Explore the dark side of religion
The books in this list tend to fall into two groups: those which describe the strange beliefs and practices found in many religions, and those which expose the persecution, violence, and terror often associated with religion.
Free Ebooks
Title: Weird Beliefs
Author: Barry Wilson
Available Formats: Ebook
Ebook Price: Free
ISBN: 978-1465820846
Publisher: Smashwords
First Published: 2012
Length: 24,725 Words
Illustrations: 22 images
Description
In this book you can explore many fascinating subjects, including: Devil Worship ... Zombies ... Doomsday Cults ... Head Shrinkers ... Hungry Ghosts ... Original Sin ... Fire Walking ... the Grim Reaper ... Witch Smellers ... Human Sacrifice ... Holy Mud ... Dervishes ... Sacred Mushrooms ... the Dance of Death ... Christian Snake Handlers ... Weird Mythical Beasts ... Sin Eaters ... Demonic Possession ... the Antichrist ... Golems ... the Temple of Rats ... Weeping Statues ... the Wandering Jew ... Incorruptible Bodies ... Crucifixion Re-enactments ... Ghouls ... Pillar Saints ... Prayer Wheels ... the Black Stone of Mecca ... Temple Virgins ... Baby Tossing ... Death Worms ... Towers of Silence ... the Devil's Mark ... Heavenly Omens ... the Ghost Dance ... Idol Worship ... and many more.
The book also contains many interesting images, including reproductions of some famous works of art.
Availability
This book is offered as a free ebook at most major online bookstores, and it can also be obtained by direct download from several file-sharing sites. You can find these bookstores and download sites by doing a general web search for the book's title and author.
You can also read this entire book online at https://sites.google.com/site/weirdbeliefs
Title: The history of the devil
Author: Paul Carus
Formats: Print book and Ebook
Ebook Price: Free
Print book Price: High
ISBN: 978-0766183001
Publisher: Open Court
First Published: 1899
Length: Varies
Description
Full Title: The history of the devil and the idea of evil, from the earliest times to the present day
A modern reader may find the old-fashioned writing style of this book tedious to read, and rambling in its content, but there is a lot of interesting information. Individual chapters cover such topics as devil worship, demonology, the Inquisition, and the witch hunts. The main focus is on Christian beliefs about evil and the devil, but the author also strays into ancient religions, pagan gods, and even Hinduism and Buddhism.
Availability
Because this work is in the public domain, anyone may publish and sell it, and several modern print editions are being sold at online stores. The original 1899 edition is apparently out-of-print, but might be available as a collector's item. If you don't want to pay for a print edition, you can obtain free copies of an ebook version in various formats. To check out the possibilities, do a general web search for the book's title.
Title: Gospel Mysteries
Author: Anonymous
Formats: Print book and Ebook
Ebook Price: Free
Print book Price: Low
ISBN: 978-1452310657
Publisher: Smashwords
First Published: 2009
Length: 32,795 Words
Illustrations: 12 Images
Description
Although this book ostensibly appears to be a typical Christian apologetics work, a perceptive reader will gradually come to realize that it is actually a disguised denunciation of Christianity. The author's apparent goal is to attract Christian readers and then subtly make them aware of the basic errors and contradictions which underlie their beliefs. In this regard, the book's most interesting chapters are those which discuss the virgin birth, the resurrection stories, the real reasons for the crucifixion of Jesus, and the incompatibilties between the gospel of John and the other gospels. There are also interesting discussions of demonic possession, the Devil, the location of hell, and the lost gospels. Although this book is designed to attract and educate Christians, most non-Christian readers are also likely to learn much that they didn't previously know. Altogether there are 30 chapters and 12 images, including reproductions of some famous works of art.
Availability
This book is offered as a free ebook at most major online bookstores, and it can also be obtained by direct download from several file-sharing sites. In addition, it is available as a low-priced print book at many online stores. To find these bookstores and download sites, do a web search for the book's title and author.
Low-Priced Books
Title: The Dark Side of Christian History
Author: Helen Ellerbe
Formats: Print book and Ebook
Price: Low
ISBN: 978-0964487345
Publisher: Morningstar and Lark
First Published: 1995
Length: 236 pages
Illustrations: 38
Description
This book describes the long history of violence and brutality associated with attempts by Christians to force their beliefs on other people. Specific topics include the persecution of Jews, the torture of heretics, the executions of suspected witches, and the enslavements of conquered peoples. The book also discusses the sexist and racist attitudes often found in Christian societies. The information is carefully documented with hundreds of referneces and notes, as well as an extensive bibliography. There are also many illustrations and reproductions of well-known works of art.
Availability
This book can be purchased as either a print book or ebook at most major online bookstores.
To find the websites of stores which sell copies of this book, do a general web search for the book's title.
Mid-Priced Books
Title: Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven
Author: Dr. Uta Ranke-Heinemann
Formats: Print book
Paperback Price: medium
Hardcover Price: high
ISBN: 978-0140165005
Publisher: Penguin
First Published: 1988 (German)
First Published in English: 1990
Length: 368 pages
Description
The title of this book comes from a biblical passage at Matthew 19:12, in which Jesus says "there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (King James translation). This statement suggests that a man can improve his chance of going to heaven by undergoing voluntary castration. But actually this book mostly focuses on the bad side of Christianity that involves the treatment of women. Specifically, the author describes how the Christian church attempts to enforce sexual taboos which lead to the oppression of women and restrictions on their role in society. Subjects include celibacy, divorce, birth control, abortion, satanism, and the treatment of suspected witches. This is an extensive historical study which contains a lot of fascinating information unlikely to be found anywhere else. Note: This book was originally published in German under the title Eunuchen fur das Himmelreich, and was later translated into English by Peter Heinegg.
Availability
This book is available in hardcover and paperback versions at several major online bookstores. An ebook version may be offered in the future.
To find the websites of stores which offer this book, do a general web search for the book's title.
High-Priced Books
Title: The Illegitimacy of Jesus
Author: Dr. Jane Schaberg
Formats: Print book
Print Book Price: High
ISBN: 978-1905048847
Publisher: Sheffield Phoenix Press
Length: 332 Pages
Description
Full Title: The Illegitimacy of Jesus: A Feminist Theological Interpretation of the Infancy Narratives
As the author of this book clearly shows, the New Testament gospels contain some subtle evidence which indicates that the traditional Christian story of the virgin birth is a fabrication, and that Mary actually became pregnant with Jesus through an illegitimate conception. The author also discusses some extra-biblical evidence which suggests that the real father of Jesus was a Roman soldier named Pantera (or possibly Pandera), and that he may have raped Mary. Note: This is a scholarly book, with many notes and references, and careful reading may be required in order to gain a full understanding.
A description from a sales page:
"The author argues that Matthew and Luke were aware that Jesus had been conceived illegitimately, probably as a result of a rape of Mary, and had left in their Gospels some hints of that knowledge, even though their main purpose was to explore the theological significance of Jesus' birth. By having the Messiah born out of the exploitation of a woman of the poor, God demonstrates the vindication of the oppressed in a truly miraculous manner..."
Availability
This book is available in print form at most major online bookstores. An ebook version may be offered in the future.
To find the websites of stores which sell this book, do a general web search for the book's title.
More Suggestions
Holy Terror: The Fundamentalist War on America's Freedoms in Religion, Politics, and Our Private Lives by Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman
Cults, Religion, and Violence edited by David G. Bromley and J. Gordon Melton
The New Books of Revelations: The Inside Story of America's Astounding Religious Cults by Charles W. Ferguson
Who Should Play God: The Artificial Creation of Life and What It Means for the Future of the Human Race by Jeremy Rifkin and Ted Howard
The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever by Christopher Hitchens
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