'I’ve been wanting to see someone crystallize the myths about religion and show them for what they are. This is an important breakthrough and major clarification.' Rupert Sheldrake, best-selling author of The Science Delusion and Science and Spiritual Practices
Despite religion being a core theme of many contemporary debates, a solid and settled definition of the concept has not yet been reached. Nevertheless, it is regularly assumed that, because of their common characteristics, we are able to recognize religious phenomena when we see them. For example, it is often supposed that religion is primarily based on faith, that religion conflicts with science, and that the world would be a lot less violent without religions. Yet, no matter how widespread such assumptions might be, in the end, they turn out to be incorrect. What we think about religion does not correspond to what religion really is. Offering many concrete examples from different traditions, Religion: Reality Behind the Myths dispels the main misunderstandings, breaches the contemporary opposition between secular versus religious and presents a novel view on the essence of religion.

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Topic
Theology & ReligionSubtopic
Comparative ReligionTable of contents
- Front Cover
- Half-Title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Introduction
- Myth #1: Religions Are Determined by a Series of Dogmatic Beliefs and Well-defined Rules of Conduct That Adherents Must Follow
- Myth #2: Religions Are Structured Hierarchically
- Myth #3: Religions Can Be Clearly Distinguished, Based on Their Beliefs, Rules, and Structures
- Interlude: On the Definition, Origin, and Racist Dimensions of the Word “Religion”
- Myth #4: Spirituality and Mysticism Contrast with Religion
- Myth #5: Science and Religion Are at Odds with Each Other
- Myth #6: Religions Are Dangerous Because Their Irrational Truth Claims Inevitably Provoke Violence
- Myth #7: A Secular Society Is Completely Different (and Inherently Better) Than a Religious Society
- In Conclusion
- About the author
- Notes
- Back Cover
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Yes, you can access Religion by Jonas Atlas in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Comparative Religion. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.