I am interested in religion, but not religious or spiritial. Anyone know of good informative litereature?

Question

Christianity does not interest me that much, because I was raised Christian and already know a good bit about it.

I want to know more about other religions and their god/s or deities and there beliefs. Does anyone know of some good websites or books about various religions or specific religions?

I just want to learn more about the religion. I don't want to be preached to in a book or at a site; that irritates me. I just want information.

From what little I know about the Eastern religions, I find them to be interesting. The concept of reincarnation especially interests me.

A book which is recommended does not have to be strictly information, it could be a story with a lot of useful information about the religion. I read Herman Hesse's Siddhartha and liked it.

Don't forget about mythology and the ancient Greek and Roman beliefs. (I personally recommend anything Joe Campbell has done to those interested in mythology.)

And please, no mud slinging!!

Answer 1

A person raised a Christian who is not spiritual claims to know a lot about Christendom. I recommmend a book that teachs spiritual understanding from the one true God. If my Gospel is Hidden R.S Neaville.

Answer 2

An essay by Clifford Geertz called "Religion as a Cultural System" in _The Interpretation of Cultures_.
Mary Douglas, _Purity and Danger_

For Judaism, try Barry W. Holtz's _Back to the Sources: Reading the Classic Jewish Texts_. A great introduction to the different layers of Jewish text and commentary, really helps to get a sense of the book side of the tradition.

AJ Heschel's _Shabbat_ is excellent. Actually, anything by Heschel is great, but start with this one.

With Buddhism, reading only gets you about three steps along the way. To understand it, you need to practice meditation. This is much easier with a group than on your own. Don't worry, Buddhists aren't attached to prosletysing or preaching.

Religion is a complex social and psychological force. Find a university class that you can sit in on so you get the benefit of class discussion. If you can't manage that, look at reading lists for courses that interest you. Keep in mind that everything has a bias and no one site or book represents the entirety of a tradition.

Answer 3

There are all sorts of books on all sorts of religions and systems of belief. It is good to widen your knowledge and adjust your thinking and beliefs as you go.

A warning though - How much of what you know and believe to be true or untrue in the modern Christian religion is based on reading the Bible and how much on the opinions and preaching of people? Read all the books you want but avoid the opinions of the people like the plague!!!

Answer 4

What a problematic question. first of all, my faith believes that we are the actual faith, and that no longer all religions are maximum surprising. That does no longer even make any experience pondering many faiths are thoroughly contradictory of their teachings. How can one faith say "try this" and yet another say "do no longer try this" and that they are the two maximum surprising? that's not even logical. That being mentioned, my faith does not think of that throughout the time of basic terms contributors of my faith are those attending to Heaven - that's not for us to assert, that's God's selection. If my baby had to learn approximately different religions, i could be ecstatic. that's considered needed to appreciate the place people are coming from, it helps understand historic previous and custom, and so on. yet whilst i've got faith i'm coaching my baby the fact approximately God, how could I no longer be disenchanted if my baby rejects it? we are living in a international of ethical relativism, so i assume that's common for many mothers and fathers those days to in basic terms be satisfied with in spite of the fact that possibilities their infants make, yet that's not how i'm raising my childrens. My infants have loose will, so as that they'd do what they %, yet i'm no longer required to like it or maybe admire it. in fact, i'm no longer able to think of of something worse than my infants rejecting our faith, considering is a rejection of me. In my faith, i'm to blame for the souls of my infants and if my infants have faith a faith this is contradictory to mine, i will would desire to respond to to God for a fashion I raised them.

Answer 5

Here's a free, on-line book that describes a different Christianity than you are familiar with. No salesman will call!!!

http://www.raystedman.org/authenxnty/

I would also recomend C. S. Lewis - MERE CHRISTIANITY

Answer 6

check Wikipedia for resources on which books are best.