What Religious Texts Or Theological Literature Have You Read?

Sindri

Just wondering what religious texts the good people here and the people from the other spirituality forums have read. I mean the major texts that are central to the religion such as The Qur'an or the Bible as well as other works like the hadiths or the Talmud as well as what religion you happen to be a member of or if you're a member of any religion or if your an atheists or an agnostic?

Dades

I have read The Qur'an

I'd have read bits or most of the Bible when in school, but never from cover to cover. Never attempted to read any other flavour of religion, either (unless Dune counts!)

Life's too short. I have a reading list of quality books as long as my arm and nowhere near enough time to read them.

doctoremma

I have read The Qur'an

Dades wrote: »

I'd have read bits or most of the Bible when in school, but never from cover to cover. Never attempted to read any other flavour of religion, either

Same, but maybe not so much that I'd say "most" of the bible.

Sarky

I have read The Qur'an

Did anyone else voting through the touch site end up with a totally screwy poll result?

robindch

Sindri wrote: »

Just wondering what religious texts the good people here and the people from the other spirituality forums have read.

Certainly more of the NT than the OT, and in English and Greek and occasionally in Latin. I recall being entertained, in rather a sad way, by the meaninglessness of the English translations when not read within the philosophical context of the original Greek prose. Especially for John's text which is much the most polished and literate of what's, otherwise, a distinctly mediocre and distinctly dubious set of documents. I was almost equally surprised by the juvenile tone and outlook of Matthew's text.

The parts of the Koran I tried to read are, for me anyway, unreadable though I'm sure this is due to a "closed heart" or somesuch.

There are much more illuminating books out there, and some of them predate the bible.

Manach

I have read the Buddhavacana

I've read the bible in English which is how I'd primary interpret in. It was literally an academic exercise to read it in Greek, but what I got out of it, was a new appreciation of it.

coffee_cake

I have read none of the above.

Chunk of the bible, bhagavad gita, number of sutras

legspin

I have read none of the above.

A few different versions of the bible, a koran, bits and pieces of the Talmud and the Torah
Oh, and Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard.

All full of bullshít but the last one in particular.

Sindri

I have read the Buddhavacana

robindch wrote: »

Certainly more of the NT than the OT, and in English and Greek and occasionally in Latin. I recall being entertained, in rather a sad way, by the meaninglessness of the English translations when not read within the philosophical context of the original Greek prose. Especially for John's text which is much the most polished and literate of what's, otherwise, a distinctly mediocre and distinctly dubious set of documents. I was almost equally surprised by the juvenile tone and outlook of Matthew's text.

The parts of the Koran I tried to read are, for me anyway, unreadable though I'm sure this is due to a "closed heart" or somesuch.

There are much more illuminating books out there, and some of them predate the bible.

I found The Qur'an difficult to read as well. Sebastian Faulks said it's like it was written by a schizophrenic.

Nodin

Never got more than a few pages into the Bible. Few things on various pagan religious revivals. Only thing I ever read that struck me as genuinely worth the the time was by something by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, which ironically I can't remember the name of for the life of me.

Sycopat

I've read most of the bible at one stage or another. Still 1 and a half gospels to get through though.

Something about reading the same story over and over again just puts me off finishing it.

strobe

Not sure how to vote on the poll. To select an option would you have to have read a complete text, or does having read some of it(them) mean I'd select the option?

Red Hand

Read most of the old testement. Liked some of the imagery...ploughing your enemies into the ashes and that.:)

Gregor Samsa

I have read none of the above.

I've read the Bible cover to cover a couple of times. Ecclesiastes is brilliant, if you ignore all the god stuff. Had a stab at the Book of Mormon (it was given to me by a doorstepper years ago), but gave up fairly quickly. I've read a few Hare Krishna books, but never the Bhagavad-gita or any other Hindu texts. I have a copy of the Quran on my phone, and have dipped in and out of it from time to time. I'm afraid to delete the app in case it sparks international protests.

The Book of the SubGenius is the closest any religious book I've read yet has come to making any sense.

18AD

Jaysus, I haven't read anything of the ones on the list.

I'm a theological hipster, I don't read any of that mainstream stuff. :cool:

fitz0

I have read none of the above.

I've read a fair chunk of the NT and some of the OT. Not enough to quote or anything, but enough to dislike it. I've also read the Tao Te Ching which I'm surprised to not see on the list.

Gbear

I am not a member of any (above) religious group. (Please specify).

I've never owned a Bible.
I've dabble a bit in this version of it though: http://www.thebricktestament.com/home.html

Alas, just like the Joseph Smith story in South Park it's hard to know what's crazy because it's exaggerated for comedic effect and what's crazy from the source material.

I can't see myself learning anything or enjoying reading most religious books so it's hard to justify the time and effort required. The only thing it would be for would be debating online and that would be pretty sad IMO.

ShooterSF

Gbear wrote: »

I've never owned a Bible.
I've dabble a bit in this version of it though: http://www.thebricktestament.com/home.html

Alas, just like the Joseph Smith story in South Park it's hard to know what's crazy because it's exaggerated for comedic effect and what's crazy from the source material.

I can't see myself learning anything or enjoying reading most religious books so it's hard to justify the time and effort required. The only thing it would be for would be debating online and that would be pretty sad IMO.

To be fair when nearly everyone living around you believes something to be true it lends more reason to investigate the subject. I've read up on psychics and homeopathy for similar reasons.

Gbear

I am not a member of any (above) religious group. (Please specify).

ShooterSF wrote: »

To be fair when nearly everyone living around you believes something to be true it lends more reason to investigate the subject. I've read up on psychics and homeopathy for similar reasons.

Well there's a bit of research and there's reading the whole bible and/or other religious books.

JimiTime

robindch wrote: »

Certainly more of the NT than the OT, and in English and Greek and occasionally in Latin. I recall being entertained, in rather a sad way, by the meaninglessness of the English translations when not read within the philosophical context of the original Greek prose. Especially for John's text which is much the most polished and literate of what's, otherwise, a distinctly mediocre and distinctly dubious set of documents. I was almost equally surprised by the juvenile tone and outlook of Matthew's text.

Care to expand? Would love to hear what I'm missing not knowing Greek. Also love to hear on what level is it mediocre? is it in terms of its language, grammar, message, literacy? Also, what is the context of the word 'dubious', and how did you arrive at the conclusion that they are dubious? Also, could you expand on the juvenile claim with regards to Matthews account? As in the language reads like a childrens book or what?

ShooterSF

Gbear wrote: »

Well there's a bit of research and there's reading the whole bible and/or other religious books.

Oh yeah absolutely! I haven't read the bible cover to cover nor do I have any desire to. The same of the Quran. But as an interest in other people I like to read what they believe to try and understand them.

Dades

I have read The Qur'an

JimiTime wrote: »

Care to expand? Would love to hear what I'm missing not knowing Greek. Also love to hear on what level is it mediocre? is it in terms of its language, grammar, message, literacy? Also, what is the context of the word 'dubious', and how did you arrive at the conclusion that they are dubious? Also, could you expand on the juvenile claim with regards to Matthews account? As in the language reads like a childrens book or what?

Jimi, you'd have to read the bible to know what Robin is talking about, and the poll suggests you haven't.

scottie pippen

I have read none of the above.

I am now atheist, but I was catholic as a child,
also read a large chunks of the book of Morman, and almost got Baptized.

JimiTime

Dades wrote: »

Jimi, you'd have to read the bible to know what Robin is talking about, and the poll suggests you haven't.

So would he, so it should be an interesting to see him expand on his conclusions. Especially with regards to the meaninglessness of the English translations.

goose2005

I have read the Gurū Granth Sāhib.

JimiTime wrote: »

Care to expand? Would love to hear what I'm missing not knowing Greek. Also love to hear on what level is it mediocre? is it in terms of its language, grammar, message, literacy? Also, what is the context of the word 'dubious', and how did you arrive at the conclusion that they are dubious? Also, could you expand on the juvenile claim with regards to Matthews account? As in the language reads like a childrens book or what?

I think the Greek of the synoptic (Mat/Mark/Luke) is written in fairly simplistic Greek by people who may have had it as a second language.

Sir Pompous Righteousness

I have read The Qur'an

You forgot the Book of Mormon.