Study Path Suggestions

[Snowman]

I am trying to find my way through learning about religion, philosophy, meaning of life etc and all the questions that have plagued me for years.

Does anybody have a good place to start? Any websites or books that I may find helpful?

To help, I dont believe in a god as I feel like I need more evidence. But would happily be converted if I ever received proof. I'm not looking to be converted, I'm just explaining I'm open to all ideas. This is a journey for me of learning about the world and myself.

A big question I've always been interested in is, from an atheist background, what God should I choose?
Which has always led me to, how do I believe truly without deluding myself?

These are the sorts of questions I have and would like any advice on where to start. Thanks!

 

[SalixIncendium]

Each person walks an individual path based on their specific needs. It's difficult to point you in any direction while knowing so little about you.

I guess the best place to start would be determining what, if anything, is driving your desire to seek a deity or a religion, and what specifically you are hoping to take away from them.

What religions or deities have you already studied and what qualities do you find in each that attracts you to them? What paradigm do you find speaks to you the most? Abrahamic? Dharmic? Earth-based? LHP?

There are also non-theistic religious paths.

Each DIR on this forum begins with an overview of that DIRs religion. Perhaps read through those and see which one is the most appealing...

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

am trying to find my way through learning about religion, philosophy, meaning of life etc and all the questions that have plagued me for years.

Does anybody have a good place to start? Any websites or books that I may find helpful?

To help, I dont believe in a god as I feel like I need more evidence. But would happily be converted if I ever received proof. I'm not looking to be converted, I'm just explaining I'm open to all ideas. This is a journey for me of learning about the world and myself.

There are books on the subject. In some areas one can find "comparative religion" courses, some of which might be available online. If you have relatively easy access to a Unitarian Universalist church, you might consider it as a resource.

A big question I've always been interested in is, from an atheist background, what God should I choose?

Perhaps your mantra should be: "Learn first; choose later."

Which has always led me to, how do I believe truly without deluding myself?

The challenge is to "truly believe" that rejecting the arrogance of so-called "militant atheism" is reasonable and, when faced with "choosing god," think:

Not yet ...​

 

[Secret Chief]

philosophy

websites

How about...

- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

 

[Snowman]

Thanks for the replies, they have actually given me a lot to think about. Why am I drawn to the subject now in my life? I don't even "want" to believe in a god, I just find it interesting. I would say I feel like I want to learn "truth", the same as a lot of people.

Perhaps a better phrased question might be: are there any good sources of knowledge regarding religion that don't include bias that anyone can share? Or at least as little as possible.

I can tell I'm going to have to learn a lot of new jargon for a start!

 

[Eddi]

I am trying to find my way through learning about religion, philosophy, meaning of life etc and all the questions that have plagued me for years.

Does anybody have a good place to start? Any websites or books that I may find helpful?

To help, I dont believe in a god as I feel like I need more evidence. But would happily be converted if I ever received proof. I'm not looking to be converted, I'm just explaining I'm open to all ideas. This is a journey for me of learning about the world and myself.

A big question I've always been interested in is, from an atheist background, what God should I choose?
Which has always led me to, how do I believe truly without deluding myself?

These are the sorts of questions I have and would like any advice on where to start. Thanks!

If you hang around RF for any length of time you will pick up plenty of knowledge that may help you

 

[Snowman]

How about...

- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Wow thanks, bookmarked.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Thanks for the replies, they have actually given me a lot to think about. Why am I drawn to the subject now in my life? I don't even "want" to believe in a god, I just find it interesting. I would say I feel like I want to learn "truth", the same as a lot of people.

Perhaps a better phrased question might be: are there any good sources of knowledge regarding religion that don't include bias that anyone can share? Or at least as little as possible.

I can tell I'm going to have to learn a lot of new jargon for a start!

In my experience, you're going to find a degree of bias practically anywhere you look and will have to compare multiple resources to weed out the bias.

As I had already mentioned, DIRs here will have an overview of each religion.

As much as Wikipedia had been discredited as a source of information, the religious articles can give a cursory and minimally biased overview of various religions. This list also offers religious philosophies:

List of religions and spiritual traditions - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hope this helps.

 

[Secret Chief]

Thanks for the replies, they have actually given me a lot to think about. Why am I drawn to the subject now in my life? I don't even "want" to believe in a god, I just find it interesting. I would say I feel like I want to learn "truth", the same as a lot of people.

Perhaps a better phrased question might be: are there any good sources of knowledge regarding religion that don't include bias that anyone can share? Or at least as little as possible.

I can tell I'm going to have to learn a lot of new jargon for a start!

Regarding religions, is good old Wikipedia not useful? It may not be gospel (heh) but it's hopefully not biased.

 

[Secret Chief]

In my experience, you're going to find a degree of bias practically anywhere you look and will have to compare multiple resources to weed out the bias.

As I had already mentioned, DIRs here will have an overview of each religion.

As much as Wikipedia had been discredited as a source of information, the religious articles can give a cursory and minimally unbiased overview of various religions:

List of religions and spiritual traditions - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hope this helps.

It's like we have the same brain cell

 

[Polka_time]

I am trying to find my way through learning about religion, philosophy, meaning of life etc and all the questions that have plagued me for years.

Does anybody have a good place to start? Any websites or books that I may find helpful?

To help, I dont believe in a god as I feel like I need more evidence. But would happily be converted if I ever received proof. I'm not looking to be converted, I'm just explaining I'm open to all ideas. This is a journey for me of learning about the world and myself.

A big question I've always been interested in is, from an atheist background, what God should I choose?
Which has always led me to, how do I believe truly without deluding myself?

These are the sorts of questions I have and would like any advice on where to start. Thanks!

I always tell people with an atheist background who begin to study philosophy or religion to start with Epicurus. Sure he is my sage of choice so I am bias, however, Epicureanism is the most robust in the ancient Materialist wisdom tradition when religion and philosophy were still closely attached. It is the atheists or secularists philosophical lineage.

If you are not going to be convinced by Aristotle's Essences, Plato's Forms or Plotinus' Emanations; unfortunately those are at the core of a heck of a lot of theologies. A theology like Epicurus' however that is grounded in a kind of empiricism and atomic physics is a bit closer to modern "physicalism" where atheists begin their thinking.

Once you apprehend the Epicureans' Naturalistic system you can start to understand the critiques of those positions and make your moves from there; while at the same time as learning about a unique Naturalistic as well as religious system.

 

[The Hammer]

It's like we have the same brain cell

Just not at the same time?

 

[crossbody]

I am trying to find my way through learning about religion, philosophy, meaning of life etc and all the questions that have plagued me for years.

Does anybody have a good place to start? Any websites or books that I may find helpful?

Start with with prayer. Pray to God.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I am trying to find my way through learning about religion, philosophy, meaning of life etc and all the questions that have plagued me for years.

Does anybody have a good place to start? Any websites or books that I may find helpful?

To help, I dont believe in a god as I feel like I need more evidence. But would happily be converted if I ever received proof. I'm not looking to be converted, I'm just explaining I'm open to all ideas. This is a journey for me of learning about the world and myself.

A big question I've always been interested in is, from an atheist background, what God should I choose?
Which has always led me to, how do I believe truly without deluding myself?

These are the sorts of questions I have and would like any advice on where to start. Thanks!

Maybe you should start looking into engaged "boots on the ground' religions or just do some analysis on your own. But don't rely on interpretation or fabrication, avoid that. Just let nature itself teach you and don't allow any human embellishments or fabrications to interfere with the experience.

That's how I discovered the universe and how it really works as opposed to how we think or want it to work.

I think it's a good path to travel on.