What is your source for info on other religions and why?

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Annie_B

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It seems that many people come to CA for definitive answers about other religions and their beliefs. I always thought it was best to go to the source; not second hand information. I think that this question may have come up way back when, but it has had me wondering lately. I am guessing that many will say that they come here so that they will “get the truth - not distorted or false information”. However, in the same breath I am wondering if those same people also feel that the best place to go for information about the Catholic church would be the Catholic church itself. I have seen posts that say that you should NOT go to the LDS church for info on that church because they won’t tell you everything or everything will not be the truth (the truth as to what their beliefs are). The same thing goes for JW and 7th Day Adventists.

My questions to you are: what do you feel is the best, most truthful and complete source for information on other religions? What is the reason for your answer?
Annie
 
Annie_B said:
It seems that many people come to CA for definitive answers about other religions and their beliefs. I always thought it was best to go to the source; not second hand information. I think that this question may have come up way back when, but it has had me wondering lately. I am guessing that many will say that they come here so that they will “get the truth - not distorted or false information”. However, in the same breath I am wondering if those same people also feel that the best place to go for information about the Catholic church would be the Catholic church itself. I have seen posts that say that you should NOT go to the LDS church for info on that church because they won’t tell you everything or everything will not be the truth (the truth as to what their beliefs are). The same thing goes for JW and 7th Day Adventists.

My questions to you are: what do you feel is the best, most truthful and complete source for information on other religions? What is the reason for your answer?
Annie
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I’m with you–go to the source. For information about Judaism, I’d go ask Jews. I wouldn’t expect anybody else to realistically be able to talk about Judaism with as much honesty as a Jew–and really, what would they lie about?

Similarly, if I wanted information on the Catholic Church I would go ask Catholics because they’d be the best resource. And the same with any other religion.

Do people who come to CA for answers about other religions think that other religions are lying? That thought is incomprehensible to me. Maybe they are just intimidated by people who believe something different, and are just too shy to go ask questions.
 
Personally, I try to read that religion’s holy book(s) first and then accompanying texts. Though, in all honesty, to get the true meaning of a holy book is to trace it back its native language.

Currently, I’m reading the Tanakh and Catholic Bible. Afterwords, I may tackle the Qu’ran again.
 
As a Catholic I would saying going to a mass is helpful. Then you may want to discuss with a priest the beliefs, they will probably tell you to get a Catechism, a bible, and the Early Church Fathers to read up on beliefs.
 
Sister_Amy said:
I’m with you–go to the source. For information about Judaism, I’d go ask Jews. I wouldn’t expect anybody else to realistically be able to talk about Judaism with as much honesty as a Jew–and really, what would they lie about?

Similarly, if I wanted information on the Catholic Church I would go ask Catholics because they’d be the best resource. And the same with any other religion.

Do people who come to CA for answers about other religions think that other religions are lying? That thought is incomprehensible to me. Maybe they are just intimidated by people who believe something different, and are just too shy to go ask questions.
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I don’t think Catholics are the best resource on Catholicism. I’ve known way too many who were very confused as to what the church actually teaches. Perhaps not the sort who hang out here, but honestly…I teach in a RC college and most of my students are cradle Catholics who went to Catholic schools and they had never heard of the Immaculate Conception, to say nothing of understanding its meaning or significance.

I’d say the same of Jews and any other religion, for that matter. They could tell you what it’s like to practice, assuming they do, but there’s no guarantee that just because someone practices a religion or identifies as a member that they’re going to know the real story.

A clergy person might be a good resource. Other than that, I’d find a good book that provides an overview.
 
The reason I joined these forums was to learn more about Catholicism. I’ve found that I get much different answers here than I might find elsewhere. Also, the answers tend to be more complete.
 
If the members at CAF back their answers with references, then I think CAF would be a good source of information.
 
I seek to go to the “source” of other faith traditions instead of relying on “interpreters” which have a very negative view of the different faith tradition.

I see it here all the time…Catholics and Protestants “telling” Mormons “what they REALLY believe” instead of allowing Mormons to relay what it is they REALLY believe. I think we try to “interpret” and assign concepts and meanings OF OUR faith tradition upon those who use words and concepts differently to seek to explain their own faith.

I don’t particularly read “anti-XYZ” books when I’m trying to understand XYZ faith tradition. If I want to understand what Christian Scientists believe…I go to Christian Scientists…if I want to understand what Mormons believe…I go to Mormons…if I want to understand what Pagans believe…I go to Pagans.

I don’t particularly “trust” apologists from other faiths to give me a fair understanding of what another faith tradition believes.
 
i go to Wikipedia for a general understanding about another religion/faith

i know its not the most accurate source but its easy and a quick read

when i need to find out more detailed information, then i seek out official websites thats affiliated to that religion/faith
 
I try my best to go to the source, though I do in some cases find some usefulness in going to secondary (and tertiary) sources. You always have the danger that you’re getting misinformation, but then there is also the benifit of having the information packaged in a more digestable format. Though when doing this, you must be aware that this is what you’re doing, must be considering the possible motives of the source, and always must verify with primary sources. But in many cases, you get the benifit of having your eyes opened wider more quickly.
 
It would be a mistake to only go to the individual members of a faith: they may not be well formed.

Personally, I talk to people who hold the faith. I read the official writings of the faith, if there are any. I read and talk to those who left the faith, then I try to study if their claims have any merit.

For some, it is easy. For other faiths, it is hard.
 
choy said:
i go to Wikipedia for a general understanding about another religion/faith

i know its not the most accurate source but its easy and a quick read

when i need to find out more detailed information, then i seek out official websites thats affiliated to that religion/faith
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I also check wiki first. If I want to know more I seek out the fundamentalist of the target faith. They are less likely to water down their message either to gain converts or avoid confrontations
 
I make great use of the internet when researching. I use the internet to then meet up with adherents.
 
I do not think it is always the best thing to only go to the followers of any given religion to find out about it, if one is serious about learning what the religion is all about. To know the ins and outs of a religion, listen to what its followers have to say, but then go and look at sources which are against it, and sources which can claim some level of objectivity.

Every religion has a culture; some very large religions have subcultures within it. I am sorry to say that there are some religions for whom lying to outsiders is condoned and/or encouraged - it is part of the religion’s culture. I am not pointing fingers here at any one faith group; just saying it does happen. That is just one reason why it is best to look at all sides.

Another reason is that knowing the context of a group’s development can also tell you more about the group than a follower may be able to. As an extreme example, a Scientologist may want you to think that Scientology is the answer to everything. But knowing about that group’s history and founder will give a very different picture and it isn’t exactly a pretty one.

If anyone from any religion, including my own, tells me to “stay away” from a source, I generally make it a point to at least check out the source that they hate so much. I’m not a child and I can tell the difference between good and bad information.

All of this is really just a matter of thinking critically.
 
Annie_B said:
It seems that many people come to CA for definitive answers about other religions and their beliefs. I always thought it was best to go to the source; not second hand information. I think that this question may have come up way back when, but it has had me wondering lately. I am guessing that many will say that they come here so that they will “get the truth - not distorted or false information”. However, in the same breath I am wondering if those same people also feel that the best place to go for information about the Catholic church would be the Catholic church itself. I have seen posts that say that you should NOT go to the LDS church for info on that church because they won’t tell you everything or everything will not be the truth (the truth as to what their beliefs are). The same thing goes for JW and 7th Day Adventists.

My questions to you are: what do you feel is the best, most truthful and complete source for information on other religions? What is the reason for your answer?
Annie
Click to expand...
I try not to restrict my sources. If there’s information to be had, I embrace it. Granted, I take particular sources (such as disaffected former adherents) with a grain of salt, and give the highest amount of esteem to secular, academic sources.

I don’t agree with the “If you want to know, just ask a current, active, devout, in-good-standing member” at the exclusion of all others motif. I find it to be just as selectively biased as the other extreme (ask only angry ex-members). As a poster above noted, not all rank-and-file lay members of a religious organization know the history of their religion, all of the theological intricacies, or even the current events. This is why I prefer as eclectic of a body of literature as possible.
 
Mostly I just type “Why is wrong” in Google and then I accept whatever the first page says as gospel. :bounce:

Actually I usually go to either the source or someone I know is well versed on the subject. I’ll use websites that are officially sanctioned by the group, although in that case I acknowledge the possibility that they may gloss over some aspects of the religion, even if they aren’t going to outright lie (most of the time).
 
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