Philosophy & Religion
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by Eboo Patel (Get the Book)
Patel, founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, lets his love for his work and his country shine through in this brief but charming introduction to the importance of interfaith work in America. Patel is particularly concerned with the contemporary mistrust of Muslim Americans, but his focus is broader, as he argues eloquently that America, by its very founding principles, should be a pluralist society, citing historical examples of religious tolerance. Patel also muses on practical considerations of interfaith leadership; he has adopted the somewhat counterintuitive practice of educating mostly individuals who are already committed to interfaith tolerance rather than trying to convert the unconvinced, since he has found that inspiring these individuals to action allows for a broader impact as they share their commitment with their own social networks. In some sections the book is only loosely organized, and sometimes Patel veers too far into the political arena, with examples that are likely to be outdated soon, but generally his expertise and blend of compelling personal anecdotes with researched argumentation makes this work an accessible and inspiring introduction to the meaning and practice of pluralism. --Publishers Weekly
by Joyce Meyer (Get the Book)
"Words are a big deal. They are containers for power, and we have to decide what kind of power we want our words to carry," says Joyce Meyer in CHANGE YOUR WORDS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE. "I believe that our words can increase or decrease our level of joy. They can affect the answers to our prayers and have a positive or negative effect on our future. ... One might say that our words are a movie screen that reveals what we have been thinking and the attitudes we have." Building on the premises of Power Thoughts and Living Beyond Your Emotions , she examines the tremendous power of words - which are the vehicles that convey our thoughts and emotions - and provides a series of guidelines for making sure that our talk is constructive, healthy, healing and used to good results. Topics include: The Impact of Words How to Tame Your Tongue How to be Happy When to talk and when not to talk Speaking Faith and Not Fear The Corrosion of Complaints Do you really have to give your opinion? The importance of keeping your word The power of speaking God's word How to have a smart mouth In a 'Dictionary of God's Word' at the end of the book, Joyce provides dozens of scripture verses, arranged by topic, that she recommends reading and saying out loud as one way of using and claiming healing words.
by Nigel Warburton (Get the Book)
A readable if unremarkable addition to the increasingly crowded shelves of philosophy primers. Warburton (Philosophy Bites) provides a history of the major philosophers of the West from Socrates to Peter Singer-with a few surprising exclusions (Bentham but no Foucault, Philippa Foot but no Martin Heidegger). However, in his effort to make the work accessible, the author veers into a sophomoric style that tends to grate quickly. Furthermore, in the quest for brevity, Warburton's decisions about what exactly to emphasize in each philosopher are sometimes questionable; for example, his treatment of John Locke reduces the political philosopher's contributions to a series of musings on how memory influences identity. Still, this brisk primer is, for the neophyte, a good place to start immersing oneself in the history of Western thought. Others may find themselves wishing for a philosophical history that would combine such accessibility with a little more substantiality. --Publishers Weekly
