Yeah, I have read a lot of them. My father was working in international trade and politics during the 60's and 70's and we had house guests from all over the place from all sorts of backgrounds. He instilled in me the importance of judging the individual outside of religion and ethnicity - not by anything he said but just the way he treated people.

I've read the Bible several times. The Koran fully once and some passages repeatedly. The Talmud (where I could get through it - lol).

I've always thought that it's important to understand where others are coming from and that's why I read all of those religious texts and why I've studied languages and cultures throughout my adult life.

Somehow, though, some folks think that endeavor conflicts with a conservative/libertarian background; that I'm supposed to be some sort of jingoistic, America-first, English-only Neanderthal.

Not to sound arrogant but the irony here is that, speaking 3 languages near fluently and having a good grasp of several others puts me, I believe, in a better position to understand the rest of the world in their words better than our monolinguistic lib pals. How many of them read Pravda.ru?

>There was time in the late 70s when it was common to study different religions. At least in Colorado it was. :o) Of course Colorado was home to quite a few hippies in those days. I studied quite a few for multiple years. Some took longer than others. I'm glad I did. There isn't a single religion I agree with 100% but not one that I truly feel is too negative either. I mostly have a problem with the organization (legal entity or governing body) behind the religions... :o) Did you also read any of the holy books of each?
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>>My former mother-in-law gave me the gift of a series of books on religion, each volume written by an expert in the faith. There was a book on Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddism, Islam, Shinto, Judaism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. I read them all. I guess that makes me pantheistic? ;-D
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>>>>We agree. I just read that 12% of the American public still thinks Obama is Muslim. No wonder so much outrageousness is flying around. Your party (partial tip of the hat) is the one that plays to win, no holds barred.
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>>>It was twisted from Obama admitting he studied the quran while in school:
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>>>From his book, Dreams from My Father:
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>>>In Indonesia, I had spent two years at a Muslim school, two years at a Catholic school. In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to tell my mother that I made faces during Koranic studies. My mother wasn't overly concerned. 'Be respectful,' she'd said. In the Catholic school, when it came time to pray, I would pretend to close my eyes, then peek around the room.
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>>>If anyone who ever read the quran is considered a muslim, I'd have a problem with that for I too have read the quran.