The Story of Religion

As an atheist I was having a hard time finding a book about religions that didn’t come with a bias from the author about their chosen belief. Although I don’t believe in a god(s) or higher power, I have always encouraged my kids to explore all religions and beliefs and make their own decisions on what to believe or not believe. My kids both wanted to learn about different world religions, after being teased by some kids for believing in Greek mythology and dragons, and for not following the other kid’s religion (Catholicism). They wanted to understand the other kids beliefs and why they weren’t okay in people having different beliefs, and wondered how many other religions were out there and what they represented. My daughter (8yrs old), who believes in Greek mythology, loved seeing that there were so many polytheistic religions out there, and that many also had similar gods representing same elements. My son (6yrs old) who believes in dragons, liked learning that there were many other religions that had animal or mythical like creatures as gods. Both kids had a ton of questions about monotheism, prophets, and religious tolerance or intolerance. I liked how the book talks about some of similarities in all religions, and how there is no one right or wrong religion - It depends on where and how you were brought up. Here is the last page of the book: “There is no one way to seek God - no one way to look at the world. There are countless paths to Enlightenment, Truth, Paradise, and Heaven, and there are many ways to worship. Some people believe that their ways and ideas are the only right ones. But intolerance has only led to tragedy- to religious persecution and violence through human kind. The fact that in this world there are so many people following so many different paths to God shows that there is no one right way. What is right for one person may not be right for another. Learning about the beliefs of others helps people to understand and respect one another. Appreciating their similarities and their differences helps people to learn tolerance. Then people can truly be neighbors, living in harmony, each group in its own way - living every day by the Golden Rule.

I was looking for a resource to open my daughter's eyes to the world of religion without a biase and I found it. This book offers a peek into many religions without stating who's right or who's wrong. The Story of Religion is a wonderful way for an agnostic or non-practicing believer to share the nuisances of peoples faiths without exposing them to the divisiveness found in so many introductory religious resources.

I cannot say enough about how wonderful this book is. I am not a Christian, and I am not a religious person. Still, I want my children to know about and understand the powerful religious forces in the world.The information is simple and straightforward, but there is enough there to clearly explain the foundations of the world's (and history's) dominant religions. The recommended ages are 4 - 8, but I think 4 might be too young and 11 might be a better top age.The book focuses on acceptance of the differences in religious beliefs. I do not see the Judeo-Christian bias described by a previous reviewer.

Ironically, the 'fundies' ...are unlikely to approve of it! ...extremely committed 'fundamentalist' Christians (or other religion, as in ultra-orthodox Jews, or hardline Muslims or whatever). This book is not made for people whose worldview is already cast in stone- there is no way that they would be able to endorse a book that sums itself up by saying "The fact that in this world there are so many people following so many different paths to God shows that there is no one right way."This book is a rarity in these times: a book that looks at the big picture, written in a clear, accessible but literate manner. It does not talk down to the reader- precocious 9's will enjoy it, but so will adults. It is a journey through the evolution of religion, from early concepts of powers beyond our own into increasingly structured and codified faiths. The summaries of the developments of the major world faiths of today are outstanding- they give a clear context and understanding in a very clear, succinct paragraphs. Illustrations in a variety of styles support and augment the text beautifully. There are other books for teaching the specifics of different faiths, for every age range. This book paints a picture of how the religions of today developed, and makes a strong case for tolerance of understanding and respecting other paths to God/ Enlightenment/ Truth etc. Even the back cover quotes pitch in- I initially ignored them, assuming that they were the usual "this is a great book" blurbs, but instead they area fine selection of quotes from people as diverse as Frederick the Great and Thomas Paine.If you are interested in a broader understanding of religion as a part of human society - for yourself or for your children- this is a great place to start. And you may just find some things that lift your faith in the world at the same time. This is a don't miss book for anybody who can accept the idea that there is more than one right answer.

I think this book is very moving and provides students with a greater understanding of religion. I did not find this book biased and thought that it would help some of my students, who came from communist countries, understand what religion is. Doesn't mean that I want to convert them, but it will be easier to participate in discussions of religion and create dialogue with their parents, who entered them into a religious school.

Unfortunately, a previous review of this book deterred me from buying it for quite some time. But I happened to find it in a local used bookstore and LOVED it! I am an atheist and I tend to be overly sensitive to religious propaganda. I get very aggrivated when I feel people are forcing their beliefs on me. This book absolutely did NOT do that! This was a very good introduction to world religions. In my opinion it gave very equal treatment to the different religions and was not biased in any way. And after introducing each of the more popular religions, the writers spent an additional five pages discussing lesser practiced religions, atheism, diveristy, and the "Golden Rule". The very last pages of the book even contain a glossary which includes information about religions that weren't included in the book.This was exactly what I was looking for to introduce the various world religions to my 6-year-old son! Don't let the previous reviewer scare you away! I highly recommend this book!