Ebook Free Gutsy Women: More Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road (Travelers' Tales Guides) (No.2), by Marybeth Bond

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Gutsy Women: More Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road (Travelers' Tales Guides) (No.2), by Marybeth Bond

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Review

"...essential reading for women travelers of any age." -- Chicago Tribune"...filled with practical suggestions on everything from getting yourself pumped up to go, to planning emotionally and mentally..." -- Times (California)"...this book is fresh and insightful, even for the most-seasoned traveler." -- Washington Post

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Product details

Series: Travelers' Tales Guides

Paperback: 200 pages

Publisher: Travelers' Tales; Second Edition edition (March 30, 2001)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1885211619

ISBN-13: 978-1885211613

Product Dimensions:

5.2 x 0.5 x 8.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review:

4.1 out of 5 stars

18 customer reviews

Amazon Best Sellers Rank:

#2,064,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Personally I found this book pretty lame, not very much useful information beyond common sense for me. I donated it to our neighborhood little library book box. Hopefully someone else will benefit.

I really liked this book and will keep it handy for future reference. It was an eyeopener for me. I had no idea so many women actually travel alone or in small groups. Gave me some Bucket List items!!!Marybeth give many, many tips and info about traveling. A lot of it concerns traveling overseas. But it can be adapted to local traveling as well.

I am a U.S. native and am not exactly a frequent traveler (although I'd love to be). I am a young (-25), female who has only ever really traveled to a few big U.S. cities. I am considering taking some time off to do some world traveling (solo or with friends not sure) and I found this book IMMENSELY helpful for novice travelers such as myself. GEARED TOWARDS WOMEN AND TRAVEL ISSUES SPECIFIC TO US, Bond outlines some really good points that she has actually experienced that can save you a lot of time and grief. Things such as "bring your own sterile syringes if traveling to an under developed country" or "pack a door stopper for any place you visit and register under a first initial and last name only" may seem like strange things (or even scary) to take with you on a trip or to do while there, however she outlines very real-world scenarios and purposes for them. She also points out things geared towards women that one may consider "common sense" i.e how to research a country thoroughly so you're well informed and not lose the spontaneity, be sure to pack a lot of tampons and account for how birth control may factor into flying due to time changes, but are good reminders; while she brings another point of view to the table: bring your own tampons because many foreign countries may not carry them or are difficult to find (especially based on the culture). She emphasizes that your instincts are your best friends and to use them not just when abroad but in your own home town too (if you don't already). She is up front and honest about certain places that may not take to women as "friendly" or "respectfully" as Americans may be used to, but she also explains cultural reasonings so that you are INFORMED BUT NOT DISCOURAGED from visiting such beautiful places. There are also anecdotes from other travelers that she incorporates into the book. She goes over everything from "Safety, Health and Hygiene on the road" to "Romance on the Road", and "Tipping and Bargaining". She also gives tips for traveling women with children, 60+ travel, women traveling for business and safe solo travel. This book is a great little starter for domestic and international travelers, new and seasoned travelers alike. The chapters are outlined well and she provides a lot of help and tips for things you may not think of no matter how many lists you may make (oh and yes, she even provides a sample travel list). I would recommend this little book to ANY female I know who is thinking of traveling.

I wanted a travel book for my college age daughter, and this was a good one. She loved it, and can't wait to spend more of my money on another trip to Europe. Oh, whoa is me!

I received this book about 5 days after it should have been here. Other than that it is a good book, but, it's almost identical to the other book I already ordered, called: (Safety & Security: For Women Who Travel). They both give the same advice almost word for word. But, I still enjoyed reading it.

Book arrived in timely manner and is in very good condition. The information it contained was very helpful; it gave me confidence to travel alone.

For someone just starting to think about traveling alone, Gutsy Women may be just what you need: a lightweight, skimmable collection of tips on subjects ranging from safety and security to traveling on business to fighting loneliness. But I've traveled (though with others) before, and Bond's tone strikes the wrong chord with me: too cheerleader, too...indulgently spa-like. She has good solid tips on some things--how to pack, how to stay healthy--and then lightweight feel-good tips that don't project the practical tone I like in guidebooks. Wrapping presents you've bought for friends and family and sitting them around your hotel room? Getting a manicure if you're down? That's a bit resort-y for me.In keeping with this tone, Bond also writes mostly as though you'll be choosing to stay in hotels. As a person who's more likely to choose hostels or camp sites, I felt further that her style and my style weren't the best match.Not a bad starting point if you're looking to travel and want a guide with an upper-middle-class find-some-luxuries-on-the-road tone. But not what I was looking for.(And she never answers the question how she managed to afford taking two years off from work to travel! I wanted to know. Did she have savings? What did she do for health insurance? Could she afford it or did she choose to travel without it? Did she work while she was traveling? How did she get work again once she got back?)

A book of advice on everything from why to go to how to do it. Gutsy Women starts talking about risk taking and ends up telling you everything you need to know to reduce risk, or at least about choosing whether you want to take chances with unfamiliar foods and how serendipitous you really want to be.So, there's stretches to do in your seat on the airplane. (These days, I guess we have to make sure that raising our arms above our heads, rolling our heads, or twisting our backs aren't seen as acts of terrorism).Here's a sampling of the info: how to pack and what to pack--the most important thing, your sense of humor takes up no space at all; bargaining techniques in various countries; traveling with various companions such as mother-daughter; tipping hints.It's a book of lists, really, interspersed with comments and experiences from the writer and (presumably) other women travelers. It's easily read and worth reading. At the end, there are resources and references galore. I would say you don't really need to be gutsy to travel, but it does help to be informed and aware. This book is good for that.

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Gutsy Women: More Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road (Travelers' Tales Guides) (No.2), by Marybeth Bond PDF

Gutsy Women: More Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road (Travelers' Tales Guides) (No.2), by Marybeth Bond PDF

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Free PDF Muslims, Christians, and Jesus Participant's Guide: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships, by Carl Medearis

Free PDF Muslims, Christians, and Jesus Participant's Guide: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships, by Carl Medearis

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Muslims, Christians, and Jesus Participant's Guide: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships, by Carl Medearis

Free PDF Muslims, Christians, and Jesus Participant's Guide: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships, by Carl Medearis

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About the Author

Carl Medearis is an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations and author of the acclaimed book, Muslims, Christians and Jesus.

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Product details

Paperback: 96 pages

Publisher: Zondervan; Participant's Guide ed. edition (September 10, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 9780310890867

ISBN-13: 978-0310890867

ASIN: 0310890861

Product Dimensions:

5.5 x 0.2 x 8.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review:

3.9 out of 5 stars

14 customer reviews

Amazon Best Sellers Rank:

#959,114 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Some people might initially feel that by not calling yourself a Christian you are "denying Christ" and thus the scripture in Matthew 10:33 "...but whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven..." But lets think about this.a) Jesus' name is not Jesus Christ like someone's name today is "Bob Smith".b) Christ is an English rendering of the Greek work Christos, which simply means "Messiah" (Hebrew).c) The term "Christian" in much of the world has far more cultural connotations than it does spiritual.So noting item "c", above, many people feel they are born Christian because of the culture in which they were born, and others are born Muslim because of the culture in which they are born.A key point made in the book is that just as someone who goes to a Christian church must have a personal encounter with Jesus, and just as "Messianic Jews" are accepted by many Christians, we should accept Muslims who come to a personal relationship with Jesus since, after all, their prophet also taught reverence for Jesus.Another key point is that in dialogues with people from Islamic backgrounds we should share knowledge based on a huge common point - Jesus. As a matter of fact, westerners could learn a LOT from people from the middle east with regards to faith since the Bible came from that part of the world. Culturally we in the west miss some subtleties because of our cultural lenses (Wow, westerners don't know it all! What a thought!)I strongly recommend that you read this book and keep an open mind. I also recommend that you actually take notes on specific things that you find disturbing or that seem counter to scripture and then, after finishing the book and getting the entire picture about those points, see if you can reconcile those perspectives with scripture OR if you find that they are counter to it.Spoiler alert for Christians: the author does not DENY any of the foundations of the faith. He does stress that what one EMPHASIZES and when one emphasizes it is very important. Relationships are key.

I have many muslim friends and this has given me new ideas on how to approach the 'God' conversations. I'm very pleased with his straight forward down to earth approach. Thank you!

Did not realize this is just the study book.

Awesome resource. A must-read for Christians wanting to understand the history and cultural tensions between Muslims and Christians. We used it to train trips before going into a predominantly Muslim city.

superb book. everyone who thinks all muslims are terrorists or have a war-like religion should read this book and discover truth.

Carl Medearis makes a great answer to hating Muslims. So glad to have bought them for ourselves and others for studying together.

Used this along with the video in a study group. Promotes understanding and common ground between Muslims and Christians.

I really like Madearis' approach to what he calls "not evangelizing", rather than trying to force our beliefs on others. The book is very interesting and easy to read.

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Free Ebook The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong

Free Ebook The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong

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The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong

Free Ebook The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong

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Review

Praise for Karen Armstrong's The Case for God"The time is ripe for a book like The Case for God, which wraps a rebuke to the more militant sort of atheism in an engaging survey of Western religious thought."—Ross Douthat, The New York Times Book Review "Armstrong's argument is prescient, for it reflects the most important shifts occurring in the religious landscape."—Lisa Miller, Newsweek "A thoughtful explanation, well-sourced and impressively rooted in the writings of theologians, philosophers, scholars and religious figures through the ages. . . . If Armstrong is out to bring respect to both reason and faith in the search of that transcendent meaning, she has done well."—Repps Hudson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "The Case for God is Armstrong's most concise and practical-minded book yet: a historical survey of hwo rather than what we believe, where we lost the "knack" of religion and what we need to do to get it back."—Michael Brunton, Ode "In over a dozen books [Armstrong] has delivered something people badly want: a way to acknowledge that faith can be taken seriously as a response to deep human yearnings without needing to subscribe to the formality of organized belief."—The Economist "The Case for God should be read slowly, and savored."—Karen R. Long, Cleveland Plain Dealer "Armstrong's thesis is provocative, and her book illuminates a side of Christianity that has recently been overshadowed."—Margaret Quamme, Columbus Dispatch "Armstrong is ambitious. The Case for God is an entire semester at college packed into a single book—a voluminous, dizzying intellectual history. . . . Reading The Case for God, I felt smarter. . . . A stimulating, hopeful work.  After I finished it, I felt inspired, I stopped, and I looked up at the stars again.  And I wondered what could be."—Susan Jane Gilman, NPR's "All Things Considered" "Karen Armstrong's book is simply superb. Wide-ranging, detailed, well researched meticulously argued and beautifully written, it is a definitive analysis of the role of religious belief and transcendence in our history and our life."—Dr Robert Buckman, author of Can We Be Good without God? "Karen Armstrong, in writing The Case for God, provides the reader with one of the very best theological works of our time. It brings a new understanding to the complex relationship between human existence and the transcendent nature of God. This is a book that is so well researched and so deep with insight and soaring scholarship that only Karen Armstrong could have written it. The Case for God should be required reading for anyone who claims to be a believer, an agnostic or an atheist."—The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, D.D., Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, D.C.  "No one is better qualified or more needed than Karen Armstrong to enter the hot public debate between believers and non-believers over the existence of God.  Her latest book, eagerly awaited and received, rings out with the qualities she brings to all of her work—The Case for God is lucid, learned, provocative, and illuminating.  Indeed, Armstrong once again does what she always does best by shining a clear light on the deepest mysteries of the religious imagination."—Jonathan Kirsch, author of The Harlot by the Side of the Road "Challenging, intelligent, and illuminating—especially for anyone reflecting on current discussions of atheism, often characterized as conflict between religion and science."—Elaine Pagels, co-author of Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity "With characteristic command of subject and crispness, the prolific and redoubtable independent British scholar and former nun takes yet another run at the world's religious history. . . . She's conceptual, humanistic and exceedingly well-read. . . . [An] articulate and accessible sweep through intellectual history. The "unknowing" of the mystics has its virtues and its place, but being well-read and knowledgeable makes one powerful and persuasive book.—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Celebrated religion scholar Armstrong creates more than a history of religion; she effectively demonstrates how the West (broadly speaking) has grappled with the existence of deity and captured the concept in words, art and ideas. . . . A brilliant examination. . . . [An] accessible, intriguing study of how we see God."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "The new book by premier contemporary historian of religion is a history of God. . . . Presenting difficult ideas with utter lucidity, this registers at once as a classic of religious and world history."—Ray Olson, Booklist (starred review) "Armstrong offers a tour de force. . . . Highly recommended for readers willing to grapple with difficult but clearly articulated concepts and challenges to the 'received' ways of perceiving religion.  A classic."—Carolyn M. Craft, Library Journal "One of our best living writers on religion. . . . Prodigiously sourced, passionately written."—John Cornwell, Financial Times "Karen Armstrong is one of [a] handful of wise and supremely intelligent commentators on religion. . . . As in so much of the rest of her hugely impressive body of work, Karen Armstrong invites us on a journey through religion that helps us to rescue what remains wise from so much that to so many . . . no longer seems true."—Alain de Botton, The Observer  Critical Acclaim for Karen Armstrong's The Great Transformation "Armstrong at her best—translating and distilling complex history into lucid prose that will delight scholars and armchair historians alike."—Lauren F. Winner, The Washington Post Book World "Her conviction, passion and intelligence radiate throughout the book, making us feel the urgency of the ideas it seeks to convey."—Charles Matthews, Baltimore Sun "A tour de force. . . . She has dedicated herself to understanding the most prominent world faiths and explaining them to a secular/postsecular society."—Jane Lampman, The Christian Science Monitor "Perhaps her most ambitious work. . . . Without overlooking the differences between religions, Armstrong emphasizes their common call for compassion."—Lisa Montanarelli, San Francisco Chronicle "A lucid, highly readable account of complex developments occurring over many centuries. . . . A splendid book."—William Grimes, The New York Times "An utterly enthralling reading experience. . . . It ranks with A History of God as one of her finest achievements.—Booklist "In her typical magisterial fashion, she chronicles these tales in dazzling prose with remarkable depth and judicious breadth."—Publishers Weekly "Armstrong's erudition is truly impressive. . . . Few people are better qualified to explain that what so often divides us ought to unite us instead."—Cleveland Plain Dealer "Broad, eloquent storytelling."—The Wall Street Journal "Her conviction, passion and intelligence radiate throughout the book, making us feel the urgency of the ideas it seeks to convey."—New York Sun "This could very possibly be one of the greatest intellectual histories ever written."—Library Journal (starred review) "On prominent display in this book are Armstrong's usual virtues—wide knowledge, meticulous research, a superb appreciation for the beauty and power of religious and philosophical ideasls, and general readability."—Shambhala Sun "This magisterial work, continuing Karen Armstrong's mission to explore the place and purposes of religions in the modern world, follows in the stream of her books on Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddaism."—Spirituality & Health  Critical Acclaim for Karen Armstrong's The Spiral Staircase "Enjoyable and deeply interesting. . . . Very rewarding." –San Francisco Chronicle "A story about becoming human, being recognized, finally recognizing oneself. . . . It fills the reader with hope." –The Washington Post Book World "Riveting. . . . It's a pleasure to read simply because it's honest and hopeful. . . . Armstrong is such an evocative writer." –Newsday "I loved this powerful and moving account, and read it nonstop." –Elaine Pagels, author of Beyond Belief "In . . . Armstrong's memoir there lurks wisdom about the making and remaking of a life . . . from which all of us could learn." –The New York Times Book Review "A powerful memoir. . . . Buoyed by keen intelligence and unflinching self-awareness and honesty. . . . Armstrong is an engaging, energetic writer." –The Christian Science Monitor "A minor masterpiece." –Elle "Exceptionally impressive. . . . Karen Armstrong's account of her spiralling journey provokes thought and inspires respect." –Daily Telegraph "The story of the making of a writer. . . . It manages to dramatize the writer's process of intellectual development and to find in it genuine interest, and, indeed, suspense. . . . As an account of the intellectual journey of an intelligent and unique individual, the book is often gripping." –Sa...

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About the Author

Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous other books on religious affairs—including A History of God, The Battle for God, Holy War, Islam, Buddha, and The Great Transformation—and two memoirs, Through the Narrow Gate and The Spiral Staircase. Her work has been translated into forty-five languages. She has addressed members of the U.S. Congress on three occasions; lectured to policy makers at the U.S. State Department; participated in the World Economic Forum in New York, Jordan, and Davos; addressed the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington and New York; is increasingly invited to speak in Muslim countries; and is now an ambassador for the UN Alliance of Civilizations. In February 2008 she was awarded the TED Prize and is currently working with TED on a major international project to launch and propagate a Charter for Compassion, created online by the general public and crafted by leading thinkers in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, to be signed in the fall of 2009 by a thousand religious and secular leaders. She lives in London.

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Product details

Hardcover: 432 pages

Publisher: Knopf; First Edition edition (September 22, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0307269183

ISBN-13: 978-0307269188

Product Dimensions:

5.2 x 0.4 x 8.4 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review:

4.1 out of 5 stars

233 customer reviews

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Karen Armstrong has written an insightful summary of the historical development of the God concept from earliest time to the present. The best review of the major contributions of her case study can be found in the book’s prologue and epilogue. Her overview of the ways in which human interpretations of the transcendental “other” have appeared in history is invaluable in sorting out the objects of religious devotion (or the denials thereof) which have challenged human understanding. To convey the scope and artistry of her analyses, I have selected ideas from her book which particularly appealed to me. She presents her case in two parts; the first is The Unknown God (30,000 BCE to 1500 CE) during which ultimate reality was not a personalized God, but a profound mystery which could never be plumbed (mythos beyond logos). Reality that transcends language must be expressed symbolically, which was variously developed: in Hebrew monotheism, in Greek philosophy, in rabbinical Judaism, in early Christianity, in Eastern orthodoxy and in Islamic revelation. Central to many of these developments were the ideas that accessibility to God involved one or more of: “kenosis” (emptying oneself of selfishness), “pistis” (commitment to engagement), “ekstasis” (stepping out of habitual thought patterns), all of which required long, hard practice or ritual devotion. Attempts to prove God’s existence through logic were proposed, but those who claimed an experience of God seemed to accept the “apophatic assumption” which was that reason was incapable of encompassing what God was. The second part of the book (1500 CE to the present) covers the period in which religion and science were seen progressively to contradict each other. As the scientific method developed, observational and experimental “truths” contradicted metaphorical “truths” in scripture, which were mistakenly taken literally and suppressed for being at odds with doctrine. The philosophical enlightenment of the 18th century attempted to use logic and reason to explain transcendent experience, and this gave rise to deism and atheism but also to literal fundamentalism as a reaction to any attempt to question the veracity of scripture. But secular ideologies, such as the logical positivist’s limitation of meaningful inquiry to objective sense data, are as deadly as religious bigotry, and both represent inherently destructive idolatries. Armstrong observes that “every single fundamentalist movement, scientific as well as religious, is rooted in profound fear and is fiercely reductionistic”. Just as the monkey trial and the use of suicide bombings illustrate the weaknesses of religious fundamentalism, the holocaust as well as Hiroshima and Nagasaki illustrate the danger of science, unfettered by compassion, as a tool of militarism. If we can no longer look to an all-powerful, oriental-despot God who, if properly appeased by devotion and praise, may bless us with favors, what kind of god does this case study suggest? An answer postulated by recent German theologians seems to hark back to "that profound mystery which could never be plumbed" – a.k.a. the ground of all being. Gould has suggested that God belongs to a religious magisterium, concerned with values which is separated from a scientific magisterium which deals only with empirical sense data. Science itself is an act of faith whereas religion requires response rather than belief. In this reviewer’s opinion, Armstrong stops short of summarizing her case, perhaps because she has chosen not to include the insights that have come from analyses of those resuscitated from death or near death. There is growing evidence that consciousness, non-localized to the bodies of individuals in these and other circumstances, can expand to realms similar to, if not identical with, those experienced in mystical traditions, in order to sense that overwhelming oneness and love which is the hallmark of the perennial God experience.

I have been a big fan of Karen Armstrong since I heard her speak some years ago at a conference. Her wit and humility are as powerful as her scholarship and big picture perspective on the history of religion. Her examination as to the history of God and what that simple three letter word might mean as metaphor rather than simply literal meaning is powerful. One of my favorite quotes (and has been oft-quoted online) is this passage from the book "We have domesticated God's transcendence. We often learn about God at about the same time as we are learning about Santa Claus; but our ideas about Santa Claus change, mature and become more nuanced, whereas our ideas of God can remain at a rather infantile level."To me, that statement does not at all deny the story of God as written in the Koran, Hebrew and Christian Testaments. God as reality can be valid but only if we understand "God" to be mean many different ideas. Some see God as literal presence; others understand God as metaphor. They are all correct depending on our viewpoint.Karen Armstrong in the gentlest possible ways invites us (actually holds our feet to the theological fire) to consider God in radically different ways that surely will force us out of our comfort zones. Marvelous book.

Ms. Armstrong correctly points out that most of the angry noise about religion comes from fundamentalists and atheists. Clearly, the author falls into a more tolerant attitude about the various religious beliefs practiced around the world. She does not, however, give a free pass to Christian, Islam, or Jewish fundamentalism OR narrow-minded atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitches. I've read all four of the atheists' books by the aforementioned and, despite them being highly entertaining and thought-provoking, were of the attitude that we should throw the proverbial religious-belief baby out with the bathwater. Both sides seem hellbent on destroying the other.The author takes pains to explain the evolving nature of religious practices since we converted to monotheism. Ms. Armstrong focuses primarily on Christianity but gives a very quick overview of the Muslim and Jewish history. It's important to pay close attention while reading 'The Case for God.' Skimming over the history of how religious belief was practiced and then reading the author's conclusions is a waste of time. She covers such areas as the intent of the Holy Trinity, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, the Second Great Awakening, myth vs literalism, many of the movers-n-shakers of religious debate, and religion's complex relationship with science.For the record, I was raised Catholic but have been agnostic now for almost thirty years. Like the other half dozen other works I've read by Ms. Armstrong, she treats her subject matters with respect. She may not agree with their stances, but you won't find the author calling them rockheads or loony. Once in a great while, sarcasm makes a brief cameo, but Ms. Armstrong saves it for the fundamentalists and atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. Both Dawkin-wannabes and fundamentalists have a great resistance to acknowledging the "opponents" may have some merit. I have always finished one of the author's works better informed and reminded that religion is a valuable component for many people in living life.

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The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong PDF

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The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong PDF

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