Aibu not to know the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed?

[Quodlibet]

Just that really. I was unaware until today.

I find the "I don't need to know because I'm a free thinking atheist dontcha know" attitude from many on this thread pretty bloody depressing.

Henry VII's mother Margaret Tudor had him when she was just 14. Edmund Tudor must have got her pregnant when she was 13 and a bit. A lot of medieval brides in Europe were married off as children and their husbands impregnated them as soon as they has reached puberty. But that's obviously fine, because Europeans did it.

I find the "I don't need to know because I'm a free thinking atheist dontcha know" attitude from many on this thread pretty bloody depressing

Agree. I'm one of those too, but it doesn't mean I can ignore basic general knowledge of the world!

Yes I'm a complete atheist too. But just because that's the logical choice to me: it's not so I can pour scorn on religion whenever I can, while proudly admitting I know nothing about any of them.

It's good to know stuff

I don't even see how you can be secure in your position as atheist if you know nothing about religions at all?

And surely you have friends, family, acquaintances who are religious, and its basic manners to understand a little of things that matter to them?
Ignorance is never something to be proud of.

You are missing the point. It's not a question of being proud of not knowing; it's the fact that whether or not I know (and I actually did know) is completely irrelevant to me but it's being proposed it's wrong to think it's completely irrelevant

Idk. Honestly, this thread has disappointed me a bit. Not because the birth place of Mohammed has to be relevant to somebody personally. But seeing as Mohammed is relevant to many people...

Not knowing isn't the issue. There are many things I don't know. I have, for example, issues with computers (despite most people my age being at least kind of tech savvy)...
I also don't speak Chinese.
But I wouldn't mind knowing some Chinese (I mean, I currently don't have the time or motivation). But I just think that knowledge is always (nearly always) a "good thing".

It just seems like some are so proud of not knowing, which is imo weird.

I don't even see how you can be secure in your position as atheist if you know nothing about religions at all?

Then I think you misunderstand atheism.

I really don't, but thanks.

If I were to read the bible, would I be less likely to be an atheist?

Satis

Definitely more likely, in my personal opinion.

No but you could perhaps make reference to it when you are constructing an argument in favour of your atheism, instead of just saying "I don't need to know".

I don't need to construct an argument around my atheism though, do I?

That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence

But you know, if you're trying to have a reasoned and informed debate making references to things, rather than just saying "I'm right, you're wrong."

Apart from anything else, it makes it so much more interesting to actually be informed.

I don't understand this attitude - I don't believe in religion therefore I'm proudly ignorant of general knowledge pertaining to religion?

I'm athiest and I still think you need to understand some theology and history to understand the world. Even today, these things still influence culture and politics. How can you be proud to not know these things?

I don't agree with Nazism either but I know enough of it's history to understand the how/why and how it still influences the world today.

You don't, no.

Just like a religious person doesn't. Your atheism is just as valid as somebody's religious and most sacred believes.

I just think the argument of "have you read the bible/Koran (how is that spelled in English?)?" ridiculous.

Because I have and yeah... no. Just no.

But then people are like: "well, you just didn't understand." "You would need to read it in Arabic."

And if I were to leanr Arabic (or Hebrew, bibilical Greek and Aramaic and whatever else necessary...) there would probably a next "but". "But you just didn't open your mind". "You simply want to continue to sin". "You just don't understand it".

If I said all these things to a Muslim or a Christian (well, if I tweaked the statements a little, of course) I'd be a bigot. But the other way around?

(Yes, I went off on a tangent. oops)

Btw, that was my response to I don't need to construct an argument around my atheism though, do I?...

I would expect it to be general knowledge. Do you never watch TV, read the newspapers? How could one not know? Mind boggles.

I would expect people to know, or at least to be able to make an educated guess, say, between Mecca and Medina. It should be general knowledge. Not as basic as Jesus born in Bethlehem - the subject of many a Christmas carol and school nativity - but nevertheless, basic. I asked my DH and three DCs (teenagers) this and everyone knew - though there was a bit of pondering if it could be Medina. The kids all learnt at school.

Oh come on, of course I bloody know where Muhammed was born. But if I didn't, that is not something you should be condemning me for

It just seems like some are so proud of not knowing, which is imo weird

I am irritated you chose to reiterate this nonsense about being "proud" after my quote where I quite specifically said it was not a question of being proud.

It is a question of general knowledge.

I find it absurd the amount of ranting going on about what people ought to know. I also find it extremely irritating to be told over and over that I ought to care about other people's religious beliefs- that

I don't care , I really don't. I am not interested in your religion. You have the right in the U.K to practice it- otherwise please just leave me alone. I don't demand you must know about things I am interested in.

I would expect it to be general knowledge. Do you never watch TV, read the newspapers? How could one not know? Mind boggles

How arrogant.

I am irritated you chose to reiterate this nonsense about being "proud" after my quote where I quite specifically said it was not a question of being proud

Well, you may be irritated however much you want... Maybe you aren't proud of it.

But some of the commenters seemed to be proud of it.
Which is why I wrote:
"It just seems like some are so proud of not knowing, which is imo weird"

I didn't write that Lass is definitely super proud she didn't know the birthplace of Mohammed, did I?

I would also expect people to know where Shakespeare was born, what country Plato came from and the names of the planets in the solar system.

Incidentally, I would only expect people to know where Mohammed was born because we live in a country with significant Muslim population, and it is mentioned frequently on the news.

I didn't write that Lass is definitely super proud she didn't know the birthplace of Mohammed, did I?

Your point is ridiculous. You attempted to sustain your argument by quoting me out of context and making up things.