The nonprofit American Bible Society has, in more than 180 years of its existence, distributed more Bibles than there are people in the world—some 8.5 billion. The British and Foreign Bible Society has distributed several billion more in dozens of languages.

More than 100 million new Bibles, reflecting numerous translations, are sold or given away freely every year. Translations exist in more than 2,000 languages and dialects.

This is amazing statistics!

I don't think any book in the world is translated in so many languages including given away or sold in such masses per year!

My questions:

How much would history be effected if we started in the year 1000 until today 2008 that a book of a different religion or belief system would have been the most sold, translated, and distributed across the world.

or

What would it be like if not a single religious book would have been distributed in this time frame?

Would there have been crusades?

Would there be tensions in the Middle East today?

Would there have been WW2?

Would there have been less wars in general?

Would there have been more advancements in technology and living standards in general?

or

Would there have been more wars then usual?

Would there have been more problems in general?

If I may ask you one favor while answering these questions to please not discriminate a religious belief or to bash someone for their answer to these questions. I know it may be hard to do perhaps but at least try. thank you!

I say this for if you were drowning and are in need of assistance, I would regardless of your belief system try to save you. Let us treat each other the same way here on the forum. Thank you!


John

The world will never know....

Wouldn't have much of an affect at all. Doesn't matter. The Bible, The Koran, The Book of Morman. Lady Chatterly's Lover. Man is just so good at bring about destruction. Both sides are always right.

OR always wrong...

So even if a religious group didn't exist. Let us say the Greeks didn't believe in their Gods, The Egyptians in Ra, or the Jews in their Torah it wouldn't have matter anyway. You are saying that we would have these wars anyway. Technology and General Life would have been up to date as it is today or do you think we would have had perhaps spaceships already invented if we weren't drawn back to many of these wars and lived in a less discriminating, racial, and power lustful world?

I ask this for I really wonder if religion wouldn't have been existing that perhaps less wars and distraughts could have existed.

Then again there may have been many wars anyway because (like you say) man is thirsty for violence (PERHAPS) ever since they learned to pick up a object and hit something with it.

Perhaps a even better question. Does the bible teach tolerance to other religious belief systems? I mean is there a phrase in this book that says "One who doesn't believe is still loved and accepted in Gods hands and can still live in eternal happiness when you pass away?"

So even if a religious group didn't exist. Let us say the Greeks didn't believe in their Gods, The Egyptians in Ra, or the Jews in their Torah it wouldn't have matter anyway. You are saying that we would have these wars anyway. Technology and General Life would have been up to date as it is today or do you think we would have had perhaps spaceships already invented if we weren't drawn back to many of these wars and lived in a less discriminating, racial, and power lustful world?

I ask this for I really wonder if religion wouldn't have been existing that perhaps less wars and distraughts could have existed.

Then again there may have been many wars anyway because (like you say) man is thirsty for violence (PERHAPS) ever since they learned to pick up a object and hit something with it.

I must also add:

That if millions of religous books are distributed for free in many languages around the world couldn't it effect societies also of how one should live and think. So perhaps those communities that don't read usually does help educate for better assemblies, yet perhaps it also creates racial tensions if the religious books don't tolerate other belief systems.

What do you believe?

See, now this is an interesting question because you would think that there is something like that in there from a religion that is supposed to be loving and forgiving. While it is true that Jesus taught tolerance of other religions, In the sense that if someone did not want to hear his word he would not force it onto them. He would not berate them, He would simply move on and talk to the next soul that would listen.

Although that does not mean that those souls would still be welcomed into his eternal kingdom after their passing. To them those people were lost souls who were worshipping false gods and therefor breaking the commandments sent down. So while Jesus accepted their differences it does not mean they would be accepted into Heaven. Which is why you see so many conversations to that effect going on today. People wondering why it's not enough to just be a good person and help your fellow man. How God could be so petty that just because one does not believe in him, even though in order to believe in him you would have to rid yourself of any type of logical thought and just accept things on blind faith. But just because you don't believe you are doomed to an eternity of suffering.

Does that sound like a God that is loving and forgiving and understanding?

Anyway, I digress. To answer your question simply. According to the bible and Christians today. God loves everyone, whether they believe or not, but no that is not enough to get you to eternal salvation under the rule of that same God.

So Christianity tolerates other religions but they say that you cannot live in heaven if you don't live by their scriptures.

So I figure that most religous foundation may have similiar rules.

There is the problem!

That needs to be changed in the books and perhaps we can have a better understanding as a people of how to not only tolerate other religous belief systems but also understand them and accept their way of living.

Somehow I feel that the first page of such books like the Koran, Torah, Bible, etc. should have a message (universal) that can somehow accept other religious beliefs.

As a joke: Now I know jokes are not taken kindly in a religous forum. Tried it once and my goodness was I bashed!

Here it goes. The Bibles first page should say "After reading this book please go to book 2 and read the Koran. The Koran should say after reading the Koran please go to book 3 and read the Torah.

The last book should say now that you have read all of the books please take out the best parts of all the books and intergrate them to be a more tolerate, less discriminating, racial, and understand that we all will go to heaven together just for the fact of being alive and living our short life here on Earth.

Just contemplating. Don't mind me! I am a nutcase I know already.

hmmmm???

Of course you can also choose not to read any religous books and just stick to fantasy like I do. I manage to stay out of trouble, not invade property, bash heads, and live a solid life full of love and happiness.

One could also be like Mr. Hubbard I think his name is and have written successful fantasy novels for a living before transforming his fantasy beliefs with science and creating a religious organization called "Scientology"!

Good Morning Tribo!

So what are you Hmmmming about? Do you feel something I said was wrong or was that more of an inquisitive Hmmmm... I'm sorry I can't tell. :-D

LOL! It's funny that you say that. My roommate is also an avid gamer and has a love of fantasy concepts and he is always going on about how he doesn't need religion because it's all fantasy anyway. He just chooses to dedicate his time to something more fun. He is always saying that that is why Religious people and gamers don't get along. Because they are both reading out of the same rulebooks, only the covers are slightly different.

john, - if we study reigious history one thing that comes forward is that as long as man has been here and most likely before written language was used, there have been law's. Law's go hand and hand with religion. They also go hand and hand without religion.The mere fact that law's have been with man since earliest times in some form, Speak's to man's inability to get along together. So as for me i would have to say as long as we inhabit this flesh, everything that is considered "not good or evil" has, is, and will continue to be "mankind as usual" - just as those thing found to be good or loving etc., will be expressed also. When dealing with "mankind", we are dealing with an entity that is so ego centered he rarely takes time to stop and take a look at "who or what" he really is. And until he does i hold out little hope that he will morally evolve into a "better" species.

i don't believe you ever say anything wrong glass hopper - only what you belive to be truth for you - the hummm was just contemplatin over the questions asked by john and if what was being said originally was being answered - since this was a later question- i was pondering on whether to answer on this or the original - i feel your answer was sufficient - so i didnot.

That's kind of what I figured but wanted to make sure. Appriciate it Tribo.

Yeah I think I would love to get to know your roommate. I agree with him, but I would never discourage a religion! If it helps a person stay out of trouble or even become a better person then I am all for it as long as it doesn't hurt another person.

Now that is the trick right as I see that even a religous foundation fight amongst themselves.

The newest I can think of is Shiites and Sunnis. Same religion but a few different ways of worshipping makes all the difference for them.

That is why that first page in each religious book should be created as a must read!

I think the problem can be that many just read one book and stick to it only. They don't want to learn other religious beliefs let alone the time it takes. I must admit the bible or the koran or the torah is way too complictated for me to actually understand! The verses drive me nuts!

I have every possible religious book in my house from travelling around the world when I worked for the Red Cross. So many gave me books to show appreciaten and promises that my life will get even better if I live by the book. Of course I accept the gift for it is invaluable in itself wouldn't you think.

Oh well enough blah blah blah from me again. lol

Yes very true what you say and I never argue anyway about these things. I just post up questions to try to figure out why!

I still think that if world religions would actually really sit down together and change the first page to something that would offer better solutions to really understand the different lifestyles and why they occur it would make a difference.

Now I know that isn't going to change our world into a fairy tale land that is for sure, but the main reason for a religous book is to teach how to live in peace with one another and find salvation for our mistakes. Instead it seems like it teaches more of how we will get punished if we don't do!

It is a never ending debate and I am aware of it. Thank you for the wise words though.

This is the major problem right there. "I think the problem can be that many just read one book and stick to it only. They don't want to learn other religious beliefs let alone the time it takes."

And this is what I have been arguing with multiple people with over the last few days. Not so much that people choose one path that they think is right and they stick to it. I will never have a problem with that and I find it commendable that they have something that works for them. The problem I have is when people just assume that that is the ultimate answer and they then decide they don't need to learn anymore.

The moment you decide you have the right answer and you decide to stop learning is the moment a big part of you dies. Whether we realize it or not. On average we only use 10 percent of our brains. Think of the expanding possibilities that we can unlock the more we strive to learn. Although most people are content to take the easy road and stick with one thing. Which is fine if that works for them. Although that means that they sacrafice the ability to comment on and berate the things they don't understand.

See, the reason that religions don't do what you are suggesting, putting in that page that says that really no matter what you believe we should all love one another. Is because if they did that there would be no reason for religions. Despite what people want you to believe. Most religions are out there to make money. It's a numbers buisness just like anything else. Most religions try to draw you in by offering you some big reward if you join up and follow their path. Or even worse some may not offer you a reward at all. They just say, Join us or you will suffer in eternal damnation for your lack of faith. Most religions can't put in that tagline that it's okay for you to love other people just because they are people because if they did, people wouldn't need the religions.