Customer Reviews

Why People Do Bad Things in the Name of Religion

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I recently reread this book after having been introduced to it in college. This was the first book on the topic of religion that I ever 'studied', and it's as good now as I remember it being then. I'm not sure I would call this a profoundly life-changing book, but its beauty comes in its simplicity. It is a very small book, and it asks some very profound questions in a very simple manner. It is a great starting point for talking about religion with people who do not consider themselves religious (indeed, Wentz argues that we are ALL religious). As religious strife has made itself more pronounced in the world in the last few years, the topics that this book raises are more important than ever. I would like to see Wentz write an updated version of the book.

I found reading this book truly worthwhile. The book is enlightening and thought provoking by taking one's understanding of religion to a new level. Wentz deconstructs religion to its elements and examines how fanaticism and wrong doing in the name of religion have developed. The book explains how all humans are in some way religious and how people allow that religiousness to be imprisoned within walls of their own mind's making. This creates a sense of close-mindedness which ultimately leads to the violence which is all too common in the world today. Wentz draws from doctrines and diciples from around the world and throughout history which emphasize the universality of his message. Richard Wentz has imparted to the rest of the world an amazing book which gives us a map to follow on the way to becoming better persons and true diciples of the human spirit.