3 out of 4 stars
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“Would it behoove us to find a new Religion for our modern time?”
The writer of GOD(S) + RELIGION(S) VS. HUMANISM, Lucien Armand, is a proponent of a new religious movement. The movement is to be termed as the Universal Humanistic Church. In this short book, Armand explores the pros and cons of the old and emerging religions. He proposes that the world needs a ‘new’ religion. The religion is to improve on the old ones and is to continue to lead humanity toward happiness in this life.
This book is in the genre of non-fiction. The author was motivated to write this book by his personal quest for enlightenment. The facts in the book prove that a good research was done. The book explores the origin of religions and Gods. The author also contrasts Science with Religion. Thereafter, having expounded on the shortcomings of the current religions, he proposes a new movement. This new movement will be based on ‘Ratiocracy’. This is a new concept that is different from Theocracy. It is stated that humanism will be the foundation and ultimate goal of the new religion. The Universal Humanist Church is seen as the solution to most of the problems facing the world. The author leaves some blank pages for the reader to give any feedback for the revised edition of the book to be produced.
What I liked most about the book is its ability to provoke thoughts through the questions posed. The other intriguing aspect is the use of historical facts. There are many allusions made to some historical events that were sparked by religion. The author is also open to objective opinions and critique. Having read the whole book, I still had so many questions unanswered. These are questions provoked by the author’s opinions. For example, the author states that a religion does not necessarily need a God in order for it to function. However, in the end, he senses that after his death, some congregants might begin complaining that a religion without God is not viable. Therefore, he proposes that such people be allowed to pray to the Unknown God. It is also quite evident that some challenges facing the current religions will befall this new movement.
The book is thought-provoking. This is an undeniable fact. The language used is simple. However, some terms are drawn from studies such as Anthropology. The author gives a warning to this effect, in the introduction. The book is also interesting. It was hard to put down the book once I began reading it. There are a couple of typos though. These include words that are not capitalized and the repeated use of a full stop instead of a coma.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The typos highlighted have a little impact on the overall rating of the book. I would say that this book is well-written. The author has tried as much as possible to make the new movement appealing. However, I would say that the only shortcoming is that he is biased. The book is a good read for Christians, Muslims, and those of other or no religious inclination as well. I would particularly recommend it to Christian apologists.
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God(s) = Religion(s) vs Humanism
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