To have inside knowledge, to be part of a thing, is to have a knowledge that is simply not available to the outsider, however learned and interested.

As so often, C S Lewis has been here ahead of us. See his "Meditation in a toolshed" (PDF available online at reference below), where he considers the difference between the outsider's and the insider's view, and the implications of that.

I "understand" a variety of religions and political and philosophical positions that I do not to subscribe to.

I can answer questions on them, and can account for the behaviour and beliefs of their adherents. But that leaves an essential "understanding" missing. What it is to be inside. What it is to be part of a particular community, to believe, to feel, a particular spiritual relationship exists.
From the outside, that understanding does not appear possible.

Answer 5

Well, I was raised United Methodist (one of the *milder* forms of Christianity). My mother was a church secretary for 20 years and my uncle is a retired minister.

I have a very deep understanding of Christianity from my family's roots, I simply chose Wicca because I don't believe what I learned is right - for me anyway. I saw far too many contradictions in the way Christ wants people to act and the way many Christians actually do.

Blessed be!
)O(

Answer 6

To be an oncologist you don't have to have cancer. There have been many people who switched from one religion to another, or to none, and the other way around. A very large proportion of atheists started out as "believers" - some were even in the clergy. To pretend they "didn't understand" is just self-serving wishful thinking.

Answer 7

Of course. It is very simple. Some try to make things complex. Satan wants to decieve us that way. It is clear. Either we are for God or against him. All religions that are not of God are satanism. There are many variations of antichrist religions. Satan planned this intentionally to try to capture as many souls as he could. I clearly understand Christianity and the antichrist movement. However, if one has not come to know God then I doubt they understand Christianity. If everyone understood Christianity then everyone would be a Christian.

Answer 8

Some people can have understanding in many areas of life, but not agree with those who practice these things. There shouldn't be a reason for intolerance, but there is. You should be able to understand even if you don't practice it. Like, I understand people who put up Xmas trees... but I don't do that.

.

Answer 9

I was Catholic. I have read up on Hinduism and Buddhism and I'm an atheist. I guess I can understand. What is required. Just to be an open person.

Answer 10

Sure - you can "understand" it in a clinical way. Like you can "understand" what the pain level of having a baby would be like, even though you are male. You "understand" the lure of being a Nazi in 1930s germany without becomming one or being fascist.

I think the purest form of "understanding" is experiential knowledge, but we can have some form of knowing without experience.

Answer 11

Yes. I was a catholic. I am now an Atheist. I understand christianity.