Comparative History

How did our forebears begin to think about religion as a distinct domain, separate from other activities that were once inseparable from it? Starting at the birth of Christianity - a religion inextricably bound to Western thought - Jack Miles reveals how the West's "common sense" understanding of religion emerged and then changed as insular Europe discovered the rest of the world. Finally, in a moving postscript, he shows how this very story continues today in the minds and hearts of individual religious or irreligious men and women.

A child was born two thousand years ago in a little village called Bethlehem. His birth fulfilled over 300 Old Testament scripture verses prophesying this event. Hundreds of people, royal ambassadors, kings, angels, shepherd priests, and countless others were in attendance to herald this event. Over the decades, the details have become obscured. What we celebrate in our churches at Christmas is not close to the actual details that took place. My favorite example is the innkeeper role in the annual play. What was his name? It doesn't matter; he did not exist. He is just a made up character.

In What I Believe, Ramadan attempts to set the record straight, laying out the basic ideas he stands for in clear and accessible prose. He describes the book as a work of clarification, directed at ordinary citizens, politicians, journalists, and others who are curious (or skeptical) about his positions. Aware that that he is dealing with emotional issues, Ramadan tries to get past the barriers of prejudice and misunderstanding to speak directly, from the heart, to his Muslim and non-Muslim readers alike.

The modern world has been marked by a series of immense social revolutions that have transformed the states where they happened. In 1979, American sociologist Theda Skocpol published States and Social Revolutions and examined three of these uprisings: in France at the end of the 18th century, then in Russia and in China in the first half of the 20th century. She pinpointed a number of common factors that affected each of these countries at the time revolution happened.

The five world religions are Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Each religion has a different history, a different prophet, and a different set of rituals and traditions, all coming to the same conclusion. That conclusion is this: To honor that which is divine is to honor one’s self and to honor one’s fellow man. A good, righteous, virtuous life looks the same in every religion: It is to live with truth, kindness, respect, and forgiveness, for one’s self and for others.

Wicca For Beginners is your comprehensive guide towards understanding the real basics of what the Wiccan path is about. Full of historical knowledge and important figures like Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente, and Aleister Crowley, Wicca for Beginners will take you onto an intellectual journey and educate you on the true basics, laws, and honor code that is barely touched on. Sure you can buy someone’s book about magic, but Wicca for Beginners is a true guide that will stay with you throughout the test of time.

This book is an examination of the social, economic, and political consequences of the great recession of 2008.