Hello to all, I'm also new...

[Strangelet]

Hi, I'm new.

I was raised conservative Christian (including YEC) but have become very skeptical of that entire viewpoint, since I'm not sure that much of it makes sense. I am convinced the world is more than 6000 years old, that the Bible is not historically accurate, and that the Bible has some dubious morality. In spite of that, I still feel that there is something more in this world than just what we can see. Which religious viewpoint I identify with depends on my mood at the time.

I am somewhat interested in other religions, but I tend to extend the same skepticism towards them as I do to Christianity. I feel that I have a little understanding of Judaism, based on my studies as a Christian, but obviously this is quite different from first-hand knowledge of the faith. The only other faith I have given any serious study to is Islam. I have read the Qur'an (translation) online something like 1.5 times, a substantial amount of Sahih Bukhari, and many articles by both followers and opponents of Islam. My knowledge of most other faiths is limited to the depth of understanding which comes from reading a couple of online articles.

So, that's me.

 

[elmarna]

WELCOME!
Keep searching & you will find what you are looking for.
I spent a long time getting things to match my thoughts & feelings ! It is a journey worth every step! Have a great time here!

 

[El_Majusi]

Congratulations for being honest and truthseeking,despite your religious background.
Welcome.

 

[Tarheeler]

Hi, I'm new.

Welcome to RF!

I was raised conservative Christian (including YEC) but have become very skeptical of that entire viewpoint, since I'm not sure that much of it makes sense. I am convinced the world is more than 6000 years old, that the Bible is not historically accurate, and that the Bible has some dubious morality. In spite of that, I still feel that there is something more in this world than just what we can see. Which religious viewpoint I identify with depends on my mood at the time.

The Bible is neither a history book nor a scientific text; it's not meant to be taken literally in every aspect.

Understanding that doesn't make God nonexistent.

I am somewhat interested in other religions, but I tend to extend the same skepticism towards them as I do to Christianity. I feel that I have a little understanding of Judaism, based on my studies as a Christian, but obviously this is quite different from first-hand knowledge of the faith. The only other faith I have given any serious study to is Islam. I have read the Qur'an (translation) online something like 1.5 times, a substantial amount of Sahih Bukhari, and many articles by both followers and opponents of Islam. My knowledge of most other faiths is limited to the depth of understanding which comes from reading a couple of online articles.

So, that's me.

Well, there's tons of good information on many religions here as well as some extremely knowledgeable people who are more than happy to share what they know. I'd certainly suggest learning about the basics of all of them.
As for Judaism, I think you might be surprised at how little a Christian background teaches. I though I had a good grip on the subject until I actually started to study Judaism on it's own.

 

[Nerthus]

Hello

 

[Revoltingest]

Greetings!

 

[Strangelet]

As a general comment about this site, I find the Frubals system to be confusing, even after searching for forums where other people have already been asking about them. The Forum Rules section is quite clear in its explanations, but I would suggest that a help section might also be useful for new members. Or maybe a message on these things at the top of the Introductory section. I don't know if there is anything other than Frubals which I will get confused on, so it might be a tiny section that I am requesting.

 

[Katzpur]

Welcome, Strangelet. You sound like a fun person to talk to. I'm looking forward to getting to know you.

 

[Strangelet]

Oh, also, Tarheeler, I quite like the quote stuck to the bottom of your message. I suspect you might have been right with your comment:
"As for Judaism, I think you might be surprised at how little a Christian background teaches. I though I had a good grip on the subject until I actually started to study Judaism on it's own."

I might find otherwise soon, but I do think that what I refer to as my studies as a Christian is somewhat different from just a Christian background. Due to the complicated and bizarre relationship between Judaism and Christianity, I did actually study Judaism as a separate topic to Christianity. Mostly that consisted of learning about the many rules, but also about Jewish interpretations of Messianic prophecies, Jewish refutations of Christianity, and a couple of general articles written by rabbis. And since I have also read the Tanakh, I think it is still fair of me to claim that I know a decent chunk of Jewish belief. I have not read the Talmud or Mishna, apart from some quoted extracts. But like I said before, I think the biggest gap in my knowledge is there because I have never actually really spoken with a religious Jew before. This is because where I come from, they are few and far between.