Allan W. Janssen has written a fascinating book about religion and the search for God and meaning throughout human history.
From the earliest burial rituals to the main religions of modern times, he examines what we believe and how these beliefs were formed.
The book is filled with illustrations and wonderful quotes, such as the ending quote from Arthur C. Clarke: "One of my objections to religion is that it prevents the search for God." And that quote pretty well epitomizes what Mr. Janssen has to say about the matter.
The message as I perceive it is that when a religion is written down and a priesthood or other system of leaders is established, then that religion can be used for whatever purpose the leadership decides it should be used for, and true believers will not question it, since to do so would be a sin. And when people do not dare to question, that is where the trouble begins.
The first part of the book, Book I, covers a history of human development and how religion began. It includes a very detailed time line that is very helpful in putting everything into perspective.
The second part of the book , Book II, has to do with how religious leaders emerged and how religion began to be used for various purposes by these leaders.
One part of this section that I found particularly interesting was the section on Memes, those phrases, images, and ideas that become repeated so often that they become a part of our culture and our thoughts.
"Where's the beef?" is an example Mr. Janssen employs.
How do these memes relate to religion and spirituality?
That's an interesting question, which is explored in The Plain Truth About God in detail.
I found this book to be well-researched and filled with intriguing information.
I believe that any open-minded person with an interest in human culture and religion will find it useful and enlightening, as well as entertaining to read.
This is not a dry textbook but a vital exploration of human beings and our search for a bigger meaning, and what the results of that search have and can lead to.
The Plain Truth about God is a very good overview of the subject of humanity and religion, and I highly recommend it to all open-minded readers.