Is it okay to learn about other religions?

[LovelyLadybug]

Okay, this is probably a silly question, but I’ll ask it anyway. I’m a high school student and I’m studying world history. That means learning about ancient civilizations and their religions as well. I learned a little bit about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc… And I had a whole chapter about the Protestant Reformation!!! Of course, my teacher talked about Catholocism, too, but nevertheless, the talk about other religions makes me uncomfortable. I had questions on tets like “What are the five pillars of Islam?” and “What is one belief shared by both Hindus and Buddhists?” Do I really need to be learning this stuff? And is it nesscecary to know about the reformation? I’m Catholic and I don’t care about other religions. Why the talk of Judaism or Islam? Even if they talk about Catholocism too?

 

[Salibi]

Do I really need to be learning this stuff? And is it nesscecary to know about the reformation? I’m Catholic and I don’t care about other religions. Why the talk of Judaism or Islam? Even if they talk about Catholocism too?

Knowledge is never lost! It’s good to study about other faiths and cultures. It helps you understand where they come from and even how to better speak to them with evangelization in mind (if you’re into that sort of thing).

 

[Mrchatsworth]

Yes. It is ok to educate yourself.

 

[SusanneT]

Learn about is absolutely fine - learn is going down the wrong path.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It’s fine to learn about other religions, as long as you’re not the kind of person who is going to come onto CAF and post threads about “Should I stay a Catholic or convert to Buddhism?”

I myself read about a number of other religions ever since I was a child. I enjoyed learning about other cultures, other traditions, other religious practices, etc. I never once considered converting over to one of the other religions. About as close as I got was recognizing, as many other people including Thomas Merton have done, that Buddhism has some principles that are similar to Catholicism or could somehow fit into a Catholic worldview. I am a Catholic and a Catholic I will stay. Asking me to be something different would be like asking a bear to turn into a turtle or a bird.

If I were the type of person who was going to read about other religions and want to convert, or wonder whether Catholicism was wrong and I should go be the other religion instead, then it would be dangerous for me to do all that reading.

 

[LovelyLadybug]

I had to read it for school, but it made uncomforatable.

 

[Salibi]

I had to read it for school, but it made uncomforatabl

Understandable if you’ve never been exposed to other faiths, but it really shouldn’t! Start by trying to see similarities between your faith and all the others. Then tackle the differences. You oughta have gotten comfortable enough with studying other faiths by then. Good luck!

 

[Mrchatsworth]

Sometimes we lean uncomfortable things, you need to be wise enough to lean and recognize bias and propaganda. Knowledge is not evil or bad.

 

[CTBcin]

I had questions on tets like “What are the five pillars of Islam?” and “What is one belief shared by both Hindus and Buddhists?” Do I really need to be learning this stuff? And is it nesscecary to know about the reformation? I’m Catholic and I don’t care about other religions. Why the talk of Judaism or Islam? Even if they talk about Catholocism too?

If it’s simply a survey about the beliefs of world religions, then there should be nothing to make you uncomfortable. There’s nothing wrong with learning about other people’s beliefs. In fact, it’s helpful that we have some basic knowledge about what other people believe instead of complete ignorance about other religions.

You say this is a world history class. Religion plays a major part in world history, so at least a basic education in world religions is necessary to grasp the subject.

If you don’t particularly enjoy the subject matter, that’s fine. But, there were lots of subjects in school that I didn’t like or wasn’t interested in, but I still had to take them!

 

[meltzerboy2]

Learning about other faiths and cultures is, well, a learning experience. You may appreciate such learning later on in your life even if you don’t right now. With regard to feeling uncomfortable, it’s good preparation for other uncomfortable things in life when you grow older. I don’t want to worry you, but not everything we experience and do in life fits into our comfort zone.

 

[JM3]

If it is a requirement for graduation from high school, then yes, you really need to be learning this stuff.

 

[annad347]

I had to read it for school, but it made uncomfortable.

Then maybe its a good idea that you are reading about them in a safe place like school. That way you can ask as many questions as you can, get a better understanding other religions.

School is, or rather should be a safe place to address things that make you feel uncomfortable, especially religion. Its out there in the world, you are going to one day face someone who asks you, “Why do you believe in Jesus, why are you Catholic?”. Wont it be awesome to say, “I studied other religions and Jesus showed me the truth.”

 

[DiscerningTheTruth]

I agree with (name removed by moderator). Learning about other religions actually makes you a better Catholic. I have read many texts from other religions (Book Of Mormon, Quran etc) so that if I get into a discussion with individuals of these faiths, I can make points that they understand. It isn’t dangerous to study other viewpoints, just know what you believe and why.

 

[Dolphin]

Personally I think it is most fruitful to learn social justice and mercy teachings and values from Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. While theologically there are multiple differences that obviously we can’t grow in faith from, we can gain insight into the ways in which they live out mercy

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

You should learn about these things; it can lead to a better appreciation of your own faith and strengthen your resolve and defense whenever another challenging viewpoint is presented. It also helps you relate to and understand the people around you, which is something we’re called by Jesus himself to do (treat our neighbor charitably).

 

[Kindnessmatters]

I think it is helpful to learn what other religions teach and how religion has factored into the emergence of civilization.

That said, schools and textbooks are largely run/written with a liberal bias so feel free to keep posting here and double check what is said about Catholics and our faith. Talk to your priest, etc. To make sure you are not led astray by other peoples’ biases.

 

[Dan_Defender]

The more you learn about other religions, the more you will appreciate Catholicism. It is unique, in that only in Christianity does God himself enter human history, and Catholics are the true Christians with the 2000-year history.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Learning about other religions helps you learn about other cultures and you cannot
separste religion and history. Religion has played a big part in the history of the
world we live in.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Religion has played a big part in the history of the
world we live in.

Yes. In fact, Christianity is the pillar of western civilization.

 

[Minks]

Okay, this is probably a silly question, but I’ll ask it anyway. I’m a high school student and I’m studying world history. That means learning about ancient civilizations and their religions as well. I learned a little bit about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc… And I had a whole chapter about the Protestant Reformation!!! Of course, my teacher talked about Catholocism, too, but nevertheless, the talk about other religions makes me uncomfortable. I had questions on tets like “What are the five pillars of Islam?” and “What is one belief shared by both Hindus and Buddhists?” Do I really need to be learning this stuff? And is it nesscecary to know about the reformation? I’m Catholic and I don’t care about other religions. Why the talk of Judaism or Islam? Even if they talk about Catholocism too?

In what type of school did this course of study occur? Catholic? Or public school? A private non-Catholic school? Also, LL, will you please give us the title and author(s) of your textbook(s) for this course? Thank you, in advance.