The Illusion Of Gods Presence

Author : John C. Wathey
Publisher : Prometheus Books
ISBN 13 : 1633880753
Total Pages : 419 pages
Book Rating : 4.57/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Illusion of God's Presence written by John C. Wathey and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2016-01-12 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion. Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey, a veteran neuroscientist, argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet. Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.

Author : David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.
Publisher : Hay House, Inc
ISBN 13 : 1401944981
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.88/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Discovery of the Presence of God written by David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2021-02-16 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This awe-inspiring sixth installment of the profound consciousness series by Dr. David R. Hawkins reveals the true essence of Enlightenment, from world-renowned author, psychiatrist, clinician, and spiritual teacher David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. A true instruction manual for the serious spiritual devotee, this masterpiece from Dr. David R. Hawkins reveals information only known by those who have transcended the ego to reach Divine Realization. Chapters Include: Devotional Nonduality The Inner Path Spiritual Practices The "Experiencer" The Razor's Edge Allness Versus Nothingness Spirituality and the World Teachers and Teachings The Devotee Transcending Identification with the Ego/Self Enlightenment: The Presence of Self Progressive States of Consciousness This spiritual book is the inner route from the self to the Self and an invitation into the profound depths of higher consciousness and enlightenment. It walks you through the path to divine consciousness through the fusion of psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, and spirituality. Immerse yourself in a devotional exploration of non-duality, a profound philosophy that bridges the gap between existential questions and spiritual answers. This transformative work will help you evolve spiritually by connecting to divine love. Dr. David Hawkins explains complex concepts with clarity, making them accessible and relatable for everyone, from spiritual seekers to business professionals seeking personal growth. His spiritual awakening guidance offers meditation techniques for inner peace and provides tools to transcend the confines of the mundane, illuminating the path to spiritual growth. Drawing on his profound understanding of spiritual liberation, Dr. David Hawkins' words guide us toward our spiritual evolution and higher consciousness. Through this journey, you will discover an empowering understanding of your divine consciousness, leading to a sense of inner peace and a heightened state of spiritual awareness.

Author : J. Anderson Thomson
Publisher : Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA)
ISBN 13 : 0984493239
Total Pages : 89 pages
Book Rating : 4.34/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Why We Believe in God(s) written by J. Anderson Thomson and published by Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA). This book was released on 2014-07-01 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking volume, J. Anderson Thomson, Jr., MD, with Clare Aukofer, offers a succinct yet comprehensive study of how and why the human mind generates religious belief. Dr. Thomson, a highly respected practicing psychiatrist with credentials in forensic psychiatry and evolutionary psychology, methodically investigates the components and causes of religious belief in the same way any scientist would investigate the movement of astronomical bodies or the evolution of life over time—that is, as a purely natural phenomenon. Providing compelling evidence from psychology, the cognitive neurosciences, and related fields, he, with Ms. Aukofer, presents an easily accessible and exceptionally convincing case that god(s) were created by man—not vice versa. With this slim volume, Dr. Thomson establishes himself as a must-read thinker and leading voice on the primacy of reason and science over superstition and religion.

Author : Juanita Campbell Rasmus
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830843868
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.62/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Learning to Be written by Juanita Campbell Rasmus and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Juanita called it "The Crash." Her counselor labeled it "a major depressive episode." Others called it a nervous breakdown. On the spiritual front, it was a dark night of the soul. This experience landed Juanita, a busy pastor, mother, and community leader, in bed. When everything in her life finally came to a stop, she found that she had to learn to be—with herself and with God—all over again. If you are longing for a trustworthy companion through your dark days, this book is here for you. Each chapter includes life-giving spiritual practices to help you discover your own new ways of being.

Author : David Platt
Publisher : Multnomah
ISBN 13 : 1601422210
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.17/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Radical written by David Platt and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2010-05-04 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestseller What is Jesus worth to you? It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily... But who do you know who lives like that? Do you? In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment -- a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

Author : Larry Keefauver
Publisher : FaithWords
ISBN 13 : 0446561207
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.04/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Inviting Gods Presence written by Larry Keefauver and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2009-05-30 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Keefauver believes that the passionate pursuit of God is the most authentic method of finding God's presence in our lives. Divided in two parts, this volume is a journey into developing a genuine relationship with God.

Author : Karol Ondrias
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9781581127799
Total Pages : 228 pages
Book Rating : 4.90/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Brain, Consciousness & Illusion of Truth written by Karol Ondrias and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 1999 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ...How do we know that something is true or false? How does the brain discern the truth? What kind of mechanism allows the brain to interpret the information received in the shape of electrical and chemical impulses to which it is constantly exposed? Is it the case that our brains are endowed with appropriate algorithmic rules for discriminating between truth and untruth, alongside certain rules for handling, say, optical information? Is it the case that the brain produces illusions of truth like it does illusions of vision? My answer is in the positive, and this is what I shall be seeking to show in this essay. An essay in style, The Brain, Consciousness and Illusion of Truth is a valuable addition to the literature on the mind/body problem and an engrossing account of the human brain with its services and disservices to the self. Karol Ondrias is one of the 'disturbing' authors who will not stop at taboos. Problems he addresses here are of our postmodern era, when people, still tightly controlled by their ancestral genetic code and ethnocentric cultural stereotypes, are acquiring an awareness of this and trying to review the authenticated behavioral patterns and preconceived ideas still shaping their lives. The notion of the distorted and manipulated reception of the world cuts through the whole of the essay. ...The human race, the author argues, cannot afford any longer remain content with the illusory certainties provided by the 'selfish' genes and by parochial cultures (however dear to the cockles of our heart the latter might be). But isn't it just another illusion - to try and free the self from the comfortable bondage of biological and cultural forces? The essay will take you to the further and farther reaches of human nature and this may be part of the answer.

Author : Victor J. Stenger
Publisher : Prometheus Books
ISBN 13 : 161592003X
Total Pages : 310 pages
Book Rating : 4.37/5 ( download)

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Download or read book God: The Failed Hypothesis written by Victor J. Stenger and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2010-08-05 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history, arguments for and against the existence of God have been largely confined to philosophy and theology, while science has sat on the sidelines. Despite the fact that science has revolutionized every aspect of human life and greatly clarified our understanding of the world, somehow the notion has arisen that it has nothing to say about the possibility of a supreme being, which much of humanity worships as the source of all reality. This book contends that, if God exists, some evidence for this existence should be detectable by scientific means, especially considering the central role that God is alleged to play in the operation of the universe and the lives of humans. Treating the traditional God concept, as conventionally presented in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, like any other scientific hypothesis, physicist Stenger examines all of the claims made for God's existence. He considers the latest Intelligent Design arguments as evidence of God's influence in biology. He looks at human behavior for evidence of immaterial souls and the possible effects of prayer. He discusses the findings of physics and astronomy in weighing the suggestions that the universe is the work of a creator and that humans are God's special creation. After evaluating all the scientific evidence, Stenger concludes that beyond a reasonable doubt the universe and life appear exactly as we might expect if there were no God. This paperback edition of the New York Times bestselling hardcover edition contains a new foreword by Christopher Hitchens and a postscript by the author in which he responds to reviewers' criticisms of the original edition.

Author : Rio Olesky
Publisher : iUniverse
ISBN 13 : 1450294030
Total Pages : 363 pages
Book Rating : 4.34/5 ( download)

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Download or read book A Manual for the Modern Mystic written by Rio Olesky and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A professional astrologer, the author presents Paramahansa Yogananda's ideas and teachings about life and what really matters.

Author : F. LeRon Shults
Publisher : BRILL
ISBN 13 : 9004360956
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.52/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Practicing Safe Sects written by F. LeRon Shults and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2018-02-12 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Practicing Safe Sects F. LeRon Shults provides scientific and philosophical resources for having “the talk” about religious reproduction: where do gods come from – and what are the costs of bearing them in our culturally pluralistic, ecologically fragile environment?