# So, I'm building a personal religious library... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780 "2011-12-02T02:07:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/1 "2011-12-02T02:07:37Z")
I would like to assemble a personal collection of the world’s religious texts (within reason - see below). So far I have: The (Christian) Bible - New International, King James, and NKJ. The (Christian) Apocrypha The Book of Mormon Several general Taoist texts A couple of Wiccan “books” (don’t ask, she was crazy - but so was the sex) So. Minimally I would like to add: The Qur’an Hindu text (preferably a single volume including both the Vedas and the Smritis. Buddhist text (again, the more encompassing the better) Couple of questions: Can anyone recommend a specific printing of any of my three “want list” items? What am I missing? \* \*A caveat here. As I said above, “within reason” I’m not looking to add a book about every possible religion in the world. I would like to cover the major religions (realizing that, in and of itself is subject to discussion - in my case I’m using major as a synonym for “large” and “influential”). ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/2 "2011-12-02T02:17:47Z")
Dang it. The Torah! I forgot to add tThe Torah to the list of things I want. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/3 "2011-12-02T02:26:29Z")
Douay Bible perhaps. It’s the English translation Catholic Bible. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/4 "2011-12-02T02:26:54Z")
I would go for a Zen tome. Some will argue that this falls under Buddhism, I would say it both does and does not. Note that getting a copy of the Talmud (that is the five books of Moses plus the commentaries of the great sages) could be difficult. Last time I checked, it was against Jewish custom to sell or give one to non Jews. The theory is that they may intentionally or otherwise disrespect it. I believe Muslims have a similar custom concerning Al Q’uran. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/5 "2011-12-02T02:30:48Z")
Here’s a good starting point: [List of Sacred Texts (wikipedia)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_text#List_of_sacred_texts_of_various_religions) [a decent website for this](http://www.sacred-texts.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/6 "2011-12-02T02:36:14Z")
[Here’s a list](http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html) of the current “major” religions so you’ll know whose stuff you’re looking for. Apparently you should finish off your collection with a copy of Dianetics. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/7 "2011-12-02T02:42:02Z")
[Zen Flesh, Zen Bones](http://www.amazon.com/Flesh-Bones-Shambhala-Pocket-Classics/dp/1570620636) Oh something else about the Talmud and Q’uran. Every Islamic group I know of disapproves very strongly of translating the Q’uran. It may be difficult to find a copy in anything but old Arabic. I’ve been looking for a good translation of the Talmud for years. I’m often told that an English version simply does not exist. Still another note on the Talmud. Expect to pay a great deal. Last time I checked, even the Talmud on cd sold for almost a hundred dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/8 "2011-12-02T02:45:10Z")
I have a Jewish Publication Society copy of the Tanakh, the Scriptures. Christians would call it the Old Testament. It’s worth having, to compare, for example, how books like the Psalms are translated. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/9 "2011-12-02T02:52:31Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Oh something else about the Talmud and Q’uran. Every Islamic group I know of disapproves very strongly of translating the Q’uran. It may be difficult to find a copy in anything but old Arabic. [It’s not that hard.](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&complete=0&q=quran%20english%20translation&biw=1680&bih=883&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm=shop&source=og&sa=N&tab=wf&ei=zDzYTr6YBK-02AWznPjiDg) I believe they call any non-Arabic versions an “interpretation” of the Q’uran. You’re not reading actual scripture because the scripture can only be written/read in Arabic but you’re reading someone’s imperfect version of what that perfect scripture says. Edit: “It’s not that hard” sounds cockier than intended. It’s more available than one might think. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/10 "2011-12-02T03:07:49Z")
“Mere Christianity” by CS Lewis. Get a Dake’s study Bible. Matthew Henry’s Commentary may be good also. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/11 "2011-12-02T03:10:24Z")
Herman Wouk’s\* This is my God.\* ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/12 "2011-12-02T03:12:24Z")
What about Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/13 "2011-12-02T03:24:44Z")
Zhuan Falun (Li) Dianetics (Hubbard) Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (Eddy) Divine Principle (Moon) Gathas (Zarathustra) Tao Te Ching (Lao Tsu) The Book of the Dead Popol Vuh Kebra Negast > **[Religious text](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_text#List_of_sacred_texts_of_various_religions)** > > Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments or laws, ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and for creating or fostering a religious community. > Within each religion, these sacred texts are revered as authoritative sources of guidance, wisdom, and divine revelation. They are often regard... ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/14 "2011-12-02T03:25:11Z")
You certainly need the Bhagavad Gita. It’s one of the most important Hindu scriptures. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/15 "2011-12-02T06:03:16Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > [Zen Flesh, Zen Bones](http://www.amazon.com/Flesh-Bones-Shambhala-Pocket-Classics/dp/1570620636) > > Oh something else about the Talmud and Q’uran. Every Islamic group I know of disapproves very strongly of translating the Q’uran. It may be difficult to find a copy in anything but old Arabic. I’ve been looking for a good translation of the Talmud for years. I’m often told that an English version simply does not exist. > > Still another note on the Talmud. Expect to pay a great deal. Last time I checked, even the Talmud on cd sold for almost a hundred dollars. I just looked and the complete Schottenstein Talmud (the Orthodox English edition) on Amazon is $2,000. That’s 73 volumes and 392 pounds of books. Unless you’re a religion professor or planning to spend a number of years at Ohr Somayach, I’m not sure it’s a good investment. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/16 "2011-12-02T14:03:09Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > Douay Bible perhaps. It’s the English translation Catholic Bible. _was_. The Douay-Rheims translation was rep;laced by the Jerusalem Bible decades ago, and there have since been others: > [@](#): > > Although the Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible (in the United States), the Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version and the New Jerusalem Bible are the most commonly used in English-speaking Catholic churches, the Challoner revision of the Douay–Rheims is still often the Bible of choice of more traditional English-speaking Catholics. > **[Douay–Rheims Bible](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douai_Bible)** > > The Douay–Rheims Bible (/ˌduːeɪ ˈriːmz, ˌdaʊeɪ -/, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}US also /duːˌeɪ -/), also known as the Douay–Rheims Version, Rheims–Douai Bible or Douai Bible, and abbreviated as D–R, DRB, and DRV, is a translation of the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into English made by members of the English College, Douai, in Th... My mother still has her old Douay bible, but I don’t know of anyone else personally who uses it. I suspect the odd transliterations – “Noe” for “Noah”, and the like – throw a lot of people off. The more recent translations are more faithful to the original texts, as well (although the Jerusalem bible, like the Douay, is not a direct-to-English translation) ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/17 "2011-12-03T04:20:35Z")
My mother is true to her Douay version too although she has studied more recent versions as well as other Christian bibles, depending on the study group she is with. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/18 "2011-12-03T04:42:26Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Note that getting a copy of the Talmud (that is the five books of Moses plus the commentaries of the great sages) could be difficult. Last time I checked, it was against Jewish custom to sell or give one to non Jews. The theory is that they may intentionally or otherwise disrespect it. > > I believe Muslims have a similar custom concerning Al Q’uran. You’d have to be a pretty dedicated anti-semite to buy a 20 volume book just to disrespect it. But it’s trivially easy to go to Amazon and order a copy of the Talmud’s greatest hits. Not to mention the Quran. All religious texts (well, except maybe Dianetics) are in the public domain now, so it’s not hard to find one published by a third party. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/19 "2011-12-03T05:16:42Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I would go for a Zen tome. Some will argue that this falls under Buddhism, I would say it both does and does not. I saw what you did there Grasshopper. 😉 maybe something by the Dalai Lama (I recommend something by the 5th, 13th or 14th. The current aka 14th has some pretty accessible books and lectures.) ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780/20 "2011-12-06T02:52:45Z")
_Institutes of the Christian Religion_ by Calvin [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-building-a-personal-religious-library/604780.md?page=2)