Why do christians limit their reading material of extra-biblical sources?

*************
M*W: I'm curious as to why christians restrict their own access to extra-biblical reading material? Many times most of us have posted bibliographies or websites as references, but how many times have christians actually looked up the references or made an effort to read them? They don't as a rule, and it becomes impossible to have a discussion with them about issues they refuse to know about much less crack a book other than their bible.

As atheists, we read their bible, and we are more familiar with it than even they are. What is it that they fear about learning?

All religionists and atheists please reply.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

they are afraid to learn that they could be wrong. Imagine following your life a God and than learning through logic...that he does not exist? what will be of you? left of you when last minutes of life come?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

I've wondered about that sometimes too. I'm hardly a scholar in the ways of religions, but I like to think that I am open to learning from different sources. Quite a few theists that I've come across online and in person don't seem to be as open. Maybe it's just a mindset that some people have, like when you see pundits on television denounce a film, song, show, or book without actually watching, reading, or listening to it.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

Even theists who do read secular/atheist proposals arnt going to be swayed by them particularly anyway.
I believe its called cognitive dissonance (learnt that word recently) whereby your prior beliefs or biases will cause you mentally blot out what doesnt fit into your world view.
Almost everyone bar none is guilty of this, part of the human condition.
The good thing is whether youre consciously aware of it or not, the new contradictory information has been soaked up and if a critical mass is reached will force a person to change their beliefs. This is never done mid-argument though, enough time has to pass so that the individual can convince him/herself that they have changed their own mind.
Im quite sure ive done this myself too.

 

Depends on the Christian whether they actually open a book. Evangelicals are far less likely to do so, for example. However, even when they do, it's not likely to change much. Helio is very much on the mark concerning cognitive dissonance. Many people refuse to question the validity of their "security blanket," and, as such, are incapable of comprehending anything that threatens to invalidate their beliefs. I sincerely hope that my errors in that field are minimized, but even with a great deal of introspective examination, it can be hard to tell.

 

this is exactly what M*W did, and 99% of all atheist.
at the end, you just cease to exist, what's to be afraid of.

it all boils dont to under-educated ignorance.

then we would never have any atheists would we. but admittedly atheist do struggle against the indoctrination they recieved. brainwashing is much harder to remove, from you mind, than something you've learnt via your own free will.

exactly, you realise you've been lied too, and through study conclude the real truth. and when you hit that point, it's wonderful.

 

Because the end is the another beginning. No I dont cease to exist. And yes I am afraid that I might be wrong, not of death itself.

 

dont understand the question, it was in reply to boss foxx.
under-educated ignorance is just that if people dont take the time to learn about a subject, they will always remain ignorant of it.

if believing you have another beginning, or that you dont cease to exist, and that makes you happy, thats fine.
I just gave my opinion, as an atheist, I have no belief in an afterlife.

 

I erased the message, bc I realized it...yet you replied to it...:bugeye:

 

One of Christianity's worse ideals is that of FAITH.

To me, faith is a grave sin, but for christianity it is essential for its survival.

The faithful mentality doesnt seek out other angles or evidence, and therefore limits its reading only to whatever supports itself.

H.P. Lovecraft wrote:

"If religion were true, its followers would not try to bludgeon their young into an artificial conformity; but would merely insist on their unbending quest for truth, irrespective of artificial backgrounds or practical consequences. With such an honest and inflexible openness to evidence, they could not fail to receive any real truth which might be manifesting itself around them. The fact that religionists do not follow this honourable course, but cheat at their game by invoking juvenile quasi-hypnosis, is enough to destroy their pretensions in my eyes, even if their absurdity were not manifest in every other direction."

 

I probably read alot more non Biblical materal than you do Med Woman, and the same can be said of millions of Christians I'm sure.

 

I dont think you can really just put it down to lack of education, alot of christians ive met and have know are incredibly well educated and seemingly intelligent. I think its more about the attractiveness of an idea and how it effects you as opposed to any inherent ignorance.

Ahh careful though, thats how you fall into the trap in the first place!

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

As soon as youre positive that youre in possesion of the real, absolute, undeniable truth youre practically self-indoctrinating.

 

What evidence do you have for implying/making that assertion?

I mean, are talking about only a few Christians that you know, or are you trying to imply that all Christians restrict their reading material?

Baron Max

 

They regard it as heresy, deceitful words written by the great deceiver

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

ho hum.

Most christians are not interested in learning anything about their religion apart from what is interpreted by their ministers and here I'm talking of Evangelicals and suchlike 'born again' types of christianity, but at least they have bible study and try to learn interpreting for themselves.

In Cyprus the Greeks are Orthodox Christians and most of them never even read their bible, their faith is based on nothing more than tradition and 'belief' and the fact that they were baptised as babies. They know their rituals, like when to cross themselves, stand up and sit down during a particular sermon, but don't ask them to explain why they do it. The biggest hypocrites are the people that cross themselves every time they drive by a church, on their way to con some poor sucker in the execution of their daily business.

 

You do not have to believe in god to be a christian, it is just a word which believe means to help your neighbour and do deent things for people.

 

*************
M*W: I made that assertion based on the christians who post on this forum. (Not all maybe, but some). Their posts seem as if they have never read anything other than the bible. It seems to me that they are limited in the ability to discuss certain aspects or issues of christianity, and I think it is due to the lack of extrabiblical research.

As far as those christians I know in the real world, I avoid them, because they are so strongly trying to save my soul that they become annoying.
The christians I know in the real world don't read anything other than the bible or bible-related literature so they can confirm what they already believe. That was the point of my question.

 

Med Woman, where do you live, behind a Bible warehouse or something?

 

*************
M*W: I doubt that. I've posted numerous bibliographies of well-documented extra-biblical research I have read and commented on here on sciforums. However, now that you've said you probably read more non-biblical material than I have, I'd like to see your bibliographies.

 

There's hundreds if not thousands of them.

 

Put it this way Med Woman, I read books and articles about four hours a day, and it's not Biblically based material.