Customer Reviews

Jesus is a Myth : A Handbook To Reclaim Your Celestial Inheritance

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

"I always thought myth meant "untruth" or "fairytale" until I read Jesus is a Myth. Not only is myth a term of honor, it is an effective tool in connecting world cultures to one another.
The stars shine brighter for me now that I know the people of our planet all share a distinctive source of wisdom."

I enjoyed Jesus is a Myth because it is designed as a handbook for the amateur historian and stargazer. Rather than having to read a laborious 343 page text book about the origins of astronomy and religion, this work begins with a conceptual overview using uncomplicated language in the first 110 pages. The bulk of the book appears in later sections providing more in-depth explanations of the opening text. I also took pleasure from the many uncomplicated illustrations used to clarify the archaeo-astronomical concepts to the layperson. Furthermore, I liked how the slightly larger type was used to make for easier reading out under the stars. It's clear this work is intended for those who have never read anything on the subjects of world mythology and prehistoric astronomy.

?Jesus is a Myth? is written in simple terms and language and serves as an introduction to the cultural connection of the heavens we humans share. Even though it is not a literary masterpiece, it delivers a better understanding of the sacred nature of the skies, and the need for religious pluralism through the science of archaeoastronomy. I found the sky charts and supplemental text most informative.

I offer the following points, regarding Mr. Winter's work:

1. The book is 343 pages in length, but only 110 pages are of "text". Most of the book is comprised of "supplemental" sections apparently added to give the book at least the appearance of substance. To even reach 110 pages of text required the liberal use of illustrations (of poor quality) and by using an extra large type size. This book is not substantial.

2. The title is misleading to the point of being deceptive. This book is no polemic on the "Jesus myth" argument... it is non-controversial to the point of boredom. Most of the text merely surveys various world historical and astrological myths, and this is done on a very superficial level. As an instructive text on mythology, it is of limited value.

3. I suppose that one could argue that the book has value as a "handbook" of miscellaneous mythological and astrological trivia. But bad organization and the triteness of this data makes even this material of minimal value. (Consider instead: A History of Western Astrology, by Jim Tester).

4. The above criticisms are dwarfed by the books horrific prose. ... The text's grammar is horrible and it's sentence structure awkward. Mr. Winter has not grasped the concept of paragraph organization. It's painful to read. [...]

In this life, separating fact from fantasy is difficult even when it comes to something as straight forward as Math (imaginary numbers always aggravate me). Invariably, most "truths" are subjective depending on the person trying to do the perceiving. "Jesus Is A Myth" is an heroic effort to try to bring together the origins of all religions back to their budding starts. Zain Winter discusses everything from the names of the days of the week to the recurring theme of numerous deities born of virgin births who ultimately become sacrificed only to rise again after three days. It is a compassionate plea for the human race to recognize that we are all telling the same story in different ways, thus we are all one people who should be at peace with one another over the issue of religion. There are several easy to understand sky charts that correlate to astro myths in order to help people navigate their way through the skies in much the same way our ancestors did. Anyone who believes that spirituality and truth can coexist should read this book and feel vindicated!

Without having to read a plethora of text books on the subjects of mythology and early astronomy, I was able to grasp the need to embrace these sciences in the 21st century. This book provided me with many simple examples of the religious and architectural bonds mankind has made with the heavens, and has inspired me to study further.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this book! It's been a long time coming for Mr. Winter. Over the years, Zain & I have met and discussed these topics at great lengths. You could say that I have been searching for my "Celestial Inheritance" for quite some time. Well, I'm pretty sure, thanks to Zain, I've found it. His words so eloquently make sense of the confusion of the different religious belief systems. I have such a better understanding of the origins of religion having read this book. I feel I can make an informed decision as to what I believe. I thank you Zain, for sharing your insight and wisdom with the world. Everyone will benefit from reading "Jesus is a Myth"!