When I say extensively I mean there usually isn't a week that goes by that I haven't studied at least 4-5 times for 15+ hours(many weeks are everyday) in the past 4 years.
I have had many discussions with friends and family members on the subjects of religion. Many discussions have been civil and intelligent. But there has been a few where I am subject to being talked to condescendingly, as if I have no clue what I am talking about.
This blog entry is to at least describe the way I study, to possibly at least give some credibility or at least understanding to what I have to say.
Regardless of how much evidence is out there, for someone to learn for themselves, they have to study it for themselves. Nothing I or anyone can say will ever be believed if you don't want to believe it or want to at least be open to care about learning it for yourselves.
Depending on the subject will usually determine where I start, but regardless of the subject I use all the below ways of studying on each subject.
My first subject was the Historicity of the Bible. Of course what would you do first? Google It! The very first link is or most likely will be the wiki. Now the wiki has tons of information. It typically isn't biased and there are links to their sources of information. Also there are sub categories to go off and look up other aspects. Wiki is a great place to start, but isn't even close to my sole source of info.
How I Study:
1) If it is a social, doctrinal, or spiritual/biblical type of subject I will go straight to the Bible/Quran(scriptures) for information. I read the verse(s) on the subject. I read the context before and after these verses. Then I research the specific book/surah(why it was written, the history, the author etc..). I read other verses that either back up or contradict the subject.(and do the same research on that book/surah also).
2) Wiki. wiki will give you a broad source of information, but most importantly for me it has subcategories that branch off that I may have not thought about that pertain to the subject. Good starting point like I said before.
3) Websites, Blogs, Articles. This is my worst part of studying, reading and listening to both sides of the subject. I read articles and sites from one extreme to the other and many in between. Even though this is exhausting, it educates me on both points of view(even though I may not agree or even sometimes I find evidence that proves both sides are wrong)
4) Books. Reading books are great. Even though you are getting a singular view from that author, if the author is an expert or spent most of his/her life on the subject it is at least hearing the viewpoint in the book.
5) Debates and Lectures. Great source to watch full debates and lectures is youtube. I look up who the top experts on the subject on both sides and see if they have lectures or debates. If they have lectures it's nice, if they have debates its even better, but the best is when the top experts debate each other. Good example would be Bart Ehrman(leading scholar on new testament history) and James White(leading scholar and christian apologist, also expert in Greek and new testament history and theology). The great thing about debates is many facts are presented in their debates. Anything that isn't true or factual, gets pinpointed almost immediately. So watching these debates confirms tons of information that is found in other sources. On the flip side some information you may have read or may have thought true are revealed to be completely false. Debates are my favorite source of information combined with the other 4 sources above.
6) Forums: reddit.com is a great forum to read what people have to say on subjects. Yea there is a bunch of rhetoric and garbage to sift through, but if you decide to engage in conversation it makes you learn more. /r/Christianity or /r/Atheism are a couple good ones.
My challenge to people who question my knowledge on a religion is to ask themselves have you studied anywhere remotely to this structure? Or is it possible the information you have is from your Peers? Parents/Family? Indoctrination? Media? Religious Leader?
I didn't study religion to debunk it, I wanted to be closer to God. I wanted so much for an eternity in Heaven. My study and research lead me to find the fact that all religion is a Myth, Lie and Scam.
You can find information anywhere(including religious scriptures) to agree with your viewpoint or dogmas. You can post on facebook your subjects and watch as all your friends who have grown up and indoctrinated in your same religion agree with you. This in turn falsely validates them and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy that someone agrees with youa. When you read your scriptures you are biased toward them. Everything you read you are looking in a telescope of doctrines.(Example Gen 6:1-6) "the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose" I don't know how you place square peg in the round hole, but in an unbiased reading of this, God allows heavenly beings to procreate with humans then later regrets the decision of making humans, and wipes out the entire earth save Noah and his family(I leave this open here as I can already imagine the thoughts and theological excuses that are running through your mind to justify or alter the meaning of this text to conform with what you have been taught).
My second and most important challenge... Talk with someone who has a different view on your religion(even if it is another religion). Can you make sense and defend your religious doctrines on your own? Do you find yourself not exactly knowing even a few of the answers and escape the conversation with some sentence that includes the word "faith"?
Hey how can you have new knowledge or information that my religious leaders and scholars have had for centuries? If you mean all the Christian scholars with PHD's and religious schools? over 2.5 billion Christians with all their scholars.... yet on the other spectrum over 1.8 billion Muslims with their same scholars and PHD's, that even some went to the same colleges(harvard, oxford etc..) How can both be right? Goes the same for any other religion. Religion has stood the test of time because of indoctrination, fear, and suppression of information. The internet has blasted the doors off that monopoly. And the reason these educated people in your religion don't educate you on the downfalls and holes of their religious doctrines is because they wouldn't get your hard earned cash.
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