[serf]

> I have read all of the major religious texts over the last two years

you're doing better than a lot of monks did over their entire life time.

call me a skeptic, but even if I was able to accomplish such a herculean feat over 2 years time I doubt I would have the time to grasp much of any of the content that I blazed through -- but of course we're different people -- allow me to express my awe.

[naremu]

Many of these texts have been around long enough for many dedicated people to put forth their own translations, and if relevant (like with many Chinese texts) with some kind of further researched commentary/citations to better explain linguistic concepts/cultural references that may not immediately be obvious otherwise.

It helps a lot of texts without/before involving deities can actually be quite short and sweet, comparatively. Personally, I've found the greek classics to be much more difficult to get into than most of these "sacred texts".

[edgyquant]

I’m extremely proud of your skepticism at something I really haven’t put much effort into.

To clarify I haven’t read every religious text, but I have now read the Old/New Testament, The Baghavad Gita, The Tao te Ching, The Quaran and currently working my way through the Buddhist Sutras (looking to start on Sikhism next). That is the main text of all major religions and I only read 20-30 pages a day (with some overlap/not reading one at a time.). It’s very possible if you stick to it

[fuzztester]

> The Baghavad Gita

It's The Bhagavad Gita.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita

[edgyquant]

Yes, thank you. Typing from memory on my phone

[fuzztester]

You're welcome :)

[Gyi578]

Awesome correction!

[lifeline82]

Buddhism is derivated from Christian heresy called Manicheism.

Created and spread in Asia from Pakistan by third generation after apostle, called Mani.

There isn’t any evidence of any existing trace of Buddhism before 4th century AC, most Buddhism art are based on grec, and Syrian Christian artists who followed St Thomas the apostle into the east.

Mani predated those early Christian with his fake teaching which founded Buddhism.

Time to learn history.

In short: Buddhism is just a Christian heresy (manicheism)

[tremon]

And in the same spirit, Christianity is just a Jewish heresy. What's your point?

[krapp]

The sources I've read say that Manicheism was a syncretism of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism[0], rather than Buddhism being derived from it.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Buddha_in_Manichaeism

[elefanten]

Seems like the natural gulf between a serf and an edgy quant. :shrug: