Religion For Dummies

Why are we here? How should we live? What happens after we die? Why does evil exist? 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 ethics Religion 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!

Introduction 1 Part I: In the Beginning: Religion Basics 7 Chapter 1: Holy Smoke! Defining Religion 9 Chapter 2: Four Big Mysteries and a Couple of Recent Conundrums 31 Chapter 3: The God Questions: Does He Exist and What’s He Like? 43 Chapter 4: When Good Religions Go Bad 61 Part II: Religious Beliefs 73 Chapter 5: The Foundations of Faith 75 Chapter 6: The Amazing Variety of Spiritual Beings 99 Part III: Religious Rituals 113 Chapter 7: Rituals of Communal Worship 115 Chapter 8: Rituals of Individual Devotion 137 Chapter 9: Holy Days in Our Lives: Rites of Passage 149 Part IV: Religious Ethics 179 Chapter 10: Personal Virtues 181 Chapter 11: Public Virtues 199 Chapter 12: Religion and Some Really Hot Ethical Issues 221 Part V: All (Other) Things Holy 237 Chapter 13: Holy Books 239 Chapter 14: Holy People 263 Chapter 15: Holy Places 293 Chapter 16: Holy Houses 307 Chapter 17: Holy Days on the Calendar 323 Part VI: The Part of Tens 335 Chapter 18: Ten (or so) Jobs for the Devoted 337 Chapter 19: Ten Tales for Your Reading Enjoyment 347 Appendix: A Few Religions of the World 355 Index 375