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Author Topic: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?  (Read 1007 times)

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Offline Quest_4_Absolute_Verity

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The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« on: December 25, 2012, 10:44:36 PM »
In your opinion of course. I proved it to myself years ago but now I need to discuss it with my wife. She is in very deep and her whole family is rather fundie. I have been putting this off but our children are getting older and I don't want them to enter adulthood in the dark. I'm looking for a very well written book on the origins of religion. It would be great if it started with pre historic religion before the written word supported by archeology or? Then of course how Judaism and Christianity were copied from older religions. They worshipped snakes because they magically floated across the ground and were immortal because they reincarnate, leaving their skin. This is why a serpent was picked for Satan maybe? They worshipped women and the men that wrote the Bible didn't like that, can you tell? Well you get the idea. She loves to read but I might only get one shot so I want it to be a good one. I will read any book first but I don't have time to go through a bunch of books.

Someone recommended this book but it looks like its about Jesus only. Yes I realize if the title is accurate this is all I would need but I doubt its that easy. Has anybody read it? "Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus Never Existed At All" by David Fitzgerald

Thanks for any help because this is important to me.
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Offline Ambassador Pony

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2012, 11:55:46 PM »
The Hero with a Thousand Faces - Joseph Campbell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell
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Quote from: jakec47 on March 14, 2012, 07:18:45 PM
You believe evolution and there is no evidence for that. Where is the fossil record of a half man half ape. I've only ever heard about it in reading.

Offline Quest_4_Absolute_Verity

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2012, 01:57:04 AM »
Quote from: Ambassador Pony on December 25, 2012, 11:55:46 PM
The Hero with a Thousand Faces - Joseph Campbell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell
Thanks for the reply. I looked at amazon reviews and it looks good except some negative comments about being old and outdated. Not sure what that means since mythology and religion shouldn't change much? Have you read "The Power of Myth" by same author? Looks newer, also with good reviews.
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Offline Ambassador Pony

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2012, 09:17:18 AM »
Yes.
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Quote from: jakec47 on March 14, 2012, 07:18:45 PM
You believe evolution and there is no evidence for that. Where is the fossil record of a half man half ape. I've only ever heard about it in reading.

Offline kaziglu bey

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2012, 10:15:10 AM »
The Holy Bible.
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Offline Hatter23

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2012, 11:01:25 AM »
Quote from: kaziglu bey on December 26, 2012, 10:15:10 AM
The Holy Bible.

When read in full...noting the inconsistencies with archeology,history, biology, and itself.
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Offline Nick

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2012, 02:11:34 PM »
Picked this up the other day.  Its from someone named James Feibleman. "A myth is a religion in which no one any longer believes".
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Offline Nick

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2012, 02:44:36 PM »
You can also go to: www.jesusneverexisted.com     Go to the chronological index.  It will take you way back...even before the Moses myth and piece it all together for you.

Edit: fixed broken link.
« Last Edit: December 26, 2012, 10:19:05 PM by jetson »
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2012, 08:48:50 PM »
This has good reviews: In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World.
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Online One Above All

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2012, 03:18:32 AM »
Every religion has a book. Read those.
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Offline Quest_4_Absolute_Verity

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2012, 01:55:56 PM »
Thanks for the reply everyone. I guess I will have to read several to find what I'm looking for. Nick I'm aware of that site but there is no way in hell my wife would read from a site with that name. There is the problem, most Christians have never read the Bible outside of the cherry picked church message. They will not read or study other religions and some go as far as saying the NT replaced the Old even though scripture refutes this directly. I will order some of these and maybe they will at least lead to what I'm looking for. Maybe the Christ nailed book will actually prove he was a myth although proof for me and the wife be two different things entirely.

If anyone else has a book that they can recommend it is much appreciated. Thanks!
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Offline Quest_4_Absolute_Verity

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2012, 02:05:16 PM »
Quote from: Ambassador Pony on December 26, 2012, 09:17:18 AM
Yes.
I'm new here but I can see your a man or woman of few words! ;D  I take it this means you think your original recommendation was the best? Yes would be a clear answer here. I'm only kidding of course! Thanks for the book, I will read it.
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Offline Tero

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2012, 02:55:19 PM »
For jesus:
Misquoting Jesus
From Jesus to Christianity

The NT writers remain anonymous but you get some sense of a forming religion.
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Offline screwtape

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2012, 09:49:58 PM »
for me there is no one book that will do it.  It took a lot of books for me.  One good one, I think, is the evolution of god, but Robert wright.  he bends over backward to say there is "something out there" guiding our morals, but if you add a little moral philosophy a la jonathan haidt, it helps counteract that.  I believe you can get a free pdf on the internet if you look hard enough.
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Online The Gawd

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2013, 12:45:32 PM »
Karen Armstrong's The History of God was enough for me. The explanation of how the idea of god had morphed throughout time didnt force any conclusions or even suggest anything, but ever so slightly let you know this whole story was BS. It focuses on the 3 abrahamic religions but because it gives you the origins or early stages of this god creation it allows you to expand it to basically every god story.
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Offline Petey

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #15 on: January 02, 2013, 10:49:42 AM »
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Offline wheels5894

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #16 on: January 02, 2013, 01:10:30 PM »
Well bought and read this book which seems to cover most things in showing the falsehood of religious claims and showing normal, natural explanations.
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Offline Quest_4_Absolute_Verity

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2013, 02:01:05 PM »
I want to thank everyone for their recommendations. I can't read them all now but I just made a big order for the following.
"The Hero with a thousand faces" Joseph Campbell
"Nailed: Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed at All" David Fitzgerald
"A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam" Karen Armstrong
"The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ?  Earl Doherty
"The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths" Michael Shermer

I figured that was enough for now and I have no idea how long it will take to read all of them with my limited free time. I planned on ordering "The Christ Conspiracy" by DM Murdock / Acharya S, but a review from an atheist claimed she didn't support most of her claims with evidence. When I read an overview it sounded good, anybody got an opinion on that? The parts like the 12 signs of the zodiac being the 12  disciples and most details being related to astrology was interesting.

I also considered "The Bible Unearthed" but it seemed to be based on mostly archeology. Anyone have an opinion on this? Damn this could take forever! :(  Maybe it would of been easier to just accept all the contradictory man made mythology and go to heaven! :D

Any further recommendations that could prove religion is mythology when read by my wife appreciated! Thanks
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Offline Nam

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2013, 03:11:15 PM »
Quote from: kaziglu bey on December 26, 2012, 10:15:10 AM
The Holy Bible.

I was going to say that. And, not just the "main" known version but as many one could read. I would suggest "The Message" -- it's condescending.

To the OP,

You should read Thomas Paine -- he was the epitome of anti-Christian, and one could say, a Founding Father of the US.

-Nam
« Last Edit: January 09, 2013, 03:16:22 PM by Nam »
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Offline Star Stuff

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #19 on: January 10, 2013, 01:08:58 AM »
« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 10:17:39 AM by Star Stuff »
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Offline Eddie Schultz

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #20 on: January 14, 2013, 02:29:51 AM »
It's not a book, but it's very informative about gods. Every creationist I send this to has no response. I wonder why?



There's two parts, watch and let me know how it helped with your kids.
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Offline Quest_4_Absolute_Verity

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2013, 08:36:47 AM »
Quote from: Eddie Schultz on January 14, 2013, 02:29:51 AM
It's not a book, but it's very informative about gods. Every creationist I send this to has no response. I wonder why?



There's two parts, watch and let me know how it helped with your kids.
Wow! That is an awesome video! He shows the cover of one of the books I ordered above, "A History Of God by Karen Armstrong". I hope that means the information in the video is backed with evidence and reference in the book. This is just the type of information I'm looking for and it causes the bible to actually make sense! I don't see how a Christian can watch this and just ignore it. If you research and verify the content it's game over! LOL

Thank you for this but I can't show it to my children or discuss religion with them yet. I first have to find a way to gently expose my wife to the truth and then we can discuss it with them as a family. I got all the books above delivered 2 days ago and about to start reading. All related book or video suggestions still welcome! Thanks
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Online The Gawd

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2013, 07:52:49 PM »
that video is part of a whole long production... if you get a chance watch the whole thing. My mom couldn't get through the first one without running and locking herself in the room lol
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Offline Betelnut

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2013, 08:03:38 PM »
I echo "The History of God" by Armstrong.  Very, very well-written and interesting.
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Online Bereft_of_Faith

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #24 on: January 26, 2013, 05:52:56 AM »
Jos Campbell's books (Masks of God).  They are immeasurably useful in understanding how myths, legends and religions form.
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Offline Eddie Schultz

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #25 on: January 30, 2013, 06:42:39 PM »
Quote from: Quest_4_Absolute_Verity on January 24, 2013, 08:36:47 AM
Quote from: Eddie Schultz on January 14, 2013, 02:29:51 AM
It's not a book, but it's very informative about gods. Every creationist I send this to has no response. I wonder why?

There's two parts, watch and let me know how it helped with your kids.
Wow! That is an awesome video! He shows the cover of one of the books I ordered above, "A History Of God by Karen Armstrong". I hope that means the information in the video is backed with evidence and reference in the book. This is just the type of information I'm looking for and it causes the bible to actually make sense! I don't see how a Christian can watch this and just ignore it. If you research and verify the content it's game over! LOL

Thank you for this but I can't show it to my children or discuss religion with them yet. I first have to find a way to gently expose my wife to the truth and then we can discuss it with them as a family. I got all the books above delivered 2 days ago and about to start reading. All related book or video suggestions still welcome! Thanks

You're welcome, glad to help,

Yes, there are references in the "show more" section under the video.

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Offline essgeeskee

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #26 on: March 05, 2013, 06:07:28 AM »
I know it probably wouldn't be an interesting read, but any study book in a college world religion course may do.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you.

My wife took a course in world religion some years ago and it literally almost shattered here faith! She hated the course and always talked about how the course made everything about religion seem "man made".

She's still spiritual, but definitely not as religions as she used to be.
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Offline su27

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Re: The absolute best book to prove all religion is mythology?
« Reply #27 on: March 07, 2013, 03:46:16 AM »
Terry Prattchett - Small Gods ;)
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