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Neha Kondavetti, a columnist for the Daily Texan, wrote in February 2024 that while she used to be dismissive of religious texts until she was forced to read one.
“As an atheist, I used to be dismissive of religious texts, which I viewed as something that provided no educational value,” she writes. But having to read the Bhagavad Gita for her History of Hindu Religious Traditions class changed her perspective. (TAKE A POLL: Do You Believe in the Separation of Church and State?)
“As I began to read, the Gita highlighted the battlefield within my mind, helping me contextualize my self-doubt and difficulty confronting hard decisions,” she continued. This exploration took her into a whole host of other religious texts. She read the New Testament, Quran and the Pali Canon.
The Benefits
“I found myself shocked by the wisdom and beauty these ancient scriptures held. Viewing these books as fictitious allowed me to accept the lessons they provided. I put away my own belief system and immersed myself in another,” she explained. (TAKE A POLL: Do You Attend Weekly Religious Services?)
“Reading religious texts can provide many benefits for non-believers. Not only are these texts some of the oldest books recorded in human history, but they reflect the philosophical and moral code our ancestors relied on. Religious texts shape every chasm of knowledge and are central to the origins of societies’ structure.”
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