When Religion Becomes Evil - Softcover

Kimball, Charles

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9780060556105: When Religion Becomes Evil

Synopsis

Top Religion Book of 2002--Publishers Weekly

The Five Warning Signs of Corruption in Religion

  1. Absolute Truth Claims
  2. Blind Obedience
  3. Establishing the "Ideal" Time
  4. The End Justifies Any Means
  5. Declaring Holy War

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About the Author

Charles Kimball is a professor of comparative religion at Wake Forest University. An ordained Baptist minister who received his doctorate from Harvard University in comparative religion with specialization in Islamic studies, Dr. Kimball is the author of three books about religion in the Middle East.

Reviews

By now it's commonplace to remark that more violence than good has been committed in the name of religion. The terrorist attacks of September 11 and the continuing Israeli-Palestinian strife confirm this age-old aphorism. Wake Forest religion professor Kimball has made something of a career out of speaking about the ways in which religion becomes evil. Every religion has the capacity to work either for good or evil, and he contends that there are five warning signs that we can recognize when religion moves toward the latter. Whenever a religion emphasizes that it holds the absolute truth-the one path to God or the only correct way of reading a sacred text-to the exclusion of the truth claims of all other religions and cultures, that religion is becoming evil. Other warning signs include blind obedience to religious leaders, apocalyptic belief that the end time will occur through a particular religion, the use of malevolent ends to achieve religious goals (e.g., the Crusades) and the declaration of holy war. Kimball focuses primarily on the three major Western monotheistic religions, although his examples also include new religious movements such as the People's Temple, Aum Shinrikyo and the Branch Davidians. Religion can resist becoming evil by practicing an inclusiveness that allows each tradition to retain its distinctiveness while it works for the common good. Kimball's clear and steady voice provides a helpful guide for those trying to understand why evil is perpetrated in the name of religion.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780061552014: When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs – The Thoroughly Revised Edition by a Leading Middle East Expert (Plus: Insights, Interviews, and More)

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  0061552011 ISBN 13:  9780061552014
Publisher: HarperOne, 2008
Softcover