[PDF] Accidental Gods eBook

Author : Anna Della Subin
Publisher : Metropolitan Books
Page : 435 pages
File Size : 14,60 MB
Release : 2021-12-07
Category : History
ISBN : 1250296889

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NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY ESQUIRE, THE IRISH TIMES AND THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT A provocative history of men who were worshipped as gods that illuminates the connection between power and religion and the role of divinity in a secular age Ever since 1492, when Christopher Columbus made landfall in the New World and was hailed as a heavenly being, the accidental god has haunted the modern age. From Haile Selassie, acclaimed as the Living God in Jamaica, to Britain’s Prince Philip, who became the unlikely center of a new religion on a South Pacific island, men made divine—always men—have appeared on every continent. And because these deifications always emerge at moments of turbulence—civil wars, imperial conquest, revolutions—they have much to teach us. In a revelatory history spanning five centuries, a cast of surprising deities helps to shed light on the thorny questions of how our modern concept of “religion” was invented; why religion and politics are perpetually entangled in our supposedly secular age; and how the power to call someone divine has been used and abused by both oppressors and the oppressed. From nationalist uprisings in India to Nigerien spirit possession cults, Anna Della Subin explores how deification has been a means of defiance for colonized peoples. Conversely, we see how Columbus, Cortés, and other white explorers amplified stories of their godhood to justify their dominion over native peoples, setting into motion the currents of racism and exclusion that have plagued the New World ever since they touched its shores. At once deeply learned and delightfully antic, Accidental Gods offers an unusual keyhole through which to observe the creation of our modern world. It is that rare thing: a lyrical, entertaining work of ideas, one that marks the debut of a remarkable literary career.

Author : Anna Della Subin
Publisher : Granta Books
Page : 572 pages
File Size : 23,10 MB
Release : 2021-12-09
Category : History
ISBN : 1783785039

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Spanning the globe and five centuries, Accidental Gods introduces us to a new pantheon: of man-gods, deified politicians and imperialists, militants, mystics and explorers. From the conquistadors setting foot in the New World to Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, elevated by a National Geographic article from emperor to messiah for the Rastafari faith, to the unlikely officers hailed as gods during the British Raj, this endlessly curious and revelatory account chronicles an impulse towards deification that persists even in a secular age, as show of defiance or assertion of power. In her bravura final part, Subin traces the colonial desire for divinity through to the creation of 'race' and the white power movement today, and argues that it is time we rid ourselves of the white gods among us.

Author : Bolz-Weber Nadia
Publisher : Canterbury Press
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 47,65 MB
Release : 2015-10-27
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1848258259

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What if the annoying person you try to avoid is actually an accidental saint in your life? What if, even in our failings, holy moments are waiting to happen? Nadia Bolz-Weber demonstrates what happens when ordinary people meet to explore the Christian faith. Their faltering steps towards wholeness will ring true for believer and sceptic alike.

Author : Courtney Reissig
Publisher : Crossway
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 28,76 MB
Release : 2015-05-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1433545519

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“My name is Courtney. I’m an accidental feminist.” Although many Christians wouldn’t identify themselves as feminists, the reality is that the feminist movement has influenced us all in profound ways. We unconsciously reflect our culture’s ideas related to womanhood rather than what’s found in the Bible. In this book, Courtney Reissig—a wife, mom, and successful writer—recounts her journey out of “accidental feminism,” offering wise counsel for Christian women related to relationships, body image, and more—drawing from the Bible rather than culture. Whether you’re a committed feminist, a staunch traditionalist, or somewhere in between, this book will help you answer the question, “What does it mean to be a Christian woman?” You’ll discover the joy, purpose and importance that are found in God’s good design.

Author : Larry Osborne
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 196 pages
File Size : 37,11 MB
Release : 2012-10-09
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0310494451

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Zealous faith can have a dangerous, dark side. While recent calls for radical Christians have challenged many to be more passionate about their faith, the down side can be a budding arrogance and self-righteousness that “accidentally” sneaks into our outlook. In Accidental Pharisees, bestselling author Larry Osborne diagnoses nine of the most common traps that can ensnare Christians on the road to a deeper life of faith. Rejecting attempts to turn the call to follow Christ into a new form of legalism, he shows readers how to avoid the temptations of pride, exclusivity, legalism, and hypocrisy, Larry reminds us that attempts to fan the flames of full-on discipleship and call people to Christlikeness should be rooted in love and humility. Christians stirred by calls to radical discipleship, but unsure how to respond, will be challenged and encouraged to develop a truly Christlike zeal for God.

Author : Glenn Edney
Publisher :
Page : 246 pages
File Size : 12,45 MB
Release : 2016-04-11
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780473352608

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The Ocean covers over 70 percent of our planet's surface and accounts for 97-99 percent of the liveable biosphere. She is the cradle of our existence and the heart of our blue home, a vast, living and breathing superorganism. The Ocean Is Alive is first and foremost a celebration of the Ocean in all her living splendour. It takes the reader on a fascinating and informative voyage of discovery into the blue heart our planet, from the Ocean's formation more than four billion years ago and the emergence of life deep below her surface, to the incredible diversity and exuberance we know today. But much more than this, it is a journey of discovery into Ocean consciousness: through the evolution of the senses, the emergence of sentient behaviour, and finally an intriguing exploration of what the author calls 'Ocean Mind'. In telling the Ocean's story Glenn Edney draws on his thirty years experience as an Ocean ecologist, underwater naturalist and professional diver to take us beyond the science and into the depths of what it is like to be an Ocean being. Using a combination of personal experience, stories and insights from others, along with guided visualizations, the author weaves a highly readable and thought provoking tale of an Ocean alive to itself, and alive to anyone willing to 'take the plunge'. But no contemporary story of the Ocean would be complete without investigating the current threats to the Ocean's wellbeing. In addressing these issues the author presents a compelling case for recognition of the Ocean as a living being with intrinsic value far beyond the benefits she provides humanity, and offers a new vision for our relationship with the living Ocean.

Author : Alan Lightman
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 108 pages
File Size : 14,1 MB
Release : 2014-01-14
Category : Science
ISBN : 0307908593

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The bestselling author of Einsteins Dreams explores the emotional and philosophical questions raised by recent discoveries in science with passion and curiosity. He looks at the dialogue between science and religion; the conflict between our human desire for permanence and the impermanence of nature; the possibility that our universe is simply an accident; the manner in which modern technology has separated us from direct experience of the world; and our resistance to the view that our bodies and minds can be explained by scientific logic and laws. Behind all of these considerations is the suggestion--at once haunting and exhilarating--that what we see and understand of the world is only a tiny piece of the extraordinary, perhaps unfathomable whole.

Author : Ya'Acov Darling Khan
Publisher : Hay House, Inc
Page : 306 pages
File Size : 43,11 MB
Release : 2020-03-31
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 1401960804

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This shamanic journey of self-discovery, healing and empowerment shares teachings and practices to help you rediscover your inner shaman and find spiritual connection in modern life. Shamans are no longer isolated healers in faraway places. Their spirit has returned and is infusing the work of teachers, artists and activists, leaders in business and people throughout all areas of our societies. We all have an inner shaman and this book is for you if you: · recognize there's untapped power inside you that you want to learn how to harness · want to feel a deeper connection to your own nature, your ancestors, your community and the intelligence of life itself · care about the future of life on our planet and wish to redress the balance between humanity and nature · know your purpose is to co-create a world that is built on justice and sustainability There is a shaman in you who was born to play a powerful role in our collective awakening for our future on Earth.

Author : Miki Kashtan
Publisher : Fearless Heart Publications
Page : 445 pages
File Size : 20,2 MB
Release : 2015-02-13
Category : Interpersonal conflict
ISBN : 9780990007326

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Imagine: A future world in which we all value people and life and participate in a flow of generosity. A world where sharing our gifts and the mundane tasks of life are both done with wholehearted willingness, free of coercion. A world where attending to everyone's needs is the organizing principle. Miki Kashtan weaves together vivid social science fiction stories that bring that world to life with compelling nonfiction about how to get there. She invites us to dream the future on a global scale and to bring this future into being by living and working for change as if that world already exists. In particular, her novel approach to dilemmas of leadership challenges us to align our use of power with our deepest longings and values. Miki Kashtan, PhD, is an internationally known teacher and practitioner of Nonviolent Communication. She lives in Oakland, California.

Author : John A. Rush
Publisher : Frog Books
Page : 476 pages
File Size : 30,39 MB
Release : 2008-10-28
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781583942741

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On a 2001 trip to the cathedrals of Europe, anthropologist John Rush and his wife entered St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice and encountered a mosaic depicting Jesus surrounded by mushrooms with an Amanita muscaria cap in his hand. Examining the space with new eyes, they discovered images of mushrooms and mind-altering plants all over the Basilica. Intrigued, Dr. Rush spent seven years researching and reflecting on the profound effects hallucinogens had on the founding of all three major Western religions. He concluded that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are political constructions evolving out of the use of not only Amanita muscaria, but a plethora of mind-altering substances.Failed God: Fractured Myth in a Fragile World re-examines the scriptural stories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as told in the Bible and Qur’an and reveals them as “concocted mythical charters stemming from drug-induced romps with the super-natural.” Rush shows how mind-altering substances played an instrumental role in the birth and development of Western religions and explains how they contributed to reports of “prophetic” experiences, including angry and disturbing messages from the divine. With chapters on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Rush fully addresses the effects of mind-altering substances on each tradition, convincingly discrediting the idea that they stem from actual human interaction with the divine. He also shows how an intoxicated and over-zealous Apostle Paul corrupted Jesus’s simple message of human decency, forming an oppressive religious system based on fear. In a thought-provoking conclusion, Rush asks how we can continue to attribute authority to traditions that were so clearly irrationally founded and incompatible with today’s world.