The Critical Necessity of Reading Material Critical of Your Current Beliefs

[Woodrow LI]

One advantage with being a Muslim in the USA, there is no shortage of reading material that is critical of my belief. I am a strong believer in learning what people disagree with about Islam and learn even from the hate sites.

Faith should never be blind and one should be strong enough to understand others do believe different and it is helpful to always learn. If reading a criticism of your belief shakes your faith, it is time to do a self examination of what you believe.

Than again in my Catholic years I did the unpardonable sin and read the KJV

Yes, when I was a kid we were taught it was a sin to read the KJV.

[Hueffenhardt]

Originally Posted by Woodrow LI

Than again in my Catholic years I did the unpardonable sin and read the KJV

Yes, when I was a kid we were taught it was a sin to read the KJV.

Interesting. I did not know that there were any Catholic Parishes still teaching that in the 20th century.

[Woodrow LI]

Originally Posted by Hueffenhardt

Interesting. I did not know that there were any Catholic Parishes still teaching that in the 20th century.

You would have to know I grew up in the 1940s in a predominately old country Lithuanian/Polish culture. I thought one of the qualifications to be a priest is your last name has to end in either ski or kas

In the 1940s in predominately old country Lithuanian/Polish parishes you would come close to being burned at the stake if you even touched a KJV

[whoppers]

Originally Posted by WonderingWanderer

Because in your op, you asked why trust the authors of the bible. Jefferson thought the same and that resulted in a heavily modified "bible." (more like Gospel) Which really gives a unique view of Jesus, moving one away from simply having the one-sided view you warned about. It was a very interesting read for me, your post reminded me of it and the fresh view.

I have an older copy of the Jefferson Bible on my shelf - it is an interesting read, indeed. You can consider it an early attempt at a "historical jesus".
I picked it up at, of all place, the Rare Book room of a local Goodwill Bookstore. An excellent place to pick up the occasional scholarly work on the current subject and others.