A few years ago, I enrolled in a college course on world religions but ended up dropping out. I only took it because somebody said it's an "easy course" but I found it dull and never gave it a chance really (dropped out the first month). Recently, I’ve become interested again ni reading the holy books from various traditions, like the Bible, the Qur’an, the Bhagavad Gita, the Lotus Sutra, and others. Why? since these texts have shaped cultures and philosophies for thousands of years and still influence millions, even billions of people.
That said, I’m realizing these books aren’t like typical novels you can just start at the beginning and read straight through expecting to understand everything. I wish! They often contain layers of meaning and symbolism that can feel overwhelming without preparation.
So, I’m curious:
What kind of background reading or context would you recommend?
Which one would be the best place to start for someone new to this kind of reading?
What mindset or approach do you find most helpful (if you have read any of these books before)?
Has anyone here undertaken the challenge of reading multiple holy books? What was your experience like?
Part of my motivation is literary. Many great works of literature, from Dante’s Divine Comedy to Steinbeck’s East of Eden to Toni Morrison’s Beloved either reference holy books like the Bible directly, borrow their imagery, or have a kind of a dialogue with them. So I'm thinking I got to understand the source material to get the most out of many important novels.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
by beastinsideabeast