دانلود کتاب Religion for dummies

Religion For Dummies explains how the world's great religions answer questions that persist through generations. Authors Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman are trusted religious advisors known as the God Squad. With wonderful wit and incredible wisdom, they host a daily talk show which reaches nearly 4 million homes in the New York area, and have appeared on numerous TV and radio shows. This book is not a scholarly theological treatise; it's a lively, practical, hands-on resource that will help you better understand your own religion and others. You'll explore: Religion's role in the family and in the workplace The beliefs and practices of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions Religion's impact during major passages in life such as birth, death, and marriage How to join a religion and how to pray How religion can help you deal with issues in every day life such as conflict, adversity, marriage, divorce, and more Religious rituals and ethicsReligion for Dummies touches on lesser-known religions (such as, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism). It explores how people of various faiths pray, celebrate life and death, and view moral issues. The book does not tell you what to believe, but rather encourages you to live as you believe and let your religion infuse every aspect of your life. It doesn't give simple answers to haunting, complex questions; it helps you find your own answers and pursue your own spiritual path.  Read more...
Introduction --
About This Book --
Conventions Used in This Book --
Foolish Assumptions --
How This Book Is Organized --
Icons Used in This Book --
Where to Go from Here --
Part I. In the Beginning: Religion Basics --
Chapter 1. Holy Smoke! Defining Religion --
Religion: A (Relatively) Quick Definition --
Acting It Out: Religion and Rituals --
Ethically Speaking: Religion and Ethics --
Why People Flock to Religion --
Comparing Religion with Philosophy and Spirituality --
Chapter 2. Four Big Mysteries and a Couple of Recent Conundrums --
Why Are We Here? --
How Should We Live? --
What Happens after We Die? --
Why Does Evil Exist? --
Religion, Science, and a Basic Mystery: Who Creates Life? --
Chapter 3. The God Questions: Does He Exist and What's He Like? --
The Proof Is in the Pudding The Nature of the Divine --
Other Questions about God --
Chapter 4. When Good Religions Go Bad --
Can't We All Just Get Along? --
Understanding "Bad" Religion --
A Final Thought --
Part II. Religious Beliefs --
Chapter 5. The Foundations of Faith --
Joining Up --
It's a Mystery to Me: Religion and the Search for Answers --
Hanging On to Faith --
Knowing through Revelation --
Heeding the Divine Commandment --
Providence and Karma: The Consequences of Our Actions --
Love, Love, and More Love: Grace --
Chapter 6. The Amazing Variety of Spiritual Beings --
Angels: Direct Line from God --
Devils, Demons, and other Bad Guys --
Prophets: Direct Lines to God --
Messiahs: Anointed by God --
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Lamas, and Saints --
Part III. Religious Rituals --
Chapter 7. Rituals of Communal Worship --
Understanding Prayer --
Making Sacrifices --
Gettin' Down with God: It's All about Noise and Movement --
Healing Is Believing --
A Dieter's Delight: The Joy of Fasting --
Receiving the Eucharist: It's a Christian Thing --
Chapter 8. Rituals of Individual Devotion --
Getting Bent into Shape: Yoga --
Walking the Stations of the Cross --
Praying with Beads --
Goin' on a Road Trip: Pilgrimages --
Private Prayer --
Chapter 9. Holy Days in Our Lives: Rites of Passage --
Christian Life Cycle Rituals --
Jewish Life Cycle Rituals --
Islamic Life Cycle Rituals --
Buddhist Life Cycle Ritual --
Hindu Life Cycle Rituals --
Life Cycle Rituals of Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto --
Sikh Life Cycle Rituals --
Life Cycle Rituals of Indigenous Religions --
Part IV. Religious Ethics --
Chapter 10. Personal Virtues --
The Golden Rule: A Universal Principle --
Compassion: I Feel Your Pain --
Humility: Remembering Your Place --
Respect: Minding Your Ps and Qs --
Hope: Living in a Scary World --
Bliss: Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy --
Honesty: Cross My Heart --
Curiosity: Asking Critical Questions --
Patience: It's a Virtue (So Are Diligence and Perseverance) --
Gratitude and Thankfulness: Saying Please and Thank You --
Purity: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask --
Chapter 11. Public Virtues --
Charity: Sharing the Wealth --
Repentance, Forgiveness, Reconciliation: Repaying Evil with Good --
Obedience: Doing Your Duty --
Ahimsa: Respecting Life and Practicing Nonviolence --
Evangelism: Spreading the Faith --
Justice: Doing Right --
Tranquility: Finding Peace --
Tolerance: Accepting Other Ways up the Mountain --
Community: Gathering Together --
Chapter 12. Religion and Some Really Hot Ethical Issues --
Abortion: Who Can End a Pregnancy? --
Euthanasia and Suicide: Who Can End Life? --
Genetic Engineering: Who Creates Life? --
Capital Punishment --
Homosexuality and Lesbianism --
Separation of Church and State --
Part V. All (Other) Things Holy --
Chapter 13. Holy Books --
Hindu Holy Books --
Tao Holy Books --
Sacred Writings of Buddhism --
Confucian Texts --
Shinto Texts --
Jain Holy Books --
The Hebrew Bible --
The Christian Bible --
Islam: The Qur'an --
Zoroastrian Holy Books --
Sikh Holy Books --
Holy Texts of the Baha'i Faith --
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The Book of Mormon --
Chapter 14. Holy People --
Founders of Faith --
Famous Messengers of God --
The Smart Guys: Theologians and Scholars --
Contemporary Religious Leaders and Activists --
Chapter 15. Holy Places --
Jerusalem: Hot Spot and Holy City --
The Holy Rivers of Hinduism --
Calling All Muslims to Mecca --
Medina: The Early Political Center of Islam --
The Vatican: A City within a City --
The Promised Land for Latter-day Saints --
The Holy Pilgrimage Sites of the Baha'i Faith --
Two Hills and a Mount: Sacred Jain Sites --
Holy Places of Taoism --
Sacred Sites for Other Religions --
Chapter 16. Holy Houses --
Synagogues: Jewish Houses of Worship --
A Temple Here, a Temple There --
Shrines: Places of Remembrance --
Churches: Alike and Different --
Mosques: Places of Ritual Prostration --
Chapter 17. Holy Days on the Calendar --
Types of Calendars--Just in CaseYou're Curious --
Calendars of the World Religions --
Part VI. The Part of Tens --
Chapter 18. Ten (or so) Jobs for the Devoted --
Roman Catholic Priest --
Catholic Monk and Nun --
Protestant Minister --
Jewish Rabbi --
Jewish Cantor --
Muslim Imam --
Zoroastrian Magus --
Buddhist Monk and Nun --
Confucian Sage --
Hindu Priest --
Sikh Granthi and Ragi --
Jain Monk --
Shinto Priest and Miko --
Shaman --
Chapter 19. Ten Tales for Your Reading Enjoyment --
Creation Stories --
Miraculous Conceptions and Virgin Births --
Morality Tales and Lessons for Living --
Appendix. A Few Religions of the World --
Baha'i Faith --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Buddhism --
Core beliefs --
Schools of Buddhism --
Christianity --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Branches of Christianity --
Confucianism --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Expressions of faith --
Hinduism --
Sacred texts --
Core concepts --
Important divinities --
Indigenous Religions and Belief Systems --
North America --
Australia --
Africa --
Islam --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Expressions of faith --
Islamic sects --
Jainism --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Expressions of faith --
Judaism --
Sacred texts --
Core concepts --
Expressions of faith --
Divisions of Judaism --
Shinto --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Expressions of faith --
Sikhism --
Sacred texts --
Core beliefs --
Expressions of faith --
Taois --
Core concepts --
Expressions of faith --
Zoroastrianism --
Core beliefs --
Expressions of faith.