Is there any use for the so-called "holy" books?

Question

The "HOLY" books are nothing but sheaves of costly printing paper, and their messages are sheer private opinions of people who probably have not done a single day's honest work. If they came back in life today, no sensible employer would hire them! to do the meanest of jobs!. There is no proof that they were inspired messages; All they have done is to create wars and violence which people of decent mind find very unacceptable. Great books , if you think objectively, are books written with a specific purpose- like Newton's Principia, or Darwins Origin of Species or Einstein's works on theory of electromagnetism or the great and beautiful works of Shakespeare. It is true that if you flung away all the self-destructive religious works in the high oceans nothing at all will be lost, but if you destroyed the works of the scientists civilisations would collapse and humankind will return to barbarity. Any comments please?

Answer 1

All Holy books have many purposes and mean very much for the people and the sciences of the modern world.
First of all, they are excellent historical logs and from them we can learn about many events that have occurred before the first history books, only if we know how not to look at things literally.
Next, they are great ethnographic material from which we can find out about many customs of the older people and about their beliefs, eventually about the roots of present sociological appearance.
Then, of course, the holy books are a very good philological source trough which we can understand the origin of many modern languages and, of course, the state of the ancient languages in the time when the books came to be.
Without a doubt, there s a big moral influence spread by these books - who could stand against Christs teaching of love amongst all humans, or Budha's words of finding the ethernal peace within yourself (these are just the most obvious examples). These moral messages should not be considdered wrong or even in any connection with the rest of the religion, cult or whatever they belong to.
Finnaly, there is hope in the greater good and in an ethernal deity that watches over us and makes an order out of a chaotic world, which, being wrong or right, does give hope to people. The only way to suppress this hope is to give the people another one, and that's why science (in any of its forms) can't replace religion.

That's my oppinion on this, so, at the least, give it a thought.

Answer 2

Comments? Yes. I'm an atheist but find your proposition very simple. The holy books are just story lines, written long after any events took place. The books did not and do not incite religious intolerance, only the stupidity of man does that; using the books as some sort of sublime object. Of course, it also needs the ignorance of man to then believe the dross he is being fed by religious fanatics, purportedly quoting some old fairy tale. As for the other works you mention, sure, great. But so what? Those books are only a small part of human development. You could lose all the books you have mentioned and life would still go on, and it would develop and no-one would be any worse off for not having read Shakespeare or Darwin or the Apostles..

Answer 3

Read one first and then talk to an expert on the contents, a priest or vicar or iman or whatever. Have a discussion, ask questions. Your question is only your opinion and it may not be an educated opinion. Prejudice
1. An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or
without knowledge or examination of the facts.
2. A preconceived preference or idea.
3. The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived
judgments or convictions. See synonyms at predilection.
4. Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race,
or religion.
5. Detriment or injury caused to a person by the
preconceived, unfavorable conviction of another or
others.
might cloud your opinion

Answer 4

For the holy books to be useful they do not have to be true. I find Shakespeare very inspirational yet none can be said to be true.

Yes the great books of science are also inspirational (and you missed out Dawkins and Hawkin), however books of fiction and myth do say things that not even the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus does not say.

The impotence is to know they are fiction or myth and that they can give advice which is no longer useful. IE - i have never wanted to covet my neighbours ox.

Answer 5

Holy books are very important. If one studies religions, one can tell that most holy books basically have the same message - be kind to others. This is very important. One must always be kind to other humans, as we have a symbiotic relationship with all others on the planet. Holy books have good thoughts on ways to improve these relationships. I suggest reading one once in a while. You might be enlightened.

Answer 6

Holy books create so many problems as its all down to the way people interpret the stories, as they are just full of stories that are metaphors.
I do agree with your theroy as I am more of the science mind then religious but holy books do give people postive things and faith to believe in something and some people do need that.

Answer 7

I would agree that the destruction of the great literary works of man would lead to the collapse of humanity as we know it.
However, with that being said I can not agree with your assessment concerning the Holy Bible.
We must remember that wars and destruction are things carried out by men, not God.

Answer 8

Sounds like you have some issues that you need to address.

I was forced to listen to the same nonsense as a child but I have done the necessary research and put that all behind me. Carrying this anger around with you is not good for you.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 9

yes there is, do some research about all the holy book for the main religions of the world. Only then you will find the truth. Hope this is insightful.

Answer 10

I agree with you.The only use for holy books is to start wars and it gives lunatics some thing to believe in