Loose religious claims...

[TwoShanks]

I've recently been talking online with a 20 year old girl from London, who repeatedly told me that she is a Muslim and also told me many times that evolution is "stupid and absurd", and professed creation science.

She told me that she believed in the Koran because it contains no contradictions (she pointed out that the Bible has many) and is full of things that "people back then couldn't have known", including such astounding knowledge as "the moon reflects light from the sun".

To cut this story down a bit, I found a page full of Koran contradictions after 10 seconds of Google searching. Apparently she stayed up until 5am reading the website, and then re-read the Koran. Last time I spoke to her, she said "I realise now that when I read it in the past, I didn't really read it, it's so obviously the work of a man."

The thing that constantly surprises me about religious people is how they very often haven't looked into things at all. When I was 15 or so, I read the Bible and Koran, I was very interested in religion and searching for meaning. I couldn't see anything in religion at all, but at least I looked into it.

How many religious people could be "converted" by such a quick search, if only they'd investigate?

 

[Lord Kenneth]

Hmm..

I bet she's riveted. While she's open minded try to instill skepticism and scientific thought into her head and you may just have "saved" someone.

 

[Lord Kenneth]

Thing of it as the propaganda concept. Even if it is ridiculous, people grow up with a certain view placed upon them on the beginning.

The stupid hold on to their dogmas, try to silence the opposition, make up their own science if it conflicts with the current evidence, and make excuses.

The smart question their beliefs, whether through the help of someone else or through themselves, maybe both, and seek truth and look at the world through skeptical and critical eyes.

 

[arcticpenguin]

Welcome to the forum!

She sounds more reasonable than most, if she was willing to even consider your list.

 

[Jet Grind]

I find it quite amazing that so many devoutly religious people haven't even looked into the religions that they profess. 90% of Christian fundies that I run into haven't read anything beyond Leviticus in the Bible.

I have a feeling that, if more people read the bible (more carefully of course) we wouldn't see as many fundies as we do now. Whcih would be good, the less religion in the world the better.

For now I'm impressed with this one, she was open minded enough to acknowledge the rediculousness of religion. It's always good to see someone give up mystical delusions and go secular.

 

[arcticpenguin]

I have a feeling that, if more people read the bible (more carefully of course) we wouldn't see as many fundies as we do now.

On the other hand, the remaining few would be really screwed up!

 

[Yahweh]

I like a story with a happy ending...

 

[Filippo Lippi]

From what I understand of Islam, Twoshanks, you have committed a grave crime and will probably be sentenced to death for denying the devine origin of the Koran when the Islamic revolution occurs.

Welcome to the Club

 

[Brian the Snail]

She told me that she believed in the Koran because it contains no contradictions (she pointed out that the Bible has many) and is full of things that "people back then couldn't have known", including such astounding knowledge as "the moon reflects light from the sun".

I don't know if this is still relevant, but a quick Google search would also show that the fact that the moon reflects light from the sun was known from the time of the Ancient Greeks (at least 500 B.C.), long before the Koran was written.

(greeks lunar phases seem to be good keywords to use)

But perhaps you pointed this out to her already?