WorldPerfect

WorldPerfect PDF

Author: Ken Spiro

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2020-08-30

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 0757324061

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In pursuit of an answer to the question of what would constitute a perfect world, author Ken Spiro questioned more than 1,500 people of various backgrounds and religions. His findings revealed six core elements: Respect for human life; peace and harmony; justice and equality; education; family; and social responsibility. He then set off on a journey to find out why these were such common goals across cultural, economic, social and racial lines, and in the process, traced the history of the development of world religions, values and ethics. As a rabbi, he paid particular attention to how Judaism impacted, and was influenced by, the course of these developments. The result is a highly readable and well-documented book about the origins of values and virtues in Western civilization as influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Christians, Muslims and, most significantly, the Jews. The history of religion, presented in Spiro’s highly readable style, is a fascinating and timely subject, especially in today’s volatile religious climate. Spiro divides his book into five engaging parts: Where the Quality of Mercy Was Not Strained: The World of Greece and Rome Against the Grain: The Jewish View A Father to Many Nations: Abraham and the Implications of Monotheism With Sword and Fire: The Rise of Christianity and Islam The New Promised Land: Impact of Judaism on Liberal Democracies Readers of all faiths will find that the elements of a perfect world can only be achieved by a common understanding of our mutual backgrounds and that our diverse religions are all merely branches growing from one single tree.

The Rise of Christianity

The Rise of Christianity PDF

Author: Rodney Stark

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 1997-05-09

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 0060677015

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This "fresh, blunt, and highly persuasive account of how the West was won—for Jesus" (Newsweek) is now available in paperback. Stark's provocative report challenges conventional wisdom and finds that Christianity's astounding dominance of the Western world arose from its offer of a better, more secure way of life. "Compelling reading" (Library Journal) that is sure to "generate spirited argument" (Publishers Weekly), this account of Christianity's remarkable growth within the Roman Empire is the subject of much fanfare. "Anyone who has puzzled over Christianity's rise to dominance...must read it." says Yale University's Wayne A. Meeks, for The Rise of Christianity makes a compelling case for startling conclusions. Combining his expertise in social science with historical evidence, and his insight into contemporary religion's appeal, Stark finds that early Christianity attracted the privileged rather than the poor, that most early converts were women or marginalized Jews—and ultimately "that Christianity was a success because it proved those who joined it with a more appealing, more assuring, happier, and perhaps longer life" (Andrew M. Greeley, University of Chicago).

Destiny

Destiny PDF

Author: Ken Spiro

Publisher: Gefen Books

Published: 2018-03-18

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9789652299093

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Every Hollywood epic follows the same plot outline: a cosmic struggle of good and evil that pits a little hero against a big bad guy (think Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader, Frodo Baggins vs. Saruman, Harry Potter vs. Voldemort). The odds are totally stacked against the hero, yet as the story unfolds, his strengths are revealed, and in the final showdown he triumphs. All these movies follow this plot because it is deeply ingrained in our subconscious that this is the way the story is supposed to happen. This may be fiction and fantasy in the movies, but in reality it is the story of the Jewish people and the real plot of human history. This book walks the reader through the central themes in Jewish history: the impact of Jewish values on civilization, Jewish drive and the disproportionate impact of the Jewish people, antisemitism and its message, the Jewish view of history and conception of time and the End of Days. These themes allow the reader to see the striking parallel between the reality of Jewish history and the universal plot of these epic movies that everyone loves. The metaphor is enhanced with striking fold-out movie storyboards depicting Jewish history in movie form. The reader will come away with an understanding of the unique role and mission of the Jewish people in history and its very special destiny.

The Jews Should Keep Quiet

The Jews Should Keep Quiet PDF

Author: Rafael Medoff

Publisher: U of Nebraska Press

Published: 2019-01-01

Total Pages: 497

ISBN-13: 0827618301

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Based on recently discovered documents, The Jews Should Keep Quiet reassesses the hows and whys behind the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration's fateful policies during the Holocaust. Rafael Medoff delves into difficult truths: With FDR's consent, the administration deliberately suppressed European immigration far below the limits set by U.S. law. His administration also refused to admit Jewish refugees to the U.S. Virgin Islands, dismissed proposals to use empty Liberty ships returning from Europe to carry refugees, and rejected pleas to drop bombs on the railways leading to Auschwitz, even while American planes were bombing targets only a few miles away--actions that would not have conflicted with the larger goal of winning the war. What motivated FDR? Medoff explores the sensitive question of the president's private sentiments toward Jews. Unmasking strong parallels between Roosevelt's statements regarding Jews and Asians, he connects the administration's policies of excluding Jewish refugees and interning Japanese Americans. The Jews Should Keep Quiet further reveals how FDR's personal relationship with Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, American Jewry's foremost leader in the 1930s and 1940s, swayed the U.S. response to the Holocaust. Documenting how Roosevelt and others pressured Wise to stifle American Jewish criticism of FDR's policies, Medoff chronicles how and why the American Jewish community largely fell in line with Wise. Ultimately Medoff weighs the administration's realistic options for rescue action, which, if taken, would have saved many lives.

Denying History

Denying History PDF

Author: Michael Shermer

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2023-11-10

Total Pages: 553

ISBN-13: 0520944097

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Denying History takes a bold and in-depth look at those who say the Holocaust never happened and explores the motivations behind such claims. While most commentators have dismissed the Holocaust deniers as antisemitic neo-Nazi thugs who do not deserve a response, historians Michael Shermer and Alex Grobman have immersed themselves in the minds and culture of these Holocaust "revisionists." In the process, they show how we can be certain that the Holocaust happened and, for that matter, how we can confirm any historical event. This edition is expanded with a new chapter and epilogue examining current, shockingly mainstream revisionism.

A History of Judaism

A History of Judaism PDF

Author: Martin Goodman

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2019-11-19

Total Pages: 656

ISBN-13: 0691197105

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"Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other. In this magisterial and elegantly written book, Martin Goodman takes readers from Judaism's origins in the polytheistic world of the second and first millennia BCE to the temple cult at the time of Jesus. He tells the stories of the rabbis, mystics, and messiahs of the medieval and early modern periods and guides us through the many varieties of Judaism today. Goodman's compelling narrative spans the globe, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to North Africa, China, and India. He explains the institutions and ideas on which all forms of Judaism are based, and masterfully weaves together the different threads of doctrinal and philosophical debate that run throughout its history."--

Bible 101

Bible 101 PDF

Author: Edward D. Gravely

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2023-01-03

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 1507219806

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A comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to the ins and outs of the Old and New Testaments. Get a crash course in the most beloved book of all time—the bible. Simplifying the words and concepts of the Bible doesn’t have to be an overwhelming undertaking. From Exodus to the prophets and the Psalms and Revelation, Bible 101 gives you a basic overview of every part of this important book. Written in easy-to-understand language, Bible 101 offers a fascinating—and memorable—glimpse at the sacred stories, traditions, and doctrines that appear in the New and Old Testaments. No matter what your familiarity with the bible is currently, Bible 101 can help you understand the word of God.

A New English Translation of the Septuagint

A New English Translation of the Septuagint PDF

Author: Albert Pietersma

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2007-11-02

Total Pages: 1050

ISBN-13: 019972394X

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The Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of Jewish sacred writings) is of great importance in the history of both Judaism and Christianity. The first translation of the books of the Hebrew Bible (plus additions) into the common language of the ancient Mediterranean world made the Jewish scriptures accessible to many outside Judaism. Not only did the Septuagint become Holy Writ to Greek speaking Jews but it was also the Bible of the early Christian communities: the scripture they cited and the textual foundation of the early Christian movement. Translated from Hebrew (and Aramaic) originals in the two centuries before Jesus, the Septuagint provides important information about the history of the text of the Bible. For centuries, scholars have looked to the Septuagint for information about the nature of the text and of how passages and specific words were understood. For students of the Bible, the New Testament in particular, the study of the Septuagint's influence is a vital part of the history of interpretation. But until now, the Septuagint has not been available to English readers in a modern and accurate translation. The New English Translation of the Septuagint fills this gap.

Learning to Bake Allergen-Free: A Crash Course for Busy Parents on Baking without Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy or Nuts

Learning to Bake Allergen-Free: A Crash Course for Busy Parents on Baking without Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy or Nuts PDF

Author: Colette Martin

Publisher: The Experiment, LLC

Published: 2012-06-19

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 161519150X

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A crash course for busy parents on baking without wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, or nuts Has your child been diagnosed with food allergies? If so, help is here! Colette Martin has been there too: When her son Patrick was diagnosed with multiple food allergies in 2001, she had to learn all-new ways to feed him—and especially to make baked goods that he both could and would eat. Learning to Bake Allergen-Free is the book Colette Martin wishes she had back then. She ingeniously presents a dozen manageable lessons that will arm parents to prepare allergen-free baked goods the entire family can enjoy together. The book features: • More than 70 recipes (including variations) sure to become family staples—for muffins, rolls, breads, cookies, bars, scones, cakes, tarts, pizza, and pies— starting with the easiest techniques and adding new skills along the way • Clear explanations of the most common allergens and gluten, with all the details you need on which substitutions work, and why • Hundreds of simple tips for adapting recipes and troubleshooting as you go • Detailed guidelines and more than 15 recipes for making allergen-free treats from packaged gluten-free baking mixes • Special crash courses focused on key ingredients and techniques, including sweetening options, decorating a cake simply but superbly, kicking everyday recipes up a notch, and much more! Whether you already love to bake or are a kitchen novice, Learning to Bake Allergen-Free will give you the knowledge, skills, recipes, and confidence to make food that your family can safely eat—and that they’ll love!