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God Is Not One

Page 41

by Prothero, Stephen


  The Believers (film), 230

  Belloc, Hilaire, 87

  Benedictines, 66

  Benedict, Pope, 94

  Berg, Philip, 274

  Berry, Wendell, 130

  Berthrong, John, 124

  Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Jamaica Plain), 67–68

  Bhagavad Gita: description of, 134, 135; dialogue on ethics of war in, 160–61; on religious unity, 6; on renouncers and householders, 162

  bhakti yoga (Hindu discipline of devotion), 137, 150–53

  Bible: American political use of the, 18; annual sales of the, 8; Biblicism, 84; Catholic Bible, 75, 80; comparing the Quran to the, 43–45; different versions of the, 74–75; “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” 159; Jesus as described in the, 70, 71–73; King James Bible, 79; “texts of terror” in the, 47; war and violence depictions in the, 97. See also Christianity; Hebrew Bible

  Big Love (HBO show), 84

  bin Laden, Osama, 25, 50

  Bismillah, 36–37

  BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), 168

  Blair, Tony, 27, 320

  Blake, William, 1

  blind men examining elephant story, 338–39

  Bohr, Niels, 144

  Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, 81

  Book of Changes (Yijing or I Ching), 102–3

  The Book of Common Prayer (Church of England), 79, 299

  Book of Documents (Confucianism), 103

  Book of Mormon, 41, 83

  Book of Odes (Confucianism), 103

  Book of Poetry (Confucianism), 115

  Book of Rites (Confucianism), 103

  Boston Area Coalition of Reason, 325

  Boston Confucianism, 124

  Boston University, 4, 16, 132, 168

  Brahman (Hindu essence of divinity), 149, 150, 151

  Brahma (Hindu creator god), 132

  Brandeis, Louis, 299

  BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), 63

  British Humanist Association, 325

  Brown, Dan, 1

  Brown, Karen McCarthy, 209

  Buddha: death of, 173; four sacred places of life of, 173–74; Great Awakening of, 171–72, 181, 200–201; life of, 169–74; as transformer, 114, 115, 181; Tripitaka (Three Baskets) of teachings of, 187

  Buddha of Infinite Light, 191

  Buddhism: anatta (no soul) teaching of, 184–86; dependent origination chain (pratitya-samutpada), 182–83; divisions within, 12; Four Noble Truths of, 172, 181–84, 200, 201; four-step problem/solution approach in, 14–15; influence on American popular culture by, 176–77; Mahayana, 42, 176–77, 186–90, 193–96, 200–201; meditation practices of, 178–79; as missionary religion, 180; monasticism of, 174, 176, 181; Noble Eightfold Path of, 14, 172, 181, 200, 201; as one of Three Teachings, 103–4, 105; origins of, 169–74; nirvana goal of, 177–80, 182–83, 200; religion versus philosophy debate over, 105; samsara (life, death, and rebirth cycle) of, 136, 151, 152–53, 200; spread of, 174–77; Theravada, 42, 114, 177, 186–90; Three Refuges (or Three Jewels) of, 180–81; Tibetan Book of the Dead of, 198; Vajrayana, 196–98; Zen, 190–93

  Buddhist Bible, 282

  Buddhists: devotion to Ganesha by, 132; Engaged, 180; global demographics of, 175–76; Western popular cultural portrayal of, 29

  Bush, George W., 27, 72, 320

  Cage, John, 103

  Cain and Abel story, 255, 279

  Caitanya, 151–52

  Calvinism, 78–79

  Calvin, John, 31, 76, 78, 82

  Campbell, Joseph, 5, 6

  Campus Crusade for Christ International, 67

  canang sari (Bali), 158

  Candomble (Yoruba religion), 219, 223–25, 227, 229, 236

  Cartwright, Peter, 85

  caste system (Hinduism), 142, 150

  The Catcher in the Rye, 144

  Catherine of Aragon, 79

  Catholic Bible, 75, 80

  Cave Cathedral (Cairo), 93–94

  Celestial Masters (Daoism), 291, 308

  Chavez, Hugo, 90

  Chenyang Li, 123

  China: BRIC membership of, 63; Communist, 104, 122; Han dynasty of, 113, 120; number of Daoists in, 284–85; Qin dynasty of, 120, 122; Song dynasty of, 104, 120; Tai Shan peak of, 114; Tang dynasty of, 120, 290; Three Teachings of, 103–4, 105, 121; Zhou dynasty of, 109–10

  Chodron, Pema, 194

  The Christ Child (1931), 65, 68

  Christianity: browning of, 91–96; “clash of civilizations” between Islam and, 12, 54, 56, 98; diversity within, 12, 66–68; evangelization of the Christian West, 84–86; four-step problem/solution approach in, 14; fundamentalism, 86, 88; Global South and Global North divisions of, 95–96; Incarnation doctrine of, 68, 331; making the case for preeminence of, 18; as missionary religion, 19, 85; megachurches, 93–94; Mormonism, 12, 51, 82–84, 91–92; mysticism in, 98–99; new political divisions of, 95–96; Nicene Creed of, 67, 68, 69, 70, 74, 199, 251; origins and historical development of, 74–76; Pentecostalism, 87–91, 92; Protestant/Catholic divide of, 76–82; relationship between Islam and, 96–97; salvation goal of, 21–22; Trinity doctrine and soft monotheism of, 36, 68–70, 84. See also Bible

  Christians: brown, 91–96; global demographics of, 74; Quran on relations with Muslims, Jews, and, 48–49; relationships between Muslims and, 96–97

  Christian Scientists, 82

  Christian Social Gospel, 20

  Church of England, 79

  Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem), 30

  Churchill, Winston, 17

  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), 12, 51, 82–84, 91–92

  The Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah, 229

  Church of Norway, 78

  Church of Sweden, 78

  “clash of civilizations,” 12, 54, 56, 98

  Clinton, Bill, 102

  Comte, August, 86

  Confessions (St. Augustine), 93

  Confucianism: “City of God” and “City of Man” in, 108; denial of self’s independence by, 185; Doctrine of the Mean of, 117; filial piety of, 106–7, 116; Five Classics of, 102–3, 104, 113, 115; Five Relationships and Five Virtues of, 112; individual transformation in, 109–12; interactions between Daoism and, 110, 114, 129, 192, 289–91, 302, 303, 312–13; li (propriety) and Way of Heaven of, 113, 116–17, 118, 124; Mencius and Xunzi’s contributions to, 119–20, 123, 124, 126, 299; on need for rituals, 141; Neo-Confucianism, 104, 120–21, 285; New Confucianism and Boston Confucianism, 120–24; as one of Three Teachings, 103–4, 105, 121, 281; rectification of names notion of, 112; religion vs. philosophy debate over, 105–9, 129–30, 186; ren (human-heartedness) of, 113, 115–18, 129; ritual importance in, 69; sensibility and values of, 102, 104–5; struggle between individualism and communitarianism of, 124–29; Three Bonds of, 125

  Confucius: Analects of, 102, 104, 106, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117–18, 119, 121, 128, 281; as “The First Teacher,” 110; historic influence of, 101–2; on humans as social beings, 314; life of, 112–15; Mount Tai tigers story on, 127; personal appeal of, 126–29; questions raised by, 339; teachings of, 115–18

  Confucius from the Heart (Yu Dan), 122

  Conservative Judaism, 269

  Constantine (Roman emperor), 67, 68

  Constantinople (1453), 19

  Coptic Orthodox Church, 94

  Council of Nicaea (325), 67, 68, 74, 251

  Council of Trent (1545–63), 77, 78

  covenants (Judaism), 257–58

  Cox, Harvey, 66, 94

  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (film), 282

  Cuban Revolution (1959), 216, 218

  Cult of Reason (eighteenth-century France), 323, 326

  cultural pluralism, 249

  Cunningham, Merce, 103

  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film), 292

  Cyrus (Persian king), 255

  Dalai Lama, 2, 25, 176, 177, 196, 199

  Daodejing (or Tao Te Ching): on de (power/virtue), 298–99; description of, 281, 291–93; reversal and return the
mes of, 293–96; “soft power” of, 299; on transformation or ground of becoming, 296–98; wu wei (natural action) concept of, 295–96, 299, 312. See also Laozi

  Daoism: Daodejing (or Tao Te Ching) or Laozi (Lao-Tzu) of, 281, 291–303, 312; description of, 279–81; disappearance motifs of stories of, 315; Eight Immortals of, 306–7; growth during Tang dynasty of, 120; interactions between Confucianism and, 110, 114, 129, 192, 289–91, 302, 303, 312–13; Jade Emperor (Lord Heaven) of, 306; Lady of Great Mystery immortal of, 315; nurturing life focus of, 285–88, 313–15; as one of Three Teachings, 103–4, 105, 121, 281; philosophical and religious, 311–13; popular, 310–11; popular culture influence and contemporary impact of, 281–85; Quanzhen (Chuan-chen) tradition of perfection, 309–10; Queen Mother of the West deity of, 307; rituals of, 311; superhero immortals of, 303–6, 312; Tang dynasty prominence of, 290; Way of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi dao) sect of, 308, 310; Zhuangzi (or Chuang-Tzu) of, 280, 299–303, 313

  Daoists: “art of the bedchamber” practice by, 305; Celestial Masters among, 291, 308; “genuine person” as exemplar for, 303; global demographics of, 284–85, 290–91; nurturing life focus of, 285–88, 313–15

  David and Goliath story, 246

  David, King, 243, 246

  Da Vinci Code (Brown), 1

  Dawkins, Richard, 9, 318, 319, 321, 325, 337

  Deborah the judge, 273

  Debray, Régis, 77, 208.

  Deng Xiaoping, 290

  Dennett, Daniel, 9, 318, 319

  de (power/virtue) [Daoism], 298–99

  Descartes, René, 179

  dharma (Buddhist teaching), 181

  dharma (Hindu duty), 161

  Dharma Bums (Kerouac), 176

  Diagoras, 317, 318

  different paths up the same mountain metaphor, 1–2

  Dobson, James, 86

  Doctrine and Covenants (Mormonism), 83

  Doctrine of the Mean (Confucianism), 104, 117, 121

  Dome of the Rock (Jerusalem) [Islam], 37, 256

  Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (film), 229

  Don Quixote, 144

  Douglas, Mary, 245, 259

  DuBois, W.E.B., 11

  Duke of Zhou, 114

  dukkha (Buddhist suffering), 177, 179, 182–83

  Durkheim, Émile, 91

  Dylan, Bob, 246, 302

  East India Company, 164–65

  Eckel, David, 295

  Eckhart, Meister, 99

  Eight Immortals (Daoism deities), 306–7

  Einstein, Albert, 247, 249

  Elijah Muhammad, 29

  Eliot, T. S., 9

  Elizabeth II (Queen of Great Britain), 117

  Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 135

  emptiness (shunyata) [Mahayana Buddhism], 193–96, 199

  Endo, Shusaku, 9

  Engaged Buddhism, 180

  Enkidu (Gilgamesh epic character), 332

  Episcopal Church, 79, 96

  Epstein, Greg, 271

  Eshu (Yoruba orisha), 212–13

  Esoteric Buddhism, 197

  ethics: Confucian, 127–28; the Golden Rule, 2, 102, 258–59; Humanistic Judaism focus on, 271; New Atheists, 325

  ethics of war: Bhagavad Gita, 160–61; Quran vs. New Testament on, 45

  Eucharist, 81

  European Muslims: popular culture influence of, 29–30; Progressive Islam movement and, 20, 54–57; religious struggles faced by, 29

  Evangelical Left, 86

  exile narrative (Judaism), 253–57

  faith: Protestant sola fides (faith alone) doctrine on, 77; religion and role of, 69. See also beliefs

  faith healing, 94

  Falun Gong, 282

  Falwell, Jerry, 27, 320

  Fard, Wallace D., 29

  Farrakhan, Louis, 29

  Fatiha (Quran sura), 31

  fatwa (Islamic legal opinion), 50

  fear of God, 46–49

  feng shui, 282

  Feuerbach, Ludwig, 320

  filial piety: Confucianism, 106–7, 116; Judaism, 116

  fiqh (interpretation of Shariah) [Islam], 49

  First Zionist Congress (1897), 272

  Five Classics (Confucianism), 102–3, 104, 113, 115

  Five Pillars (Islam): overview of, 31–34; Sufism rejection of, 57–58, 60, 199

  Five Relationships (Confucianism), 112

  Five Sacred Peaks (Daoism), 310

  Five Virtues (Confucianism), 112

  Focus on the Family, 86

  Four Noble Truths (Buddhism), 172, 181–84, 200, 201

  Four Quartets (Eliot), 9

  four-step problem/solution/techniques/exemplar analysis, 13–16

  Francis of Assisi, St., 80, 98

  Francis de Sales, 78

  Frank, Anne, 247

  Freeman, Morgan, 29–30

  French Revolution, 323

  Freud, Sigmund, 91, 250, 318, 320, 332

  Friends (Quakers), 68, 276

  Frost, David, 127

  fundamentalism: Christianity, 86, 88; “fundos” (Hinduism fundamentalists), 167; New Atheists, 9, 322–23, 336

  Gandhi, Indira, 9

  Gandhi, Mohandas, 1, 2, 10, 167

  Ganesha (Hindu god), 131–33

  Garden of Eden, 71, 72–73

  Geter, Preston, 73

  al-Ghazali, 5, 60

  Gilgamesh epic, 332

  Gilligan’s Island (TV show), 210

  Ginsberg, Allen, 246

  Glenn, John, 65

  Global North and Global South Christianity, 95–96

  God: Christian’s Trinity of, 36, 68–70, 84; comparing Islamic and Christian fear of, 46–49; covenants made between Jews and, 257–58; Hebrew Bible’s capricious, 243; humbled through our belief in, 339–40; Judaism on, 248–50, 252–53; Kabbalistic Judaism on, 217, 275; Mormonism on, 83; nirguna Brahman (God without attributes), 151; religious differences on perception of, 2; saguna Brahman (God with attributes), 151; shirk (ignoring oneness of God), 37; via negativa (negative way) to, 99. See also Allah; Jesus Christ

  Godthink: description and dangers of, 3, 320, 334, 336–37; New Atheists’ version of, 9, 322–23, 336

  The Golden Rule, 2, 102, 258–59

  Good as New (New Testament), 75

  Good Without God (Epstein), 271

  Graham, Billy, 72

  Graham, Franklin, 27

  Great Awakening (Buddhism), 171–72, 181, 200–201

  Great Learning (Confucianism), 104, 121

  Greek Orthodox Church, 75–76

  Guide to the Bodhisattva Path (Shantideva), 188

  Gulledge, Amanda, 328, 329

  Habitat for Humanity, 337

  Hadith (Muhammad’s sayings), 49

  hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), 34

  halakha (Judaism “law or way”), 2, 245, 250, 259, 267–69

  Haley, Alex, 229

  al-Hallaj, Mansur, 60

  Hallman, J. C., 69

  Hamas (Palestinian territories), 52

  Hamlet (Shakespeare), 11

  Han dynasty (China), 113, 120

  Hanukkah (Jewish festival), 263

  Hare Krishna movement, 51, 151–52

  Harris, Barbara, 90

  Harris, Sam, 9, 318, 319, 321

  Harvard University atheism rally (2009), 327–28

  Hasidism (Judaism), 268–69

  Head of Christ (Sallman), 94

  Hebrew Bible: creation story of, 243–44; rhythm of wrongdoing, punishment, and exile in, 244. See also Bible

  Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, 267

  Hedges, Chris, 322

  hell: Christian view of, 47–48; Islamic view of Jahannam (hell), 46–49

  Henry VIII (King of England), 79

  Henson, John, 75

  The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Campbell), 5

  Herzl, Theodor, 272

  Heschel, Abraham, 16, 47

  Hezbollah (Lebanon), 52

  hijab (Muslim women’s head covering): European controversies over, 29, 56; as symbol of Islamic ident
ity, 56

  Hildegard of Bingen, St., 82

  Hillel, Rabbi, 249–50, 258–59, 278, 339

  Hinduism: Bhagavad Gita, 134, 135; Brahma (the creator) and Vishnu (the sustainer) of, 132, 137, 152, 153–57; deities of, 131–33, 134, 142; devotional, 137, 150–53; Ganesha, 131–33; differences between Indian and American, 240; four different aims of, 136–37; Hindu trinity, 153–57; holy men of, 137–38; Indus Valley civilization and birth of, 138–39, 143; Mahabharata epic, 153, 159–62; modern, 164–67; moksha (spiritual liberation) of, 136–37, 138, 147–48, 150, 151, 152–53, 161–62; mythological dimension of, 108–9; origins and description of, 133–35; philosophical, 144–50; puja (worship), 157–59; Ramayana epic, 153, 159, 162–64; samsara (life, death, and rebirth cycle) of, 136, 151, 152–53; as Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Law), 135; Shiva (the destroyer), 132–33, 137, 153–57; sruti and smrti categories of scriptures, 140, 159; today’s political, 167–68; Upanishads of, 137, 140, 144–45, 149–50, 151; Vedas of, 134, 137, 139, 140, 141, 148; Vedic religion, 140–43, 144, 145–46; Vrat Katha tradition of, 159

  Hindu nationalism, 167–68

  Hindus: castes of, 142, 150; demographics of, 133; history of the, 135; holy man, 137–38; renouncers (sannyasins), 145–47, 162

  Hindu Students Association, 168

  Hindutva (Hinduness) movement, 8, 143, 167–68

  Hitchens, Christopher, 9, 19, 318, 320, 325, 326, 329

  Hitler, Adolf, 17, 256, 272

  Hobbes, Thomas, 299

  Hoff, Benjamin, 283

  Holiness movement, 87

  Holley, Lonnie, 232–33

  Holocaust, 10, 17, 256–57, 258, 272

  Holy Communion (Christianity), 80, 81

  homosexuality, 95–96

  Hu Jintao, 122

  Humanist Association of Canada, 325

  Humanistic Judaism, 270–71

  Husain (Muhammad’s grandson), 52

  Huxley, Aldous, 5

  “Hymn of the Primeval Man” (Rig Veda), 141–42

  ibn Abd al-Wahhab, 53–54

  Ibn Arabi, 61

  I Ching (or Yijing), 102–3

  Id al-Fitr (Islamic festival), 33–34

  Ifa divination practice (Yoruba religion), 205, 213, 234–36

  Ignatius of Loyola, 78

  I Love Lucy (TV series), 229

  Imam (Sunni Muslim leader), 51–52

  Incarnation doctrine (Christianity), 68, 331

  Indra (Vedic god), 142

  indulgences (Roman Catholic), 76

  Indus Valley civilization, 138–39, 143

  Inquisition (Christian), 69

  Institute for Humanist Studies, 324

 

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