Neal Donald Walsch was experiencing a low periodin his life when he decided to write a letter to God, venting hisfrustrations. What he did not expect was a response. As he finishedhis letter, he was moved to continue writing - and out cameextraordinary answers to his questions. This work presents theanswers that Walsch received, helping him to change himself, hislife and the way he viewed other beings.

In this revelatory exploration of one of our most revered icons,a critically acclaimed author and professor takes us back to earlyChristianity to ask how a box of handwritten scrolls became theBible, and forward to see how the multibillion-dollar business thathas brought us Biblezines and Manga Bibles is selling down theBible's sacred capital. Showing us how a single official text wascreated from the proliferation of different *s, Beal tracesits path as it became embraced as the word of God and Book ofbooks. Among his surprising insights: * Christianity thrived for centuries without any Bible--there wasno official canon of *ures, much less a book big enough tohold them all. Congregations used various collections of scrollsand codices. * There is no "original" Bible, no single source text behind thethousands of different Bibles on the market today. The farther wego back in the Bible's history, the more versions we find. * The idea of the Bible as the literal Word of God is relativelynew--only about a century

Here, Roshi Kapleau addresses how Westerners can adapt andpractice Zen.

For 2,000 years, Catholicism—the largest religion in the worldand in the United States—has shaped global history on a scaleunequal ed by any other institution. But until now, Catholicsinterested in their faith have been hard-pressed to find anaccessible, affirmative, and exciting history of the Church. Triumph is that history. Inside, you'll discover thespectacular story of the Church from Biblical times and the earlydays of St. Peter—the first pope—to the twilight years of John PaulII. It is a sweeping drama of Roman legions, great crusades, epicbattles, toppled empires, heroic saints, and enduring faith. And,there are stormy controversies: Dark Age skullduggery, theInquistition, the Renaissance popes, the Reformation, the Church'srefusal to accept sexual liberation and contemporary allegationslike those made in Hitler's Pope and Papal Sin. A brawling, colorful history full of inspiring pageantry andspirited polemic, Triumph will exhilarate, amuse, andinfuriate as it exto

Scattered over much of the world throughout most of theirhistory, are the Jews one people or many? How do they resemble andhow do they differ from Jews in other places and times? What havetheir relationships been to the cultures of their neighbors? Toaddress these and similar questions, some of the finest scholars ofour day have contributed their insights to Cultures of the Jews, awinner of the National Jewish Book Award upon its hardcoverpublication in 2002. Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifacts thatwere created in the period and locale under study, the contributorsdescribe the cultural interactions among different Jews–from rabbisand scholars to non-elite groups, including women–as well asbetween Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world. What theyconclude is that although Jews have always had their own autonomoustraditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered the fixed productof either ancient ethnic or religious origins. Rather, it hasshifted and assumed new forms

The late author Arysio Santos was a highly regardedclimatologist, geologist, and nuclear physicist. He was also ascholar of history, folklore, languages, and the occult. In thisgroundbreaking study of Atlantis, he draws on all thesedisciplines, as well as ancient maps, Plato’s dialogues, andfolkloric narratives, to provide the most compelling case yet ofthe disappearance of an entire civilization. Professor Santos demonstrates that Plato’s dating of Atlantis’sdisappearance in 11,600 BP (before present) precisely correspondsto the catastrophic end of the Pleistocene Ice Age, as well as ahistoric flood event of cataclysmic proportions. The rising of thesea level by nearly 500 feet, he argues, submerged continent-sizedlands—including Atlantis, which he connects with the biblicalGarden of Eden. Provocative chapters cover such topics as thecontinent’s appearance in ancient maps, Indonesia as the true siteof Eden, American interpretations of Atlantis, the four rivers ofparadise, and more, giv

Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifactsthat were created in the period and locale under study, thecontributors describe the cultural interactions among differentJews–from rabbis and scholars to non-elite groups, includingwomen–as well as between Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world.What they conclude is that although Jews have always had their ownautonomous traditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered thefixed product of either ancient ethnic or religious origins.Rather, it has shifted and assumed new forms in response to thecultural environment in which the Jews have lived. Mediterranean Origins , the first volume in Cultures ofthe Jews , describes the concept of the “People” or “Nation” ofIsrael that emerges in the Hebrew Bible and the culture of theIsraelites in relation to that of neighboring Canaanite groups. Italso discusses Jewish cultures in Babylonia, in Palestine duringthe Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods, and in Arabia during theformative ye

Different styles of martial arts offer contradictoryinformation, philosophies, and techniques for the body in combat. Apractitioner of Judo might advocate grappling, reasoning that mostfights converge into close range after a short time, when anadvocate of Tae Kwon Do would argue that one should strive tomaintain one's distance in an encounter that would allow one to usethe legs, the most powerful weapon on the human body. As a lifelong student and teacher of multiple styles of martialarts, Steven Pearlman has sought to distill from these disciplinesnot a fusion of techniques, but rather a compilation of fundamentalprinciples that can guide the individual martial artist to theideal action. Through his exploration of a set of basic principlesthat range from the physical (spinal alignment, the triangularguard, breathing) to the spiritual (the void, the body-mind, thecharacter), Pearlman arrives at a system open to all martialartists without bastardizing the techniques of the originaldisciplines.

Holman Bible Publishers is pleased to offer its first student Bible featuring the popular Holman Christian Standard Bible translation, combining biblical accuracy with modern readability like never before. A visually driven product for a visually driven culture, The Holman Student Bible enhances the study of God's Word with colorful page designs, explanatory sidebars, engaging study questions, and many other reading helps that are especially relevant to the development of true faith among this new generation.

A history so funny, so true, so scary, it's bound to becalled a conspiracy. "Meticulous in its research, forensic in itsreasoning, robust in its argument, and often hilarious in itsdebunking, Voodoo Histories is a highly entertaining rumblewith the century's major conspiracy theorists and their theories"(John Lahr). From Pearl Harbor to 9/11 to the assassination of JFKto the Birthers, Aaronvitch probes and explores the majorconspiracy theories (and theorists) of our time. In doing so, heexamines why people believe these conspiracies and makes anargument for a true skepticism.

A journey through the ecclesiastical year with Christianitysmost eloquent and inspiring spokesman. A potent anthology (LosAngeles Times). Edited and with a Preface by Walter Hooper.

Raja and Nilu are fated to fall in love. They both have been abandoned—he through his mother’s suicide inthe public pond, she through her mother’s constant escape intodrink. He has grown up on the streets, she in a crumbling mansion.And yet, they find each other, again and again. First when they arechildren. Then when they are young lovers. And finally after theyboth fear they have lost their marriage. But the events of thepast, even those we are ignorant of, inevitably haunt the present.And Raja and Nilu’s story is not only their own. Using Nepal’s political upheavals as a backdrop to demonstratehow we are irreparably connected to past and home, Buddha’s Orphansis an engrossing, unconventional love story, a seductive,transporting read, and further evidence that Samrat Upadhyay is oneof our finest writers, thoroughly deserving of his acclaim as “theBuddhist Chekhov” and comparisons to Amitav Ghosh, William Trevor,and Jhumpa Lahiri.

Here is the unparalleled account of the most awesome and awfulchapter in the moral history of humanity. Lucid, chilling andcomprehensive, Lucy S. Dawidowicz’s classic tells the completestory of the Nazi Holocaust–from the insidious evolution of GermanAnti-Semitism to the ultimate tragedy of the Final Solution.

From ancient Palestine through Europe and Asia, to America andmodern Israel, Max I. Dimont shows how the saga of the Jews isinterwoven with the story of virtually every nation on earth.--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

A radical and powerful reappraisal of the impact ofConstantine’s adoption of Christianity on the later Roman world,and on the subsequent development both of Christianity and ofWestern civilization. When the Emperor Contstantine converted to Christianity in 368AD, he changed the course of European history in ways that continueto have repercussions to the present day. Adopting those aspects ofthe religion that suited his purposes, he turned Rome on a coursefrom the relatively open, tolerant and pluralistic civilization ofthe Hellenistic world, towards a culture that was based on the ruleof fixed authority, whether that of the Bible, or the writings ofPtolemy in astronomy and of Galen and Hippocrates in medicine. Onlya thousand years later, with the advent of the Renaissance and theemergence of modern science, did Europe begin to free itself fromthe effects of Constantine's decision, yet the effects of hisestablishment of Christianity as a state religion remain with us,in many respects, today. Bri

Colorstrology is a fascinating blend of astrology, numerology,and color theory that offers exciting new insights about our livesand relationships. Written by renowned astrologer Michele Bernhardtwith the artists at Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color,the system features 366 "birthday colors" that illustrate who weare and how we behave. For example, people born on January 29 (like Oprah Winfrey) sharethe color Keepsake Lilac; they are "ambitious" and "tender" and"born to make a difference . . . it is not uncommon to find [them]in front of an audience." People born on May 11 (like Salvador Dal) share the color Green Tea. They "have a vivid imagination and cansee new ideas and concepts more readily than others." Using Colorstrology, you'll quickly understand how to enhanceyour best personality traits with your birthday color. Thisfull-color book features detailed profiles of everyone you knowplus 366 perforated swatches so you can take your birthday colorwherever you go. PANTONE

An examination of the influence of the Bible on Western artand literature and on the Western creative imagination in general.Frye persuasively presents the Bible as a unique text distinct fromall other epics and sacred writings. No one has set forth soclearly, so subtly, or with such cogent energy as Frye the literaryaspect of our biblical heritage (New York Times Book Review).Indices.

While in the service of India’s Nizam of Hyderabad, MarmadukePickthall converted to Islam and, with the help of Muslimtheologians and linguists, produced this clear and lovingly preciseEnglish interpretation of the Holy Koran. His work is honored bybeliever and non-believer alike for its unique combination ofpiety, scholarly rigor in its translation and explanatory notes,and deep feeling for the poetic beauty and moral grandeur of itsArabic original.

Welcome to the Build a Bible"design system.It's a fresh new approach to the Bible-buying experience that lets you create the look, feel, and function of the most important book you will ever own. The Build a Bible system lets you customize your Bible by giving you an array of cover styles, colors, textures, and accessories to choose from. Design a Bible that allows you to change covers and accessories without ever losing your notes highlighted verses, and favorite study passages. Imagine being able to change the look, feel, and functionality of your Bible without having to purchase another Bible--ever!

The author of the runaway bestseller How the Irish SavedCivilization has done it again. In The Gifts of the Jews ThomasCahill takes us on another enchanting journey into history, onceagain recreating a time when the actions of a small band of peoplehad repercussions that are still felt today. The Gifts of the Jews reveals the critical change that madewestern civilization possible. Within the matrix of ancientreligions and philosophies, life was seen as part of an endlesscycle of birth and death; time was like a wheel, spinningceaselessly. Yet somehow, the ancient Jews began to see timedifferently. For them, time had a beginning and an end; it was anarrative, whose triumphant conclusion would come in the future.From this insight came a new conception of men and women asindividuals with unique destinies--a conception that would informthe Declaration of Independence--and our hopeful belief in progressand the sense that tomorrow can be better than today. As ThomasCahill narrates this momentous shift,

In this provocative yet persuasive book, now in paperback, EricH. Cline uses the tools of his trade to examine some of the mostpuzzling mysteries from the Hebrew Bible and, in the process, tonarrate the history of ancient Israel. Combining academic with anaccessible style that has made him a favorite with readers andstudents alike, he lays out each mystery, evaluates all availableevidence—from established fact to arguable assumption tofar-fetched leap of faith—and proposes an explanation thatreconciles Scripture, science, and history. Numerous amateur archaeologists have sought some trace of Noah’sArk to meet only with failure. But, though no serious scholar wouldundertake such a literal search, many agree that the Flood was nomyth but the cultural memory of a real, catastrophic inundation,retold and reshaped over countless generations. Likewise, someexperts suggest that ’s storied victory at Jericho is thedistant echo of an earthquake instead of Israel’s sacred trumpets—afascinating, geological