Aibu not to know the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed?

[Quodlibet]

Just that really. I was unaware until today.

Now Jesus was born in a stable and I only know that because schools insist on ramming all this shite down kids necks.

I don't know, or wish to know any more than that.

Josephus, Philo of Alexandria,Pliny (Elder I think) and various Rabbinic scholars I the 1st century all reference the existence of Jesus as a 'wonder worker' whose followers are called Christians. I'm an atheist RS teacher with a good Theology degree. He existed. Ditto Muhammad. Everything else about them is perfectly reasonable to debate but they did exist.

"I don't know, or wish to know any more than that."

I don't understand why people take such pride in ignorance.

Angrybirds- not everyone is convinced by the Testamentum Flavianum and the other "Jesusy" bits of Josephus. Damn tricky, those Christian copyer outers!

BertrandRussell as an apatheist I do not consider religions to be of any importance in my life. I care equally for the birthplace of Mohammed as I do for the birthplace of Taylor Swift. Which is zero.
It isn't revelling in ignorance it's deciding what is important and meaningful.

coconuttella: "I find it equally shocking that someone can't distinguish between the likelihood of knowing an incidental fact regarding a religion that is not part of most people's cultural background in the UK (or other 'western' nation) against knowing the capital city of the most powerful country on the planet!"

You think that Mohammed's birthplace is an "incidental" part of the Muslim religion? Has it never occurred to you to wonder why Muslims always pray facing Mecca? Or why all Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimmage to Mecca once in their lifetime?

This is a religion followed by one in five of the world's population. Like BertrandRussell, the thing that depresses me most is not the ignorance but the pride people take in it.

Has it never occurred to you to wonder why Muslims always pray facing Mecca? Or why all Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimmage to Mecca once in their lifetime?

Actually now you ask, no. Some people have no interest in religion. People can believe in what they want but I don't know why I'm expected to take interest in it.

It's not pride in ignorance, I just don't care! It's not important to me - why would it be as an atheist?

It's like saying you take pride in ignorance if you don't know where Justin Bieber was born - if it's not relevant to your life or interests, why would you care?

Not unreasonable not to be aware. To use an example from Christianity, I have given up things for Lent and have been asked several times this week at work whether or not it has finished.

There are people on here who are indignant that others don't know about Muhammad's birth place? That's hilarious. Why would I waste even one of my precious brain cells learning about anything to do with religion? Religion - the most absurd, irrational, science defying concept of all time. You are having a laugh

And yes, I am proud of my ignorance

Do you also think that history is the most absurd, irrational, science defying concept of all time? Because you can't understand almost all of human history without learning at least a little about religion. Same goes for literature...

I think the people taking pride in ignorance about knowing where Mohammed was born are doing so because clearly Islam has been tarnished by terrorism. It's a sort of misguided 'stand' against terrorism.

It's probably been said already but Buddha was born in Lumbini in Nepal.

Yes Vladimir, that'll be it. Nothing to do with me being an atheist, a secularist and a feminist then.

Nothing to do with Islam or terrorism Vladimir. I couldn't give a shit about any religious figures - no matter what religion they belong to! I know more about Islam than any other religion as one of my best friend's is Muslim and often talks about. I listen to be polite - in the same way I listen to another friend banging on about Love Island which I'm equally uninterested in!

I know Mecca is important to Muslims, Bethleham for Christians and the city of Jerusalem is significant in a number of religious traditions, including the Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which consider it a holy city.

Beyond that I do not care. I think some of you are confusing respecting the right of a person to hold religious beliefs with respecting those beliefs. The former is subject to the holders of religious beliefs in return not expecting the secular laws of liberal , secular democracies being rewritten to accommodate their religious beliefs or to impose them on others.

This is the weirdest thread on here I've ever seen!
So if you don't know the minutai of the life of a religious figure you are either stupid, ignorant or taking a misguided stand against terrorism?!
I think many people have said that they don't know the minutai of any figures in any religion because it has little meaning for them.
Can you all talk at length about Zeus or Odin or Guru Nanak? Or has it not entered your consciousness to care? Well that's the way I feel.

"Yes Vladimir, that'll be it. Nothing to do with me being an atheist, a secularist and a feminist then."

I am all of those things. I am also a Labout supporter. I do not feel it detracts from my principles to know about the history of the Conservative party.

Whoa! The Conservatives are REAL. You are being indignant that I don't take an interest in religious people and their imaginary friend

You think that Mohammed's birthplace is an "incidental" part of the Muslim religion? Has it never occurred to you to wonder why Muslims always pray facing Mecca? Or why all Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimmage to Mecca once in their lifetime?

The reason for us facing Mecca when we pray or making pilgrimage there is not because Muhammad saws was born there.

No of course not

Unless you are Muslim or have studied Islam then it would be expected you know

It's not about detracting from principles. It's just not having any interest in the topic and it holds little meaning to me. As many people have said im aware of a thing called Justin Beiber. I might even know the name of one of his songs. I know many people think he's great. I am very happy for them to believe he's great but I don't have much interest in him therefore I do not know his birthplace.

Aisha was the one who wrote Mohammed's story and communicated it to the world (through her male relatives) - it's highly likely she lied about the consummation of her marriage to him to give herself a more secure and prominent position as his wife. Back in those days child brides were not considered wives until their marriages were consummated (because they didn't live with the husbands) and that wouldn't have happened until at least 12. She never had any kids with him and so I personally think he died before she came of age and her father used the marriage for his own political gains.

'You think that Mohammed's birthplace is an "incidental" part of the Muslim religion? Has it never occurred to you to wonder why Muslims always pray facing Mecca? Or why all Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimmage to Mecca once in their lifetime?' they pray towards mecca becuase Ka'bah is there not because mohammed was born there? as i understood islam