Religion

This text reflects on the centuries-old debate in Christianity: how do we reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the goodness of an omnipotent God, and how does God's omnipotence relate to people's responsibility for their own salvation or damnation?

The National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology offers timeless stories of Greek myths. Brought to life with lyrical text by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli and stunning artwork by award-winning illustrator Christina Balit, the tales of gods, goddesses, heroes and monsters will fascinate and engage children's imaginations.

Everybody needs to know that God thinks they're special. A warm-hearted gift appropriate for almost anyone at any occasion, God Thinks You're Wonderful is the perfect way to say, 'You Are Special.'

This book builds upon my previous work, A People That Shall Dwell Alone: Judaism as a Group Evolutionary Strategy (MacDonald 1994/2002; hereafter PTSDA). While PTSDA focused on developing a theory of Judaism within an evolutionary framework, the present volume focuses on the phenomenon of anti-Semitism. Judaism and anti-Semitism fairly cry out for an evolutionary interpretation. Anti-Semitism has been a very robust tendency over a very long period of human history and in a wide range of societies with different forms of government, different economic systems, and different dominant religious ideologies. Many anti-Semitic episodes, such as the Iberian inquisitions and the Nazi holocaust, have been characterized by extraordinary intra-societal violence. Moreover, anti-Semitism has sometimes been characterized by a very overt, self-conscious racialism...a phenomenon that immediately suggests the relevance of evolutionary theory.The basic thesis of this book can be summarized by the proposition that Judaism must be conceptualized as a group strategy characterized by cultural and genetic segregation from gentile societies combined with resource competition and conflicts of interest with segments of gentile societies. This cultural and genetic separatism combined with resource competition and other conflicts of interest tend to result in division and hatred within the society.Nevertheless, as Leslie White (1966, 3) wrote many years ago in his discussion of the Boasian school of anthropology as a politically inspired cult, "One who follows procedures such as these incurs the risk of being accused of indulging in non-scholarly, personal attacks upon whom he discusses. Such a charge is, in fact, expectable and completely in keeping with the thesis of this essay. We wish to state that no personal attacks are intended."No personal or ethnic attacks are intended here, either. Nevertheless, the charge that this is an anti-Semitic book is, to use White's phrase, expectable and completely in keeping with the thesis of this essay. A major theme of this volume, found especially in Chapters 6 and 7, is that intellectual defenses of Judaism and of Jewish theories of anti-Semitism have throughout its history played a critical role in maintaining Judaism as a group evolutionary strategy. Parts of the book read as a sort of extended discourse on the role of Jewish self-interest, deception, and self-deception in the areas of Jewish historiography, Jewish personal identity, and Jewish conceptualizations of their ingroup and its relations with outgroups. This is therefore first and foremost a book that confidently predicts its own irrelevance to those about whom it is written.MacDonald, K. B. (1994/2002).A People that Shall Dwell Alone: Judaism as a Group Evolutionary Strategy. Westport, CT: Praeger. Paperback edition published in 2002 by iUniverse (Lincoln, NE) (www.iuniverse.com). White, L. (1966). The social organization of ethnological theory. Rice University Studies: Monographs in Cultural Anthropology

'Burning ice, biting flame; that is how life began'The extraordinary Scandinavian myth cycle is one of the most enduring, exciting, dramatic and compelling of the world's great stories. The Penguin Book of the Norse Myths compellingly retells these stories for the modern reader, taking us from the creation of the world through the building of Asgard's Wall to the final end in Ragnarok. You'll discover how Thor got his hammer and how Odin lost his eye, the terrible price of binding the wolf Fenrir and why Loki the trickster can never be trusted. The Norse myths are as thrilling to read as they are of vast cultural and historical importance. In this gripping book Kevin Crossley-Holland brings alive the passion, cruelty and heroism of these unforgettable stories.

From #1 New York Times bestseller, Joyce Meyer

In The New Testament In Its World acclaimed biblical scholar N. T. Wright draws on a lifetime of distinguished scholarship to provide a thorough overview of the New Testament for students, church leaders, and everyday Christians.

This book challenges every Christian believer to question their preconceived notions on the subject of The Kingdom by deciphering parables spoken by Jesus Christ himself. This is not your typical financial prosperity Christian message but rather an intelligently written study guide to help you come to a comprehensive understanding on what the Bible has to say about the kingdom, money and purpose. This book gives Christians Biblically sound reasons to prosper in their sphere of influence and puts to bed the old and far outdated poverty is humility message.

Reason, the Only Oracle of Man is Colonel Ethan Allen's polemical treatise wherein he argues for the power of reason, and reason's nature as a God-given attribute of man.Received to a negative reception during its original publication in 1785, Reason, the Only Oracle of Man divided opinion on the grounds of its rejection of traditional, Christian religious beliefs. At the time, the fledgling nation of the United States was deeply devoted to the traditional Christian establishment, with many suspicious of the recent progress of science in many fields. Ethan Allen rejected many traditional beliefs of the Christian church. He considered much of the Bible to be mythical superstition, and held great contempt for organised religion which he viewed as corrupt and sinful, with the priesthood in particular targeted for its inadequacies. While not an atheist, Allen believed strongly in the power and capacity of reason, and considered its use to be virtuous.

Jay Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast 'On Purpose', distils the timeless wisdom he learned as a practising monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life.

Bringing together ancient Buddhist wisdom and breakthroughs in a variety of fields from neuroscience to child development, this book offers fresh insights into how we can recognise and transform our destructive emotions. It tells where destructive emotions (craving, anger and delusion, known in Buddhism as the three poisons) come from.

'Radical Acceptance offers us an invitation to embrace ourselves with all our pain, fear and anxieties, and to step lightly yet firmly on the path of understanding and compassion. Please enjoy this nourishing and healing book.' Thich Nhat HanhIn the West, most of us have suffered the fear of not being 'good enough', feeling insecure about our appearance, our sexuality, our intelligence, our spiritual progress or - often most importantly - being worthy of love. When these feelings of insufficiency or self-aversion are strong, we fear abandonment and rejection. Many people have already found the Buddhist perspective on our emotional life to be extremely valuable - and this book will be a major practical contribution to the subject.

Best-selling author of the ground-breaking phenomenon The Power of Now brings us brand-new insights into the astonishing power of stillness.

The new book from Pete Greig - his first since 2007 - which continues the story of 24-7, the global prayer movement he founded, as begun in Red Moon Rising.

A provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages selected by bestselling author Christopher Hitchens

The bestselling, classic guide to insight meditation is a book that people give to everyone they know-a book that people talk about, write about, think about, and return to repeatedly. With his distinctive clarity and wit, Bhante Gunaratana takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. We already have the foundation we need to live a more productive and peaceful life-Bhante simply points to each tool of meditation, tells us what it does, and how to make it work.

One of the most popular and beloved introductions to the concept of faith ever written, 'Mere Christianity' has sold millions of copies worldwide.The book brings together C.S. Lewis's legendary radio broadcasts during the war years, in which he set out simply to 'explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times'.Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, 'Mere Christianity' provides an unequalled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to absorb a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith.

Providing step-by-step guidance for every stage of the meditation path, this uniquely comprehensive guide for a Western audience combines the wisdom from the teachings of the Buddha with the latest research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Using a system established by the ancestors of the Rinzai tradition of Zen, this book presents specific meditation practices in a practical and engaging way that will enable readers to live a grounded, strong, energetic life.