Well put Mary Anne. I have similar views on religion but I would never limit myself by not reading and studying religious texts. My knowledge of Biblical scripture has been very valuable when debating believers and, in many ways, was necessary for me to formulate my own atheism. The violence rationalized in the text and inconsistency of stories I found as I studied world and religious history made me begin to question the dogma being forced on me by society and my family culture.

I understand SDF's revulsion to the absurdity of it all and the fact that our reading of these books could be used as justification of their relevancy by religious leaders but, in the long run, knowledge is power. It's fascinating to me to see the evolution of man's quest to make sense of things his current level of understanding won't allow and how religious ideals can be manipulated for political and economic power. I'm not sure you get the full picture without an intimate knowledge of the religious texts.

I haven't tackled the Koran or Book of Mormon yet (other than selected excerpts) but I really should.

Art