Author: Eric Mazur
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136993126
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 675
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Book Description
Exploring the blurred boundary between religion and pop culture, God in the Details offers a provocative look at the breadth and persistence of religious themes in the American consciousness. This new edition reflects the explosion of online activity since the first edition, including chapters on the spiritual implications of social networking sites, and the hazy line between real and virtual religious life in the online community Second Life. Also new to this edition are chapters on the migration of black male expression from churches to athletic stadiums, new configurations of the sacred and the commercial, and post 9/11 spirituality and religious redemption through an analysis of vampire drama, True Blood. Popular chapters on media, sports, and other pop culture experiences have been revised and updated, making this an invaluable resource for students and scholars alike.
Author: Frank Newport
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1595620621
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 288
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Book Description
Gallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport examines religion in America today, reviews just how powerfully intertwined religion is with every aspect of American society, and explores what appears to be religion's vibrant future in the U.S. -- all based on more than a million interviews conducted by Gallup since 2008. Popular books such as The God Delusion have dismissed religion as a delusional artifact of evolution and ancient superstitions. But should millions of Americans' statements of belief and their behavior be dismissed that quickly? The pattern of religious influence in American society suggests mass consequence rather than mass delusion. In God Is Alive and Well, Frank Newport, Gallup's Editor-in-Chief, provides a new evidence-based analysis of Americans' religious beliefs and practices -- and bold predictions about religion's future in the U.S. Most Americans are at least marginally religious, significantly more so than in most developed nations around the world. The majority of Americans believe in God and say that religion is important in their daily lives. And Americans routinely participate in religious rituals. Levels of religious consciousness are not distributed equally. Systematic patterns of differences in religion occur with surprising regularity. An American's religiosity is very much bound up with social position and geographic space. There is an important interplay between religion and life status factors -- age, gender, marital status, having children -- and with achieved status distinctions -- class, education, income. Those who are most religious are demonstrably different across a wide spectrum of outcomes from those who are not. These include lifestyle choices, social participation, ideology, partisanship, and views on political and social issues. Religion can be the driver for highly disruptive social behaviors, up to and including the taking of human life. Unlike citizens of any other country in the world, Americans group themselves into hundreds of distinct micro religious groups and denominations. These groups are constantly evolving, splitting like amoeba to form new groups. The most common pattern today is the development of the "no name" religious group, consisting of Americans who worship only under the banner of their own nondenominational predilections. These religious groupings are sociologically related to social status, geography, politics, and social and political attitudes. The emotional, non-negotiable bases of religion and the nature of its appeal to the most ultimate of rationales mean that highly religious Americans are one of the most potentially influential groups in society. Religious beliefs provide a foundation for much of today's American politics. America is and will remain a religious nation, and it is entirely possible that in many ways, religion will be more, rather than less, important in the years ahead. The foundation for God Is Alive and Well is the perspective of science -- analyzing what people think, do, and believe about religion. Frank Newport's distinction as a well-known social scientist and authority on American life, his media experience, and his unique personal history as the son of a Southern Baptist theologian will increase this book's sales potential. God Is Alive and Well is based in large part on more than a million interviews Gallup has conducted in recent years -- interviews that asked Americans about their religion, their religious beliefs, and their religious behavior. The resulting data provide an unparalleled and unprecedented database of information about Americans and their religions. Written for lay readers using a conversational tone, God Is Alive and Well presents new information with an entertaining style.
Author: Christian Bandea
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 117
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Book Description
Science claims to have won the battle against religions for explaining the fundamental truths of the universe, but God has become collateral damage in the process. We're told that the world was created from nothing and that life appeared and evolved from inanimate matter as a result of a long series of fortunate accidents. However, the scientifically-backed theories for humanity's great questions require a leap of faith at least as big as any religious person has ever had to take, because they're based on speculations. The caste which asserts its ability to mediate the truth about God for the "simple minds" of laymen is no longer made up of priests. Scientists have replaced them and are promoting a world view based on personal interests and aesthetic preferences instead of facts. They deliberately ignore evidence and fabricate truths to disprove the clues that show that the universe is a product of intelligent design. In this bold and provocative book, Christian Bandea exposes the major cover-ups used to hide the presence of God. Science is going through a denial of the divine phase. The specter of intelligent design is already lurking through the established scientific edifice. It's only a question of time before everyone realizes they can no longer conceal or ignore it. Promoters of atheism claim that gaps in scientific knowledge are used as proof of God's existence. As science advances relentlessly, believers are supposedly forced to retreat into narrow corners where the "light of reason" hasn't yet reached. However, history has shown, time and again, that new layers of complexity are revealed each time science considers it has come close to identifying final theories. The "God of the gaps" argument is a distorted interpretation of how our auto-revelatory, self-describing universe is unfolding. What superficially looks like a retreat of deism in front of scientific progress is, in reality, a process in which the clues pointing to the existence of an intelligent designer are becoming more refined as we improve our understanding of the world. Increasingly sophisticated evidence which suggests the presence of God is revealed to us and replaces yesterday's "miracles." The history of our progress as a species shows us that we could be living in an infinitely layered onion of clues about our Creator. Each time we peel off a layer and think we've reached the fundamental core of understanding, new domains of immense complexity are discovered. The God of the gaps is, in fact, the God of the details. About the author Christian Bandea has a Master's degree in contemporary literature. After working for seven years as a journalist, he has built a successful IT career as a network engineer and developer. He lives near Cambridge, UK, with his wife and daughter.
Author: Timotheos Tsohantaridis
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781524921873
Category : Bible
Languages : en
Pages : 371
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Book Description
Author: Lisa Engelhardt
Publisher: Abbey Press
ISBN: 9780870293610
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36
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Book Description
Everyone needs a best friend, someone who knows you and loves you just the way you are. This book introduces children to their very own best friend, God.
Author: Bruce David Forbes
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520246898
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 344
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Book Description
PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION: “A solid introduction to the dialogue between the disciplines of cultural studies and religion…. A substantive foundation for subsequent exploration.”—Religious Studies Review “A splendid collection of lively essays by fourteen scholars dealing with religion and popular culture on the contemporary American scene.”—Choice
Author: Joyce Meyer
Publisher: FaithWords
ISBN: 1455517461
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 166
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Book Description
When bestselling author Joyce Meyer posted "God's not mad at you" on Facebook, she didn't anticipate that her words would trigger thousands of responses of gratitude and relief. Apparently many Christians struggle to reconcile their perception of God as both a loving parent and a stern judge. In GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU, Joyce will help those who haven't truly received God's love because they are afraid of His anger and disapproval. She explores the source of this confusion, so His genuine character can be better understood and His love can be experienced on an entirely new level. Chapter titles include: * Perfectionism and Approval * The Pain of Rejection * Guilt and Shame * Developing Your Potential * Run to God, Not from Him * Getting Comfortable with God "It is important for us to remember that God's anger is directed toward our sinful behavior rather than toward us. If you feel guilty right now and are afraid that God is mad at you, then you are miserable. But your misery can be immediately changed to peace and joy by simply believing God's Word. Believe that God loves you and that He is ready to show you mercy and forgive you completely. Believe that God has a good plan for your life. Believe that God is not mad at you!" --Joyce Meyer
Author: Russ Kick
Publisher: Red Wheel Weiser
ISBN: 1934708372
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 778
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Book Description
In the new mega-anthology from best-selling editor Russ Kick, more than fifty writers, reporters, and researchers invade the inner sanctum for an unrestrained look at the wild and wooly world of organized belief. Richard Dawkins shows us the strange, scary properties of religion; Neil Gaiman turns a biblical atrocity story into a comic (that almost sent a publisher to prison); Erik Davis looks at what happens when religion and California collide; Mike Dash eyes stigmatics; Douglas Rushkoff exposes the trouble with Judaism; Paul Krassner reveals his “Confessions of an Atheist”; and best-selling lexicographer Jonathon Green interprets the language of religious prejudice. Among the dozens of other articles and essays, you’ll find: a sweeping look at classical composers and Great American Songbook writers who were unbelievers, such as Irving Berlin, creator of “God Bless America”; the definitive explanation of why America is not a Christian nation; the bizarre, Catholic-fundamentalist books by Mel Gibson’s father; eye-popping photos of bizarre religious objects and ceremonies, including snake-handlers and pot-smoking children; the thinly veiled anti-Semitism in the Left Behind novels; an extract from the rare, suppressed book The Sex Life of Brigham Young; and rarely seen anti-religious writings from Mark Twain and H.G. Wells. Further topics include exorcisms, religious curses, Wicca, the Church of John Coltrane, crimes by clergy, death without God, Christian sex manuals, the “ex-gay” movement, failed prophecies, bizarre theology, religious bowling, atheist rock and roll, “how to be a good Christian,” an entertaining look at the best (and worst) books on religion, and much more.
Author: Florence Mary Fitch
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780688161293
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 24
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Book Description
Almost all children wonder about God and wish they could see Him. But we don't need to see Him to know what He is like. We need only look around at all the things that are like Him: the warmth of the sun, the strength of the mountains, the nourishment of the rain, the comfort of a parent's loving embrace. Using simple concepts that are understandable to even the very young child, this nondenominational book gently introduces children to the concept of God.
Author: Hans Wilhelm
Publisher: W Publishing Group
ISBN: 9780834401501
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 40
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Book Description
Selected verses from Psalms, Isaiah, and Job are illustrated in a whimsical way to show how God created and cares for the universe.
