Download or read book Faith or Gullibility written by David Rex Holt and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2016-06-07 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Faith or Gullibility?" was originally written in answer to the author's many friends who asked why he was no longer attending church but, as time passed and his studies revealed more and more anomalies in religious beliefs around the world, it became very obvious that religious deception was rampant in all doctrines. This was nowhere more obvious that in the political environments in which those doctrines were originally conceived where necessity demanded some sort of unified stance by different groups of people. Much more than today, where technology can provide answers, in past centuries, naturally gifted leaders needed convincing stories to persuade the masses to act in harmony to achieve the best outcomes and so those people were, in that environment, lauded as "prophets" and even credited with what became known as "divine inspiration" although, in actual fact, their leading was nothing more than intelligent use of their own intellects. Nowhere was this more evident than in cases where their prophesies directly contradicted the laws of physics under the name of "miracles." A principal problem with this was that, when those so-called prophets expounded their ideas, scientific knowledge was almost non-existent so that rank-and-file people readily accepted them and passed them down from generation to generation - often by word-of-mouth because illiteracy was far more prevalent that it is in modern developed countries. However, with increased knowledge, human wisdom (the sagacious application of knowledge) has increased exponentially beyond all reckoning amongst open-minded people of all religions to the point where it is no longer possible to justify those outdated beliefs when they are rationalised against the immutable laws of physics. This is particularly so when one considers that the entire universe (and, in fact, many universes) were all "made" without a single physical law being broken. As studies become more and more logical, it become more and more apparent that the main reason for religious beliefs (whatever they may be) is insecurity where human nature cannot accept that life is a finite thing. People cling tenaciously to any doctrine that promises any sort of immortality whether it makes any sense or not and so the purpose of this book increasingly became changed from a mere answer to personal questions to an in-depth study of religious mythology and deception.
Download or read book Annals of Gullibility written by Stephen Greenspan and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2008-12-30 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first book to provide a comprehensive look at the problem of gullibility, this groundbreaking work covers how and why we are fooled in areas that range from religion, politics, science, and medicine, to personal finance and relationships. First laying the groundwork by showing gullibility at play in the writings of historic authors we all know, developmental psychologist Stephen Greenspan follows with chapters that describe social duping across the gamut of human conduct. From people who pour bucks into investment scams, to those who follow the faith of scientologists, believe in fortunetellers, or champion unfounded medicine akin to snake oil, we all know someone who has been duped. A lot of us have been duped ourselves, out of naive trust. It's not a matter of low intelligence that moves us to, without evidence, believe the words of politicians, salesmen, academics, lawyers, military figures, or cult leaders, among others. Greenspan shows us the four broad reasons we become drawn into gullible behavior, and he presents ways people can become less gullible. Greenspan takes us into the vast realm of gullibility from the fictional Pied Piper to the historical Trojan Horse, then through modern-day military maneuvers, political untruths, police and criminal justice scams, and financial and love lies. While there have been earlier books focused on liars and manipulators of all sorts, this is the first to focus on the gullible who are their victims, and how the gullible can become less likely to be taken again.
Download or read book Out of the Jungle 6th Edition written by Bill Dunbar and published by Dorrance Publishing. This book was released on 2009-06 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Religion and Development in Africa written by Ezra Chitando and published by University of Bamberg Press. This book was released on 2020-06-09 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What is development? Who defines that one community/ country is "developed", while another community/ country is "under-developed"? What is the relationship between religion and development? Does religion contribute to development or underdevelopment in Africa? These and related questions elicit quite charged reactions in African studies, development studies, political science and related fields. Africa's own history, including the memory of marginalisation, slavery and exploitation by global powers ensures that virtually every discussion on development is characterised by a lot of emotions and conflicting views. In this volume scholars from various African countries and many different religions and denominations contribute to this debate."--
Download or read book The Preachers of a Different Gospel written by Femi B. Adeleye and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Name it and claim it!” “Just have faith!” “Give and you will get!” Catchphrases like this have convinced many Christians that trusting in God will bring health and wealth. But the gospel does not promise prosperity without pain or salvation without sanctification. Femi Adeleye draws on his wide-ranging experience as he examines the appeal and peril of this new gospel of prosperity that has made deep inroads in Africa, as well as in the West.
Download or read book Faith at State written by Rick Kennedy and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2002-02-28 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Professor Rick Kennedy knows the wariness some Christians take with them to public universities. After all, not too many years ago he went off to school, leaving behind parents concerned for the status of his faith. But now, after years of public education and more years of teaching at state universities, Kennedy is convinced that Christians who attend such schools should be coached in more than just fear. Large secular colleges are filled with the foolish and the wise, the good and the evil. "Christians", Kennedy insists, "can thrive". Faith at State offers excellent, encouraging guidance on understanding and relating to professors, performing in the classroom, and being a Christian presence non-Christians can respect.
Download or read book The Social Psychology of Gullibility written by Joseph P Forgas and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-04-03 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gullibility, whether we like it or not, is a fundamental characteristic of human beings. In The Social Psychology of Gullibility, Forgas and Baumeister explore what we know about the causes, functions, and consequences of gullibility, and the social psychological processes that promote or inhibit it. With contributions from leading international researchers, the book reveals what social and cognitive psychology contribute to our understanding of how human judgments and decisions can be distorted and undermined. The chapters discuss the nature and functions of gullibility, the role of cognitive processes in gullibility, the influence of emotion and motivation on gullibility, and social and cultural aspects of gullibility. Underpinned by a wealth of empirical research, contributors explore captivating issues such as the psychology of conspiracy theories, the role of political gullibility, gullibility in science, the role of the internet in fostering gullibility, and the failures of reasoning that contribute to human credulity. Gullibility has become a dominant topic of interest in public discourse. The Social Psychology of Gullibility is essential reading for researchers, social science students, professionals and practitioners and all those interested in understanding human credulity and the role of gullibility in contemporary public affairs.
Download or read book Fiery Faith written by A. W. Tozer and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2012-11-09 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Faith is the continuous gaze of the heart of God" — A. W. Tozer Walking with God by faith permeated everything A. W. Tozer wrote. Each chapter of this unique compilation was strategically chosen to take you on an exciting journey that will revive and refresh your faith in God. Tozer was never one to mince words, and this is yet another book that shows the incredible power of a man speaking God's thoughts after Him. Fiery Faith includes questions for reflection that help make this book an excellent resource for study and small group use. "Whenever my heart needs to be rekindled, I seem to find myself continually turning to Tozer." — Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, founder of Walk Thru the Bible
Download or read book Reason to Believe written by Richard Purtill and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2009-09-03 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is religious belief reasonable? Of course the so-called New Atheists, such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, energetically say, "No!," Many others, including some believers, insist that faith is utterly beyond reasoned argument. Faith, they declare, is believing something that reason tells you can't be so. In this way they think they shield belief from rational criticism. But philosopher Richard Purtill will have none of that approach to religion. In this newly updated classic work, Purtill carefully applies the power of the mind to understanding whether there is a rational basis for certain religious beliefs. His focus is on widely held Christian beliefs, although much of what he says applies also to other religious traditions. Purtill assesses the common objections to religious belief the claims that religious tenets are nonsensical, wishful thinking, the result of gullibility, immoral, or refuted by modern discoveries. Then he considers the arguments in favor of Christian belief by studying the nature of faith, of the universe, of morality, of happiness, and the world with God in it. He also scrutinizes certain beliefs involving claims of Christian revelation — the credentials of revelation, the idea of God, Jesus as God's Son, organized religion, and the last things (death, judgment, heaven and hell). The two appendices tackle the Christian doctrine of the Atonement and the influence of certain Christian writers on the revival of Christian belief in the 20th century. An updated For Further Reading section is included. Reason to Believe is not a work of revealed theology or religious devotion; it is a highly readable book on the philosophy of religion, aimed at the reader who wants to think seriously about religion but who doesn't know all the philosophers' and theologians' jargon and who may or may not be a committed believer.
Download or read book Renewed Day by Day Volume 1 written by A. W. Tozer and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 1980-01-01 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me (Psalm 16:7, ESV). Every day runs its course, and all tasks but one must come to an end: to search God and know Him. Of this there can be no end. In these 365 daily reflections on the wonder of God and the way of his Word, Tozer prompts us to seek God earnestly and love Him with our whole heart. Known for his steadfast devotion and incisive ponderings upon the Christian life, A.W. Tozer is a wise and trustworthy counselor. As the daylight dims and the night winds down, let Evenings with Tozer rest your heart in God’s eternal wisdom.
Download or read book The Root of the Righteous Religious Essays written by A. W. Tozer and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-17 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "These chapters came into being over a period of about five years and were written in many places and under a variety of interesting circumstances. They are in no sense quiet religious essays, but were born in the midst of life; and while they have, as I hope, heaven in full view, they are never too far removed from the rough world where the children of God struggle and work and pray."
Download or read book Miracles 2 Volumes written by Craig S. Keener and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2011-11-01 with total page 1459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christianity Today 2013 Book Award Winner Winner of The Foundation for Pentecostal Scholarship's 2012 Award of Excellence 2011 Book of the Year, Christianbook.com's Academic Blog Most modern prejudice against biblical miracle reports depends on David Hume's argument that uniform human experience precluded miracles. Yet current research shows that human experience is far from uniform. In fact, hundreds of millions of people today claim to have experienced miracles. New Testament scholar Craig Keener argues that it is time to rethink Hume's argument in light of the contemporary evidence available to us. This wide-ranging and meticulously researched two-volume study presents the most thorough current defense of the credibility of the miracle reports in the Gospels and Acts. Drawing on claims from a range of global cultures and taking a multidisciplinary approach to the topic, Keener suggests that many miracle accounts throughout history and from contemporary times are best explained as genuine divine acts, lending credence to the biblical miracle reports.
Download or read book Over 100 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Life written by James Egan and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2015-04 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are many ways to sabotage your life. In this book, over 100 traps of life are analysed which can help you avoid life's hardships. Learn to get closure from a personal tragedy, develop contingencies when plans fall apart, understand how to deal with criticism constructively, break away from self-destructive cycles and find out how to stop dwelling on the past and embrace the future.
Download or read book The Man Nobody Knows written by Bruce Barton and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-21 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2021 Reprint of the 1925 Edition. The Man Nobody Knows is the second book by the American author and advertising executive Bruce Fairchild Barton. In it, Barton presents Jesus as "The Founder of Modern Business," in an effort to make the Christian story accessible to businessmen of the time. When published in 1925, the book topped the nonfiction bestseller list, and was one of the best-selling non-fiction books of the 20th century. Since its publication, The Man Nobody Knows has divided readers. Some welcome the portrayal of Jesus as a strong character, whom no one dared oppose, and praise the use of familiar stereotypes to stimulate interest in religion, whilst others ridicule the suggestion that Jesus was a salesman. Critics have suggested that The Man Nobody Knows is a prime example of the materialism and "glorified Rotarianism" of the Protestant churches in the 1920s.
Download or read book Mental Health Program Reports written by National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) and published by . This book was released on 1967 with total page 718 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book This Gullible World written by Arthur Hidden Raynolds MD and published by Tate Publishing. This book was released on 2011-08 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Set in 1970,This Gullible Worldinvolves a lengthy and entertaining conversation between an intellectual father and his inquisitive son. This engaging father-son exchange discusses many thought-provoking and challenging questions about how and why many people in the world are gullible. Such contentious subjects discussed include religion, politics, and astrology, as well as science and medicine. The father, a scholarly and well-read medical doctor, is very opinionated about the distinctive subjects he discusses. Firm in his remarkable beliefs, he carries on the stimulating discussion with his son, hoping to stimulate his curious mind, and, in the process, he may perhaps stimulate your mind as well. Dr. Arthur Raynolds will take you on an extraordinary journey while explaining the gullible nature of people. From fortune-tellers, to cults and cult leaders, to the extreme quackery of practices in the medical field, you will learn about the gullible behavior and actions of others. He also explains, to the best of his knowledge, why he believes people fall for gullible behavior and what people can do to educate themselves so that they will not be duped into believing the seemingly unbelievable. Plunge into this exceptional and unique book and find out for yourself what this peculiar father and son duo have to say aboutThis Gullible World.
Download or read book 365 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Life written by James Egan and published by LULU. This book was released on 2014 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When James Egan's fiancee was diagnosed with cancer, he was afraid she'd call off the wedding. But four weeks after Julie finished her treatment, she married the man she loved-proving that the human spirit can conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We all have that kind of strength, but it can be hard to find and use it in our daily lives. This guide makes it easier by sharing 365 ways you can stop sabotaging your life and happiness. Whether it's an everyday challenge or finding the courage to confront the unexpected, you can discover ways to transform your life, including strategies for striking up conversations with strangers, moving past the pain of a love affair that has ended, starting a new romantic relationship, being more approachable, and meeting problems head on. Alphabetized for easy reference, it offers wise sayings from some of history's most accomplished individuals to help you keep working toward your goals and become the person you want to be."
