Aibu not to know the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed?

[Quodlibet]

Just that really. I was unaware until today.

Casey, I really don't think you can tell people what they should or shouldn't educate themselves on. I respect the right of anyone to practice their religion in peace - I really do, but many aspects of religion are very disturbing to me. It is the 21st century and there are people on this thread discussing Lucifer/Satan. It disturbs me that people think these concepts may actually be real, but that is their prerogative. I reserve the right to not spend a single second of my life educating myself, on what I believe is absolute nonsense on stilts.

That's fine, as long as you know that a lack of knowledge in one area informs a lack of knowledge in others. How are you going to understand things like the threat of ISIS etc without a basic knowledge of the history and religion of the area?
Up to you what you want to know, but I can have an opinion on it.

IAmNotAWitch No problem, glad you found it interesting

Satishouse Why does it disturb you?

I think its understandable not to know - I do but that is primarily due to pub quiz addictions and not any religious knowledge.

I liken it to state capitals in the US, and where Margaret Thatcher was born - its general knowledge doesn't mean anything unless you want it to - or there is a bottle of wine as a first prize

"A person existed, was born and died, whether you believe it or not."

Prove it!

Muhajaba - I keep writing an answer to you and then deleting it. It is very difficult for me to debate with someone who is religious without offending them, because it is central to your life - and if you are Muslim, it may well extend to being central to the life of eveyone in your family. I do not believe in God, I prefer my autonomy. I could not have another authority telling me what I should believe - my views on homosexuality, abortion, alcohol etc. should be mine and mine alone. But then I am a control freak. To hear anyone talk of God, or indeed, the fallen angel who had the audacity to defy God, as though it were real, makes me very uncomfortable.

Prove it!

Very difficult to prove scientifically and beyond all reasonable doubt of the existence of anyone born over 1,000 years ago. Given that the existence of Mohammed, Jesus etc. doesn't in any way prove the truth of the religions spawned in their name, I'm not sure why certain atheists get so agitated by this. It's almost as if to prove God doesn't exist you have to prove Jesus or Mohammed didn't exist either...

On the contrary, it's the theists who try to use the supposed existence of these people as "proof" of their beliefs. The fact that there is not one shred of contemporary evidence for either does not prove that no gods exist although it's pretty bloody obvious that even if one did, it's nothing like the ones being claimed but I personally find it rather telling.

Satishouse Thanks for your reply, and your consideration. FWIW I'm not offended by people having beliefs and ideas that are opposed to mine, I'm only offended by people who think that I should share them

...there is not one shred of contemporary evidence

I understand the reasons for there being doubt regarding their existence, but you state it as though there non-existence was indisputable. You could equally argue the toss over almost every historical figure born over 1,000 years ago due to the lack of contemporary evidence. I don't imagine you argue with the same fervour, if at all, that Alexander the Great didn't exist, yet the direct evidence for his existence is even less contemporary.

As for their existence proving the truth of the Christian or Islamic faith, that makes as much sense as saying that the existence of Ron L Hubbard proves the truth of Scientology. If you want to argue an atheist position then fine, but by overstating your case you weaken your argument.

I do not believe in God, I prefer my autonomy

So your beliefs are styled around your preferences?

I could not have another authority telling me what I should believe - my views on homosexuality, abortion, alcohol etc. should be mine and mine alone

You definitely have a funny idea about beliefs. You cannot be told to believe anything in any society or any religion.

I haven't actually studied it, but I understand that there is plenty of evidence for what Alexander the Great is claimed to have done.

However, it doesn't matter if he didn't actually exist, because nobody is running around dying, killing, or repressing other people in his name!

Not yo insult anyone but I couldn't give a flying fuck. Same about Christianity and satanism and Hinduism etc. It's all controlling mysogynistic nonsense and should be confined to the dim and distant past.

No excuse for violence can be found in any religion. Generally they are a set of rules to try and control the masses to keep quiet and hope for better in 'the next life' so they don't get really pissed off about how unequal their lives are now compared to the religious/political elite.

Atenco - I am.not entirely sure what you are driving at ? How do you think our beliefs should be/are formed?

I wouldn't expect a non Muslim to know off the top of their head. But I would expect a non muslin to have heard of the mass pilgrimages to Mecca and therefore to have been able to have a good guess!

Satishouse You say you don't believe in God because you prefer there not to be a God. That is a very unusual approach to the subject.

Now that I think about it, I don't know either. Same thing with Buddha, what's the Siddhartha born in India somewhere? I will have to do a bit of research now

I am not religious but I very much enjoying learning new things and talking to new people.

I didn't know where Muslims believed Mohammed was born (hadn't really thought about it before) now I know something else.

While I don't believe in 'God' I do find it fascinating that so many of the stories are so similar across cultures/histories etc.

On child marriage Margaret Beaufort was married before she was 4, then again at 12 and may still have been a teenager at her third marriage.

Until Victorian times the age of consent was 12 in England. It's only in the last 10 years that Canada, Iceland and Croatia have raised the age from 12 or 13 to 16.

I Delaware in the late 1800 Aisha could have been legally married for 2 years at the age of 9.

I didn't know either, though was aware of Mecca and the pilgrimage.

I'm 50 and went to Catholic schools, my RE lessons were firmly based around Catholicism/the Bible. Though I didn't pay that much attention either.

Sash - your point being child marriage was once ok? That's as maybe but the prophet mohammed is still deified by millions today on 2017

in 2017

I've always found it useful to know about lots of religions (and more generally about other cultures). Knowledge is power.

The youngest legal ages for marriage are in places like Iran, Saudi and Yemen today.

I may be wrong but I think it was Scunthorpe.

Not unreasonable. A bit ignorant maybe.