The shade of swords

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David Liepert

Virtually every other religious book portrays the act of believing-the decision a believer makes to accept that his or her own religion's particular assumptions and explanations are true-as if it is a good thing. Frankly, I think believing is dangerous. ... The thrust of my argument is simple: All of us think that our religion is "good" and that those in apparent (and often politically motivated) opposition to it are "bad." But the real truth is that all of our religions are equally guilty of being used to promote violence, and-thanks to centuries of political manipulation that have distorted the way we read our holy books-all of us are equally guilty of not following what our religions really say. ... The later chapters of this book explore belief and human nature in a new light to explain how Freud's theories of the subconscious and quantum physics' model of the subatomic universe offer some of the best proof we have that God exists; show us a way to restore religion to its rightful role in our lives and our world; and conclude that we're all a lot closer to where we should be than we think.

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Ali Hassan Zaidi

"This book discloses a largely unnoticed dialogue between Muslim and Western social thought on the search for meaning and transcendence in the human sciences. The disclosure is accomplished by a comparative reading of contemporary Muslim debates on secular knowledge on the one hand, and of a foundational Western debate on the demise of metaphysics in the human sciences on the other hand. The comparative reading is grounded in a dialogical hermeneutic approach; that is, a hermeneutic approach to texts and cultural traditions that draws upon the work of Hans Georg Gadamer and also upon the insights of inter-religious dialogue"-- "This book serves as a "translation service" between Muslim and Western social thought on the search for meaning and transcendence in the human sciences. The translation is accomplished by a comparative reading of contemporary Muslim debates on secular knowledge on the one hand and of a foundational Western debate on the demise of metaphysics in the human sciences on the other hand. The book challenges contemporary Muslim critics who regard the modern human sciences as leading inevitably toward nihilism, and Western critics who regard religious thought as inimical to the human sciences. It also expands the realm of social theory beyond the Western canon, and contributes to the new and growing field of comparative social theory"--

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Badru D. Kateregga and David W. Shenk

"Millions of Muslims and Christians are neighbors, and they agree that they worship the one and only God. Yet they seldom witness to each other, and the issues they deal with are profound. Rather than an antagonistic interaction, Badru D. Kateregga and David W. Shenk pioneer another way--that of authentic dialogue between friends. This 2011 updated edition includes a new cover, new endorsements and new discussion questions." -- Publisher's description.

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Craig A. Evans and Jeremiah J. Johnston

Two leading biblical scholars offer this go-to guide to understanding ISIS' distorted theology. Through fresh historical and biblical insights, discover how ISIS' acts of violence, terrorism, and persecution impact your life and your faith today.