Reading other religion's scriptures.

[Vinayaka]

I know that in some interfaith circles it's suggested, or recommended to read scriptures other than your own, to get a better sense of who they are. And therein lies the challenge . Does this really work, or does it backfire?

Suppose you have a kindly friendly neighbor who you get along with just fine. One day he gives you his 'book' and you figure you'll take a look. A few pages in, and you begin to realise you disagree with almost everything in it, and your gut tells you to proceed with caution. Thoughts like, "Wow, this guy is really nuts, believing in all this crazy stuff!" (from your POV, not his) Sure, you got to know him better, but that knowledge makes you think far less of him that you ever did before.

I don't read other peoples' scriptures any more because the two times I did, this is what happened. My relationships with said people were better before I knew anything. As a close and wise friend once said "They seem nice on the surface, but did a little deeper, and that might change."

A secondary challenge is the exposure to contradictions. What is something sort of makes sense, but it also contradicts your current belief. That just gives you the challenge of sorting it all out, all over again.

So what say you ... in the big picture, is it beneficial or detrimental?

 

[JustGeorge]

I know that in some interfaith circles it's suggested, or recommended to read scriptures other than your own, to get a better sense of who they are. And therein lies the challenge . Does this really work, or does it backfire?

Suppose you have a kindly friendly neighbor who you get along with just fine. One day he gives you his 'book' and you figure you'll take a look. A few pages in, and you begin to realise you disagree with almost everything in it, and your gut tells you to proceed with caution. Thoughts like, "Wow, this guy is really nuts, believing in all this crazy stuff!" (from your POV, not his) Sure, you got to know him better, but that knowledge makes you think far less of him that you ever did before.

I don't read other peoples' scriptures any more because the two times I did, this is what happened. My relationships with said people were better before I knew anything. As a close and wise friend once said "They seem nice on the surface, but did a little deeper, and that might change."

A secondary challenge is the exposure to contradictions. What is something sort of makes sense, but it also contradicts your current belief. That just gives you the challenge of sorting it all out, all over again.

So what say you ... in the big picture, is it beneficial or detrimental?

I sometimes leaf through other scriptures or mythologies because I enjoy reading. It doesn't really backfire, because I do it for my own purposes.

However, I did agree to read the Qur'an for a Muslim friend. The conversation after was pretty awkward. He was upset(not angry, sad)when I didn't want to convert. I tried to say as little as I could, and thankfully, the only question he asked was "do you think Mohammed is a liar, then?" to which I honestly answered no. I think its totally valid Mohammed could have had that experience. Thank the Gods he didn't push it any further(he seemed very happy with that answer)... it was the deity speaking to Mohammed I questioned!

 

[sayak83]

I know that in some interfaith circles it's suggested, or recommended to read scriptures other than your own, to get a better sense of who they are. And therein lies the challenge . Does this really work, or does it backfire?

Suppose you have a kindly friendly neighbor who you get along with just fine. One day he gives you his 'book' and you figure you'll take a look. A few pages in, and you begin to realise you disagree with almost everything in it, and your gut tells you to proceed with caution. Thoughts like, "Wow, this guy is really nuts, believing in all this crazy stuff!" (from your POV, not his) Sure, you got to know him better, but that knowledge makes you think far less of him that you ever did before.

I don't read other peoples' scriptures any more because the two times I did, this is what happened. My relationships with said people were better before I knew anything. As a close and wise friend once said "They seem nice on the surface, but did a little deeper, and that might change."

A secondary challenge is the exposure to contradictions. What is something sort of makes sense, but it also contradicts your current belief. That just gives you the challenge of sorting it all out, all over again.

So what say you ... in the big picture, is it beneficial or detrimental?

Direct reading almost never works without at least some accompanying commentary or reading in a group....because how it is being used is more than half the story. During my student life I would directly go in and join a reading session. Now there is little time for me to explore and do something like that and lesser motivation as I am more in the "doing" stage than "learning" stage of my life.

 

[sayak83]

I sometimes leaf through other scriptures or mythologies because I enjoy reading. It doesn't really backfire, because I do it for my own purposes.

However, I did agree to read the Qur'an for a Muslim friend. The conversation after was pretty awkward. He was upset(not angry, sad)when I didn't want to convert. I tried to say as little as I could, and thankfully, the only question he asked was "do you think Mohammed is a liar, then?" to which I honestly answered no. I think its totally valid Mohammed could have had that experience. Thank the Gods he didn't push it any further(he seemed very happy with that answer)... it was the deity speaking to Mohammed I questioned!

I would keep away from such friends. There are some PPL who think that just reading their scripture will result in instant conviction...and if not, he/she is corrupt or depraved and is willfully rejecting their one true God(s). Avoiding religion talk with such PPL is the best course of action.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

So what say you ... in the big picture, is it beneficial or detrimental?

It's challenging.

It's challenging reading Hebrew Scripture and I benefit from a history of Shabbat services and Torah classes, ready access to remarkably bright Rabbis, and a bookshelf full of commentary. Dealing adequately and responsibly with some other religion's scripture would require a level of dedication that I simply do not have.

I try when it comes to Christianity, and I have what I believe to be a very good Qur'an with commentary, but it's still scratching the surface. The best I can do is to somewhat know what I don't know.

 

[JustGeorge]

I would keep away from such friends. There are some PPL who think that just reading their scripture will result in instant conviction...and if not, he/she is corrupt or depraved and is willfully rejecting their one true God(s). Avoiding religion talk with such PPL is the best course of action.

The friendship has since ran its course(natural growing apart, though, not any religious issues). He was quite young, and not really exposed to anything other than Islam, and I think there was some genuine confusion. I tried to avoid talk of my religion(I'd answer questions and try to move on), but encouraged him to be active in his own, to read his Qur'an, observe his fasts, etc(which he seemed to need to hear from someone).

He never made any shots at my character, though sometimes cried(literally) because he didn't want me to go to hell. I would try to talk to him from his own religion, and tell him Allah is merciful and he'll do what he'll do, so he shouldn't worry about it anymore(and then quickly change the subject).

 

[RestlessSoul]

Reading widely is imo almost always beneficial. And whilst scripture, or any other literature, might have been written with a particular readership in mind, the written word is a resource which shouldn’t be the property of any one group, but of us all. I think those are the principles on which the worlds various library movements were founded, and the world can never have too many libraries imo.

 

[Vinayaka]

Direct reading almost never works without at least some accompanying commentary or reading in a group....because how it is being used is more than half the story. During my student life I would directly go in and join a reading session. Now there is little time for me to explore and do something like that and lesser motivation as I am more in the "doing" stage than "learning" stage of my life.

That's me too. I hardly have any time to read my own scriptures. Other than my Guru's trilogy a book of quotes from the Guru's Guru, and the translations of the Tirukkural, many of those are very difficult reads. The Tirumanthiram is loaded with deep esoteric stuff only understandable by some. I did get through it once upon a time. I've never read the Gita, but I did read abridged versions of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Too long ago to remember much now.

 

[JustGeorge]

That's me too. I hardly have any time to read my own scriptures. Other than my Guru's trilogy a book of quotes from the Guru's Guru, and the translations of the Tirukkural, many of those are very difficult reads. The Tirumanthiram is loaded with deep esoteric stuff only understandable by some. I did get through it once upon a time. I've never read the Gita, but I did read abridged versions of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Too long ago to remember much now.

I'm working through the complete Mahabharata right now. It may take years, at the rate I'm going.

 

[Quintessence]

I can't help but think the most important question to ask before engaging in such an endeavor is "how, if at all, is scripture even used by this religion and this specific individual?"

The importance of scripture - or written words just in general - is very recent. We overlook this today as a predominantly literate culture, but the overwhelming majority of human existence has not involved use of written words or alphabets. Even today, as literate as we are, most of our day-to-day experiences do not involve abstract glyphs on a page that encode meanings. Written word is an artifice that attempts (and often fails) to encode lived experience of the senses. Many religions still place a very strong emphasis on lived experience or practice over encoded messages on sheets of paper. Mine certainly does.

 

[mangalavara]

I know that in some interfaith circles it's suggested, or recommended to read scriptures other than your own, to get a better sense of who they are.

Getting a better sense of who a religious group is can be done by listening to a talk about their religion and participating in the subsequent Q/A part.

Personally, I would rather study my own tradition’s scriptures for my spiritual benefit than spend a lot of time reading the scriptures of another tradition that is very unlike mine. If I’m going to read any of another tradition’s scriptures, it would be of a similar or sympathetic tradition. For example, as a Hindu, I have no problem reading the Dhammapada or Dàodéjīng.

Does this really work, or does it backfire?

I think it really depends on the individual.

Thank the Gods he didn't push it any further(he seemed very happy with that answer)... it was the deity speaking to Mohammed I questioned!

This is a good position and I think I share it.

 

[mangalavara]

Many religions still place a very strong emphasis on lived experience or practice over encoded messages on sheets of paper. Mine certainly does.

I like this a lot. We tend to learn more by practice than reading. The Śiva-purāṇa, for example, says that sages have a hard time figuring out the nature of Śiva due to the great variety of those ‘encoded messages,’ and that the person who goes to and finds refuge in Śiva understands the nature of Śiva effortlessly.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm working through the complete Mahabharata right now. It may take years, at the rate I'm going.

Yes, that would be a challenge. It's very long.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yes, that would be a challenge. It's very long.

It takes up almost a whole bookshelf.

I kept reading abridged versions, and was never satisfied because something was always left out.

I figured this is the only way I'll be happy.

 

[Vinayaka]

I can't help but think the most important question to ask before engaging in such an endeavor is "how, if at all, is scripture even used by this religion and this specific individual?"

The importance of scripture - or written words just in general - is very recent. We overlook this today as a predominantly literate culture, but the overwhelming majority of human existence has not involved use of written words or alphabets. Even today, as literate as we are, most of our day-to-day experiences do not involve abstract glyphs on a page that encode meanings. Written word is an artifice that attempts (and often fails) to encode lived experience of the senses. Many religions still place a very strong emphasis on lived experience or practice over encoded messages on sheets of paper. Mine certainly does.

Absolutely. It's one of the reasons I read little at all. Reading about practicing isn't practicing.

 

[JustGeorge]

I can't help but think the most important question to ask before engaging in such an endeavor is "how, if at all, is scripture even used by this religion and this specific individual?"

The importance of scripture - or written words just in general - is very recent. We overlook this today as a predominantly literate culture, but the overwhelming majority of human existence has not involved use of written words or alphabets. Even today, as literate as we are, most of our day-to-day experiences do not involve abstract glyphs on a page that encode meanings. Written word is an artifice that attempts (and often fails) to encode lived experience of the senses. Many religions still place a very strong emphasis on lived experience or practice over encoded messages on sheets of paper. Mine certainly does.

I've sometimes had trouble explaining this concept to some of the "People of the Book".

Even harder if they've heard of the Vedas.... "But I read its Hinduism's central scripture." They want to be able to relate it to their own traditions so they can better understand. Its admirable, but it just doesn't translate the same.

 

[sun rise]

Unlike some others, I've found it useful to read books from and about other religions. Sometimes I read the scripture itself, sometimes books about the religion from believers and from people like Karen Armstrong. I've not sought to compare/contrast the theology of one faith versus another but to understand their perspective in the "Blind Men and the Elephant" sense.

Also, another area I see it useful is understanding how wrong some people are who make superficial negative claims that "this religion is evil" because... They don't know the wide variety of ways people approach any religion including how they interpret the scriptures but rather seize on a few quotes out of context to support their own bias.

 

[PureX]

I know that in some interfaith circles it's suggested, or recommended to read scriptures other than your own, to get a better sense of who they are. And therein lies the challenge . Does this really work, or does it backfire?

Suppose you have a kindly friendly neighbor who you get along with just fine. One day he gives you his 'book' and you figure you'll take a look. A few pages in, and you begin to realise you disagree with almost everything in it, and your gut tells you to proceed with caution. Thoughts like, "Wow, this guy is really nuts, believing in all this crazy stuff!" (from your POV, not his) Sure, you got to know him better, but that knowledge makes you think far less of him that you ever did before.

I don't read other peoples' scriptures any more because the two times I did, this is what happened. My relationships with said people were better before I knew anything. As a close and wise friend once said "They seem nice on the surface, but did a little deeper, and that might change."

A secondary challenge is the exposure to contradictions. What is something sort of makes sense, but it also contradicts your current belief. That just gives you the challenge of sorting it all out, all over again.

So what say you ... in the big picture, is it beneficial or detrimental?

I think you bring up a very good point, here.

Sacred texts are considered sacred because they relate to the very deepest and archetypal insights and beliefs of the culture that created and reveres them. Even to the point that those within that culture will have difficulty grasping their full intent and meaning. And so when an outsider reads them, it's going to be VERY unlikely that they will gain any true or accurate grasp of their meaning or purpose. We may think we do, but in fact that is just not very likely. And is in probably nearly impossible. Especially as sacred text is such an admixture symbolism, poetry, proverb, and literary artifice of every kind that requires interpreting within the context from which it was created and used.

And we would be all the more remiss to then use our feeble understanding of such texts to delegitimize someone else in our own mind.

 

[Link]

Salam

I see how Quran is mistranslated. Relatively aware great mistranslation to Bible as well. So on that paradigm, I would have to learn a language to seriously study another religion.

I lost my trust in translators overall. Maybe one day when I have more time, I will study more scripture and learn more languages.

 

[justaguy313]

I read all the scriptures. You can find truth in all of them if you truly search, it's the clerics who are the enemies of the truth, thus the division amongst religions.