All You Want to Know But Didn't Think You Could Ask: Religions, Cults, and Popular Beliefs

by Jessica Tinklenberg Devega, Christine Ortega Guarkee

Everything teens and young adults need to know about world religions and philosophies in one convenient book! As our global world becomes smaller, we encounter more religions and popular beliefs than we ever have before. This book from a high school religion teacher and a professor of religion clarifies the founding, history, practices, and beliefs of forty groups. Each chapter puts the group in context and explains how the religion is similar to or different from Christianity. No other book covers such a wide range of topics from Islam, Shamanism, and Mormonism, to atheism, vampirism, and astrology.

Features include:

Charts and tables for easy comparison of different religious beliefs and practices

Coverage of world religions, new religions, and religions in popular culture

Overviews of the founding, history, and typical followers of each religion

Written for classroom or individual study

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2012

Reviews

[Samuel Eastlund · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish this book (stopped about 60% of the way through), which is something I would like to avoid; yet flicking through and seeing headings such as 'Jediism;, 'Fandom', and 'Religious Violence' I felt that it would be a waste of time.

This book reads in an odd way, and that I can't find anything about either of the authors online suggests to me it was written by some high school teachers in their spare time. Until reading this book I had no idea that including a full internet link mid-sentence was an appropriate way to make a reference. Some chapters are sparse while others are too detailed.

Not only is it uncomfortable to read, it is also sometimes simply wrong. The author's claim that the Crusade's task of 'retaking Jerusalem from the Muslim Turks was never achieved'. How this claim could be made is beyond me - crusader rule remained strong for 100 years and in some form for 200. They also claim that Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God because Arabic Christians will use the word 'Allah' when talking about God. Ask a Muslim if they worship Jesus and see what response you get! Another nit-pick: in the chapter on Buddhism they open the chapter discussing the 'world in the 6th century CE' as the world when Buddhism appeared, despite later claiming that Siddhartha was born in 563 BCE. Clearly no (intelligent) editor read this text before publication.

Despite the author's claims to be objective, their own Christian beliefs (and assumed readers) are irritatingly present. This would be more palatable if they admitted to them. They even have the audacity to warn readers about how 'modern Christians sometimes misunderstand the meaning and purpose of apocalyptic imagery'. Regardless of the truth of this claim, it is irrelevant within the context of the book to start explaining what the 'right' interpretation of a text is.

This book is suitable for providing a list of beliefs to go and read the Wikipedia articles on, nothing more.

[Marilyn]

This was written by Angelica’s childhood friend, Christine Ortega Gaurkee.

WORLD TRADITIONS:
JUDAISM
CHRISTIANITY
ISLAM
HINDUISM
BUDDHISM
SIKHISM
BAHA’I

RELIGIONS OF PLACE:
TAOISM
SHINTO
SHAMANISM
CONFUCIANISM
ZOROASTRIANISM
RASTAFARIANISM
THE ORISHA TRADITIONS
NEPOAGANISM, WICCA, AND DRUIDISM
NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGION

UNIQUELY AMERICAN RELIGIONS:
MORMONISM
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISAM
SCIENTOLOGY
ANABAPTIST TRADITIONS
NATION OF ISLAM
JEHOVAH’S WITNESS
HARE KRISHNA


POP CULTURE-BASED RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS:
VAMPIRISM
JEDIISM
DIVINING, ASTROLOGY, TAROT CARDS AND NEW AGE
BELIEF IN THE PARANORMAL AND SPIRITS
DEMONOLOGY AND ANAGELOLOGY
FANDOM

NONRELIGIOUS BELIEFS:
ATHEISM
AGNOSTICISM
POSTMODERNISM
SECULAR HUMANISM

EXTREMISM:
FUNDAMENTALISM
RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE
APOCALYPTICISM
CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

[Wannie Michelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to understand and quite fascinating. Though for some smaller religion and beliefs little was written about them. Intriguing indeed and educational.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was simultaneously too specific and not specific enough. Maybe I just wanted a book on non-Christian religions? Learned a lot.

[Daniel Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe the overall message of the book is an important one, don't believe stereotypes are everyone. The book delves into several religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Baha'i as the main religions. It goes on to talk about the founding of each religion as to whom is worshipped; and who the main prophets are. It also shows the reader the fundamental beliefs of each system, with various traditions and holidays celebrated by each religion, and how they differ from others.
What I disagree with this book though, is that it does not actually delve into the actually teachings of each religion or the main holy manuscript of each system. The book itself also goes on to explain various fandoms and new age pop culture phenomena such as vampires. They really aren't too much along the lines of religion and mystic things, so I feel like they do not really belong in a book like this.

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonable overview of religions. Granted a little superficial in places but the. The idea was to give an overview rather than an in depth analysis. Plenty of additional material that is proposed for a person seeking to know more. Perhaps the focus was on too many aspects as there are really some areas that could have been left out and would not have detracted from the overall impact