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God : a human history / Reza Aslan.

by Aslan, Reza.

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Random House, 2017.

God -- History of doctrines.

9780553394726 (hc.)

298 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Includes bibliographical references (pages 175-279) and index.

In our image -- The embodied soul -- Adam and Eve in Eden -- The Lord of beasts -- The face in the tree -- The humanized God -- Spears into plows -- Lofty persons -- The high God -- What is God? -- God is one -- God is three -- God is all -- The one.

"Reza Aslan narrates the history of religion as a remarkably cohesive attempt to understand the divine by giving it human traits and emotions. According to Aslan, this innate desire to humanize God is hardwired in our brains, making it a central feature of nearly every religious tradition. As Aslan writes, "Whether we are aware of it or not, and regardless of whether we're believers or not, what the vast majority of us think about when we think about God is a divine version of ourselves." But this projection is not without consequences. We bestow upon God not just all that is good in human nature - our compassion, our thirst for justice - but all that is bad in it: our greed, our bigotry, our penchant for violence. All these qualities inform our religions, cultures, and governments. More than just a history of our understanding of God, this book is an attempt to get to the root of this humanizing impulse in order to develop a more universal spirituality. Whether you believe in one God, many gods, or no god at all, this book will challenge the way you think about the divine and its role in our everyday lives. Reza Aslan is the author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth."--Provided by publisher.

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