Should a Christian read books known to be heretical / blasphemous / against Christianity?
Inspired by: May Christians read self improvement books?
May we read un-Christian books? Should we?
In what circumstances?
What guidelines should be used to decide on this?

Some examples of books...
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I'd give a similar answer to this question as I did the other one, except that having read some of these books already, I doubt I could read them now without being nauseated by what I'm reading.

There are certain things that, once you read them, you can't get them out of your head. (pornography, for example). I've read some very anti-Christian books and articles (in print and on the web) that sound very good on the surface. (So again, the same caution I gave in the answer on that question applies.)

That said, some of the books on your list are full of the type of information we need to be armed against. God calls each of us into a different ministry. I tend to come across people of a certain mindset - atheists, agnostics, people who have serious and real objections to the very core concepts of Christianity. In order to talk to these people and reach out to them, it is absolutely essential that I know where they are coming from. Others (my Pastor, for example) would argue that this stuff isn't important because he tends to run across people who are open and seeking God, rather than those who oppose Him. He'd probably tell you not to even look at this stuff, and to concentrate on the Word instead. I guess if I knew less atheists, I might agree.

I just keep going back to the fact that if I hadn't been influenced by people who were educated and prepared for someone like me, I might not have ever been saved.

A while back, I blogged about a book I'd read called "10 Books that Screwed Up the World". It contains several books not on your list that should be. I think that if you are one of the people that God has called to reach those that have been corrupted by these teachings, then not only is reading these books OK, it is, in some ways, necessary.

The point is this: You can't fight the enemy if you don't know the enemy. the enemy is not the people who hold these beliefs, they are the beliefs themselves. You can't hope to make a case against an idea if you don't understand the idea.

However, if you're reading these books because you simply enjoy them, I guess I'm not going to tell you you're wrong for doing so, but I know that I, personally, wouldn't be able to do it. Walking with the Lord means being in agreement with Him, and obviously, you can't be in agreement with Him if you're in agreement with those who stand against him.

One final point that should really be a separate answer

Back to my statement about being nauseated. I figured out how to verbalize it: I love God, and to read materials that purposely distort Him and cast Him in a negative light make me furious. I would be just as furious if someone wrote a pornographic story about my wife or children. It's offensive. That's why I'd have a hard time reading these books, even if it does help me to be better prepared.

You must read any of these books the same way you would read the Bible and any other work for that matter: in context.

Any deeper examination of your faith by asking question or reading arguments counter to your beliefs, if read earnestly, and in the spirit of truly wanting more understand should only draw you closer to your faith.

For instance "The God Delusion" is a great book for Christians to read, since it can reveal many of the arguments that Atheist have against Christianity and religion in general. It can certainly challenge you BUT if you make a careful examination for and against its arguments it can give you better understanding of the beliefs you have already, or you might change your mind on certain things. In either event you are more enlightened and better informed.

But again, context is important. If you picked up the Gospel of Judas, thinking it was a canonized text of the New Testament, you may come away with a different meaning than if you understood that it was a Gnostic text written probably in the 2nd century.

I am not suggesting that we are not to guard our hearts and minds. It is important to remember

Romans 12:2 (KJV) which begins;

And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,...

When operating in the world it seems important to not go blindly. When faced with debate about evolution, for example, it would be difficult to debate the issue intelligently without having studied Darwin's theory, and more importantly, read his books and papers. There are some extremely important points Darwin made regarding evolution that most people are unfamiliar with. His own criteria for proving evolution valid has dashed Darwin's theory to pieces.

When faced with this debate with a non-believer, it is amazing to watch God reaching someone by using Darwin's own criteria as a debate point against evolution. This couldn't have been known during his time but, the window of time he gave archeologists to find the millions of shape-shifting fossils he predicted would be found has come and gone by decades. He said that without these, his theory would be without merit.

Romans 12:2 continues;

...thay ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Knowledge about the enemy, coupled with God's wisdom and timing, may just be what God needs from us to be there to help lead an unbeliever to our Lord.