|
|
(Larger Image)
|
God without Religion: Questioning Centuries of Accepted Truths
by Sankara Saranam
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Pranayama Institute (2005-06-01)
ISBN: 0972445013
EAN: 9780972445016
Dewy Decimal #: 204
Hardcover: 320 pages
SKU: 080304006
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comments: This First Printing copy is in excellent condition. No visible markings, highlights, underlining, tears to text. Tight spine. Clean Hard Cover and Dust Jacket, with light shelf/edge wear. This copy offers positive spiritual views, which is worth having, at an affordable price. (L8-18)
|
Editorial Reviews
|
Product Description
In a groundbreaking approach to today’s tough spiritual and social dilemmas, God Without Religion, with a foreword by Arun Gandhi, offers an intelligent and compassionate bridge from dogmatic belief systems to progressive spirituality. Sankara Saranam shows why organized religion has long been the cause of humanity’s worst wars and most acute suffering—then guides us beyond our divisive history into more expansive perceptions capable of creating a unified, peaceful future. Through a series of penetrating inquiries and practices, readers are invited to examine their beliefs, explore the nature of the divine, and develop personal knowledge of God.
|
Customer Reviews
|
A must read for anyone that is seeking greater understanding
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-05-14
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book is a must read for anyone that is seeking a greater understanding of the possibility of "knowing God" and "God without religion". It challenges it's reader to explore and question what has been "accepted truths" passed down through tradition to come to an understanding within ones self without simply "accepting" what someone else has declared as "truth"!
It provides a resource for helping one to arrive at "truth" based on ones own understanding and knowledge rather than what has simply been "accepted truths". To have a better understanding of why those that questioned and challenged these "accepted truths" were put to death so often to make sure the questions and challenges were stopped.
Read the book for yourself. Don't allow even this review to speak for the book. Let the book speak for itself and the only way that can happen is for you to read it yourself. It is well worth the investment of time and expense.
|
|
Title is misleading
Rating  (2)
Date: 2007-09-12
4 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
I think the title is a misleading. It says God Without Religion. Based on the title I assumed it would talk about a god and how man made religions are flawed. The book did indeed cover the flaws of religion although perhaps too briefly. I'm sure a giant book could be written on the subject but this book just touches on it lightly. I also assumed the book would cover the topic of some kind of supreme being which would be proved by a mathematical or scientific method. After all the term "God Without" implies there is a god. Instead what it goes on to say is there is no God and everyone should worship themselves to fill the void of being godless. The Title should really say something like "There is No God and Religion is Stupid". Perhaps I just wasn't ready to stand on my head or do breathing exercises but I found the second half of the book unexpected and a little boring.
|
|
Questioning God: Healthy activity
Rating  (3)
Date: 2007-05-13
3 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
While I can think of 3 or 4 books of a similar nature that I like more (Sam Harris' End of Faith and Letter To A Christian Nation, first of all), this is another important book that stands up to the current trend of forcing "religion" as if it were more important than moral values. This book slaps silly the idea that we benefit from (any form of) extremes when it comes to a person's spiritual life. It didn't read as enjoyably as Religion Gone Bad (Mel White, another ***** book from this year) nor as educational as Richard Dawkins, but belongs in all intelligent and questioning homes and libraries where the first amendment also gives us freedom FROM religion!
|
|
A Different Way to See Things
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-03-20
7 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
If you are searching for the meaning of it all, this is a book you should read. It contains wonderful insights. Whether you prescribe to the author's views or not, it is a worthy addition to a spiritual library.
Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution! and Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!
|
|
Essential Reading for Religious and Non-religious
Rating  (4)
Date: 2007-03-19
13 out of 13 customers found this reveiw helpful
Sankara Saranam lived as an ascetic for two decades during which time he engaged in techniques for sense-introversion. His daily practice over those years led to an understanding of how the ego manifests in our mind. He shares insights based on these personal experiences in "God without Religion" to help readers learn from his spiritual journey.
Saranam wants to free the individual from the divisions created by religions of us and them thinking, believer and non-believer, saved and condemned - all divisions which create disharmony between different faiths and sometimes even engender violence. "God Without Religion" presents the idea of a universal God, which as a concept is found in writings of past philosophers and mystics.
This book engages in a debate that is essential for people to remove their prejudices based on religious dogma and intolerant beliefs. Sankara encourages a more universal perspective that transcends the parochial boundaries of many faiths.
His criticism of the shortcomings often found in religious beliefs are important to consider. For example, Saranam mentions that religions encourage the believer to look outside for spiritual salvation i.e. acceptance of rituals, sacraments etc. instead of encouraging an inner quest, which is why religions often discourage absolutely free inquiry because they make a priori suppositions.
"God Without Religion" allows readers to discover and define God from their own awareness rather than ideas of God based on accepted religious doctrine. The book doesn't provide answers about God, it encourages readers to explore their vision of God through series of questions intended to allow for self-transcendence to a universal understanding. The attitude expressed in the book is one of wonder and exploration.
The book requires an open mind in order to explore the ideas discussed by the author. The author's criticism of religious belief is valid, though ultimately it is NOT antagonistic to religion as it initially appears, since all religions are at their core are based on mystical experience, the rituals and dogmas are their outer form.
I fully recommend this book along with "Nexus: A Neo Novel," which presents a compelling psychological and spiritual journey of transformation.
|
|
|
|
|