Did you know so much about other people's religion before you started on Yahoo Answers?

Question

I mean, even considering all the mocking and bitterness and so forth, did you know anywhere near as much about any religion or spiritual point of view besides your own? Haven't you learned something useful, perhaps even in spite of yourself? I never knew half the things I have learned here, and that's with having taken college courses in religion. I took an anthropology course, and one in the psychology department, and one in the philosophy department. And I've been through most of the new age bookstores in my neighborhood for many years. But I learned lots of things here I never knew before. How about you?

Oh, I completely agree that everything needs to be verified, but you learn what people profess, and how they feel about it. I'm afraid of my own biases here, and will throw this open for a vote.

Answer 1

No, luckily I wasn't brainwashed as a child, the thing that shocked me the most was learning about Noah's flood and all those fables...then realising American adults believed in them...some of them highly intelligent as well..George Bush being president then fell into place as I always wondered why the US people voted for him..It has been an eye opener this website..

Answer 2

Sure, I've been studying comparative religion since I was a teenager, and have been a Lay Pastor for four different congregations. I have experienced first hand, the dangers of fundamentalism, and I don't care what religion you attach to it. Anytime a congregation is ready to condemn, judge, or separate itself from a community, it is definitely going off of the deep end. I always appreciate an opportunity to test my beliefs and my faith however, and although I can't say that I've covered any new ground here, it has definitely brought some of the more important lessons back to the forefront.

Answer 3

I am an atheist but it has not stopped me from studying the 3 big ones. I just finished a 12 part lecture on the history of the new testament. It was not approached from a theological aspect, but from a historical POV. I would bet even most "Christians" have no idea about the history of "the building" of their canon.

Reading the quote above me I have never met an atheist that considers atheism a religion.

Answer 4

I totally agree with you. This forum is awesome. I have learned alot from talking to people of all different religions and walks of life. I learned that Muslims in the US celebrate the 4th of July, that most Atheists consider Atheism a religion, and so much more I can't even tell you. Much of it I could've never learned from any book or website. And I've met lots of different and great people on here. I love the diversity and even reading the views of the ones that get offensive because it's all part of the reason the site is so great.

Answer 5

I am very interested in religious study, but obviously there are many things I don't know. I am fairly sheltered where I live. One thing I did not know was that there are literally people who believe the Earth is a few thousand years old. I had no idea. Even with that creationism hooha in Kansas I didn't realize it entailed a 'young Earth'. It's been a real eye opener.

Answer 6

Hi, nice to see you! Re: your question, I'm sorry to say I haven't learned much at all about other religions; only that there's a large cadre of answerers here who are vitriolic, and enjoy baiting and maligning others. That's why I usually avoid this section now. I haven't noticed much real exchange of information/ideas, just vicious responses, usually in answer to a visciously phrased question. Sorry. I AM glad you feel the way you do; I think it's because you bring all that good nature with you when you come here. }:>

Answer 7

Don't take for granted the things you find here, try to verify something if it looks interesting.