Religion(s) and the pursuit of knowledge

[manifold]

Ever wonder why the pursuit of knowledge is a big no-no accoding to the dogma of many of the world's prominent religions?

I've always considered that a HUGE red flag.

How about you?

 

[KittenKoder]

The only reason anyone would not want others to learn in any way is to have power over them. Religious leaders of many religions do not want the people to learn because as long as their followers remain uneducated the leaders hold power over them, thus they teach their followers to answer all questions with 'god dunnit'.

 

[Anguille]

Ever wonder why the pursuit of knowledge is a big no-no accoding to the dogma of many of the world's prominent religions?

I've always considered that a HUGE red flag.

How about you?

I have wondered why that is, but my priest says I'm not allowed to know the answer.

 

[manifold]

I have wondered why that is, but my priest says I'm not allowed to know the answer.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Anguille again

 

[Sunni Man]

The Prophet Muhammad said, “Seek knowledge even in China,”

In his time, going to China was like going to the moon. It was a very dangerous journey and could take years.

He was basically saying to seek knowledge no matter what cost.

The Quran is very big on knowledge and science.

 

[Anguille]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Anguille again

Swede!

 

[manifold]

The only reason anyone would not want others to learn in any way is to have power over them. Religious leaders of many religions do not want the people to learn because as long as their followers remain uneducated the leaders hold power over them, thus they teach their followers to answer all questions with 'god dunnit'.

That makes sense.

But it also IMO betrays somewhat of a God/Religion paradox. As I've stated in other threads, I have no knowledge of what God might think, want or care about if indeed God exists. However, I cannot fathom any good reason why God would frown upon the pursuit of knowledge, especially if it leads to enlightenment. So it's actually possible that organized religions that seemingly trumpet the worship of and belief in God, are oddly enough and unwittingly, anti-God.

My head hurts.

 

[manifold]

The Prophet Muhammad said, “Seek knowledge even in China,”

In his time, going to China was like going to the moon. It was a very dangerous journey and could take years.

He was basically saying to seek knowledge no matter what cost.

The Quran is very big on knowledge and science.

I shall add this to the previously empty "pro" column and see how it stacks up against the mountain of "con" entries in my should I become a Muslim decision chart.

 

[Ravi]

lol, I see it's okay for Manifold to think he might know what God wants.

 

[manifold]

lol, I see it's okay for Manifold to think he might know what God wants.

And this after I took special effort to preface the comment just for you.

 

[Diuretic]

I think religions wax and wane when it comes to this topic. For example, it was Islam that gave us what we call now the scientific method (and a few other things). Now Islam, at least in its more conservative aspects, represses people's bodies and minds. The Mediaeval Christian church was absolutely repressive when it came to knowledge, but in Vatican II Blessed John XXIII brought science out of the shadows and, among other things, accepted the theory of evolution. I suppose it's a pendulum thing. Pendulum. Didn't poor old Galileo do a few experiments with the pendulum?

 

[Ravi]

And this after I took special effort to preface the comment just for you.

I wondered about that. I suppose we'll all have to go back to saying IMO every time we make a post.

 

[Anguille]

However, I cannot fathom any good reason why God would frown upon the pursuit of knowledge, especially if it leads to enlightenment.
My head hurts.

But

What

if

enlightenment led to the knowledge that God does not exist!!


Would God really want that known??

 

[Diuretic]

That presupposes that pursuing knowledge will take us there, it's not convergent, it's divergent, that's what makes it so interesting.

 

[editec]

Ever wonder why the pursuit of knowledge is a big no-no accoding to the dogma of many of the world's prominent religions?

No, actually I haven't.

I've always considered that a HUGE red flag

How about you?

I'm not sure.

Next time I run into a Jesuit scholar, or perhaps a Yeshiva scholar, I'll ask them why the pursuit of knowlege is a big no-no.

 

[Avatar4321]

Ever wonder why the pursuit of knowledge is a big no-no accoding to the dogma of many of the world's prominent religions?

I've always considered that a HUGE red flag.

How about you?

I would consider it a big red flag if it wasnt just a straw man.

 

[manifold]

I would consider it a big red flag if it wasnt just a straw man.

I take you're not familiar with the story of Adam & Eve...




...and the tree of knowledge.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I take you're not familiar with the story of Adam & Eve...




...and the tree of knowledge.

You know something that I've always wondered? Why (especially with all the knowledge of the Universe available to them by eating the apple), was the first thing that Adam and Eve chose to know about, was noticing they were naked?

As far as religion stifling knowledge? Depends on your theology. Christianity? Yes.....they just want to say "God did it".

Judaism? Nope....there are too many science based things in the Torah (astronomy, chemistry, etc).

Taoism? Again no. The Taoists were big on finding out why things were as they were, as well as knew the secret of the value of emptiness.

Hell.....even Islam pursues knowledge. The most written word in the Q'aran is "Allah". The second most used word is "ilm", which means knowledge.

Hey Sucking Moron.....first time that I kinda agree with you, but only on this one thing.

 

[Anguille]

You know something that I've always wondered? Why (especially with all the knowledge of the Universe available to them by eating the apple), was the first thing that Adam and Eve chose to know about, was noticing they were naked?

As far as religion stifling knowledge? Depends on your theology. Christianity? Yes.....they just want to say "God did it".

Judaism? Nope....there are too many science based things in the Torah (astronomy, chemistry, etc).

Taoism? Again no. The Taoists were big on finding out why things were as they were, as well as knew the secret of the value of emptiness.

Hell.....even Islam pursues knowledge. The most written word in the Q'aran is "Allah". The second most used word is "ilm", which means knowledge.

Hey Sucking Moron.....first time that I kinda agree with you, but only on this one thing.

There is hope for you.

 

[Ravi]

There is hope for you.

Yep, because Islam is your pet religion.