"Persecution and Toleration: The Long Road to Religious Freedom" (Cambridge Studies in Economics, Choice, and Society) by Noel D. Johnson and Mark Koyama
"Religious freedom has become an emblematic value in the West. Embedded in constitutions and championed by politicians and thinkers across the political spectrum, it is to many an absolute value, something beyond question. Yet how it emerged, and why, remains widely misunderstood. Tracing the history of religious persecution from the Fall of Rome to the present-day, Noel D. Johnson and Mark Koyama provide a novel explanation of the birth of religious liberty. This book treats the subject in an integrative way by combining economic reasoning with historical evidence from medieval and early modern Europe. The authors elucidate the economic and political incentives that shaped the actions of political leaders during periods of state building and economic growth."
This web site had 35 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays so far during 2019-DEC and early 2020-JAN, including the above book review:
The book author's personal review (Insulting content. Reader's discretion is recommended):
"This book needed to be written. A book about the folly of religion. Folly is described in the Dictionary as being foolish, lack of sense, and unwise conduct. This describes Religion perfectly.
It is foolish to believe there is an invisible friend in the sky called God, who is watching over you and [over] seven billion other people who reside here on Earth.
He is watching over us twenty four hours a day and has been doing this for Centuries.
Anyone who believes this nonsense is being foolish and is definitely lacking common sense. ..."
Webmaster's comment:
This book attempts to be a humorous attack on religion. But many religious readers will find it profoundly obnoxious.
This web site does not usually include religious attacks. However, we are including this book in our book selection for November for two reasons:
We felt that this book would be amusing to many of our site visitors, particularly those who hold sincere and positive views about their faith group.
Also, it should be useful to our web site's religious visitors who attempt to convert non-Christians to Christianity. It might help readers understand the thought processes of other people who have negative views on religion.
This web site had 13 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays so far during 2019-NOV, including the above book review:
A Gallup poll, found that: 34 million U.S, adults know someone who died after not getting [medical] treatment, and 58 million adults report inability to pay for needed drugs in past year.
"I simply donâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~t know a book on toleration that compares to this one. Denis Lacorne has managed to weave together both an intellectual history of ideas about toleration and a wide-ranging international survey of policies related to it. Theory and practice come together in a very illuminating way and will expand the American readerâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~s horizon beyond our borders." (Mark Lilla, author of The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics)
"Living in a religiously tolerant society, Americans no longer understand what the challenge of achieving religious toleration originally meant: learning to coexist with beliefs and practices that one detested. Denis Lacorne begins this critical survey by recalling the great Enlightenment voices for toleration: Locke, Voltaire, and the American founders. But he then examines modern European and American disputes to demonstrate why the struggle for toleration and free exercise remains so problematic â~ez_euro~~ez_bull~ a fight that never quite ends but that we grasp much better after reading Lacorne's crisp and incisive chapters." (Jack N. Rakove, author of Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution)
"A timely, erudite, and insightful book that sheds light on issues concerning whether and when contemporary democracies should restrict the practices and beliefs of nonmainstream religious and political groups. It is the best book written on this subject to date." (Bruce Cain, author of Democracy More or Less: Americaâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~s Political Reform Quandary)
"He gives no pat answers, but an implicit lesson runs throughout. Defending toleration is not like protecting a jewel. It takes fixity of aim but also a feel for the changing context, persistence with a task that never ends and readiness to start again. Toleration does gradually spread. It can also suddenly vanish." (The Economist.
This web site had 27 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays during 2019-OCT, including the above book review:
"I simply donâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~t know a book on toleration that compares to this one. Denis Lacorne has managed to weave together both an intellectual history of ideas about toleration and a wide-ranging international survey of policies related to it. Theory and practice come together in a very illuminating way and will expand the American readerâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~s horizon beyond our borders." (Mark Lilla, author of The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics)
"Living in a religiously tolerant society, Americans no longer understand what the challenge of achieving religious toleration originally meant: learning to coexist with beliefs and practices that one detested. Denis Lacorne begins this critical survey by recalling the great Enlightenment voices for toleration: Locke, Voltaire, and the American founders. But he then examines modern European and American disputes to demonstrate why the struggle for toleration and free exercise remains so problematic â~ez_euro~~ez_bull~ a fight that never quite ends but that we grasp much better after reading Lacorne's crisp and incisive chapters." (Jack N. Rakove, author of Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution)
"A timely, erudite, and insightful book that sheds light on issues concerning whether and when contemporary democracies should restrict the practices and beliefs of nonmainstream religious and political groups. It is the best book written on this subject to date." (Bruce Cain, author of Democracy More or Less: Americaâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~s Political Reform Quandary)
"He gives no pat answers, but an implicit lesson runs throughout. Defending toleration is not like protecting a jewel. It takes fixity of aim but also a feel for the changing context, persistence with a task that never ends and readiness to start again. Toleration does gradually spread. It can also suddenly vanish." (The Economist.
This web site had 21 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays during 2019-SEP, including the above book review:
"A fresh take on climate change by a renowned journalist driven to protect his daughter, your kids, and the next generation whoâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~ll inherit the problem.
For twenty years, Mark Hertsgaard has investigated global warming for outlets including theã~ez_euro~~ez_euro~New Yorker, NPR, Time, Vanity Fair, and The Nation. But the full truth did not hit home until he became a father and, soon thereafter, learned that climate change had already arrived -- a century earlier than forecast -- with impacts bound to worsen for decades to come. Hertsgaard's daughter Chiara, now five years old, is part of what he has dubbed "Generation Hot"-- the two billion young people worldwide who will spend the rest of their lives coping with mounting climate disruption. ..."
"Hertsgaard provides 'pictures' of what is expected over the next fifty years: Chicagoâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~s climate transformed to resemble Houstonâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~s; dwindling water supplies and crop yields at home and abroad; the redesign of New York and other cities against mega-storms and sea-level rise. Above all, he shows who is taking wise, creative precautions. For in the end, HOT is a book about how weâ~ez_euro~~ez_trade~ll survive."
This web site had 16 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays during 2019-AUG, including the above book review.
"Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Chair of The Elders, and Chair of South Africa~ez_rsquo~s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, offer a manual on the art of forgiveness -- helping us to realize that we are all capable of healing and transformation.
Tutu's role as the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission taught him much about forgiveness. If you asked anyone what they thought was going to happen to South Africa after apartheid, almost universally it was predicted that the country would be devastated by a comprehensive bloodbath. Yet, instead of revenge and retribution, this new nation chose to tread the difficult path of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
This web site had 26 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays during 2019-JUL, including the above book review.
"What happens to people who do not believe in God?"
"Why are so many Muslims quoting their holy book in the name of violence?"
"What are the authoritative sources of knowledge in Islam?"
"Why do your clerics condemn Judaism and Christian traditions?"
These days, Islam is no stranger to controversy. There are many questions, fears, and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims. I believe these books can answer questions, build bridges, and promote understanding.
Since 2009, I have facilitated interfaith dialogues with many different people. The conversations in these books are real. Some are curious, some are concerned, some are hostile, some are academic, and some are soul-searching. My hope is that this can be a small step towards better understanding and harmony."
This web site had 45 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays during 2019-JUN, including the above book review.
~ez_ldquo~How did a small, provincial Jewish sect called Christianity convert the mighty pagan Roman Empire? Bart Ehrman answers this baffling question with the same wit, passion, and rigorous scholarship that have made him one of the most popular religion writers in the world today. The Triumph of Christianity is a marvelous book.~ez_rdquo~ Reza Aslan, New York Times bestselling author of Zealot
~ez_ldquo~The great appeal of Ehrman~ez_rsquo~s approach to Christian history has always been his steadfast humanizing impulse... Ehrman always thinks hard about history~ez_rsquo~s winners and losers without valorizing the losers or demonizing the winners~ez_hellip~ Reading about how an entire culture~ez_rsquo~s precepts and traditions can be overthrown without anyone being able to stop it may not be heartening at this particular historical moment. All the more reason to spend time in the company of such a humane, thoughtful and intelligent historian.~ez_rdquo~ The New York Times Book Review
~ez_ldquo~Drawing on a wealth of ancient sources and contemporary historical research, Bart Ehrman weaves complex questions into a vivid, nuanced, and enormously readable narrative.~ez_rdquo~ Elaine Pagels, National Book Award-winning author of The Gnostic Gospels
~ez_ldquo~Like a good college lecture class, [Ehrman~ez_rsquo~s] book offers both a wealth of historical information and, to make sense of it all, a few plausible theories ~ez_mdash~ including his own. He doesn~ez_rsquo~t tell us what to think. He gives us a lot to think about.~ez_rdquo~ ~ez_mdash~ Newsday
This web site had 31 newly created, re-written, or significantly updated essays during 2019-MAY, including the above book review.
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