“What I propose to do in this book is to take you on a guided exploration of the Catholic world; but not in the manner of a docent; for I am not interested in showing you the artifacts of Catholicism as though they were dusty objets d’art in a museum of culture. I want to function rather as a mystagogue; conducting you ever deeper into the mystery of the incarnation in the hopes that you might be transformed by its power.†–Father Robert Barron What is Catholicism? A 2;000-year-old living tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism Father Robert Barron examines all these questions and more; seeking to capture the body; heart and mind of the Catholic faith.Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation; life; and teaching; Father Barron moves through the defining elements of Catholicism--from sacraments; worship; and prayer; to Mary; the Apostles; and Saints; to grace; salvation; heaven; and hell--using his distinct and dynamic grasp of art; literature; architecture; personal stories; Scripture; theology; philosophy; and history to present the Church to the world. Paired with his documentary film series of the same title; Catholicism is an intimate journey; capturing “The Catholic Thing†in all its depth and beauty. Eclectic; unique; and inspiring; Father Barron brings the faith to life for a new generation; in a style that is both faithful to timeless truths; while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life.
#1273 in Books Jonathan Haidt 2013-02-12 2013-02-12Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.96 x 1.12 x 5.18l; 1.07 #File Name: 0307455777528 pagesThe Righteous Mind Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
Review
235 of 244 people found the following review helpful. This Book Changed my LifeBy BrandonI've read a lot of books in my life. Psychology; Poetry; Biology; Business Theory; Self-Help; Nutrition; Economics and so many other subjects are represented in my home library.The Righteous Mind is hands-down the most important book I've ever consumed. Haidt's understanding of human morality and the science of communication and decision making are weaved together into an approachable; beautiful and potentially life changing symphony.Enough has been said about why you should read this book so I want to use the rest of this review to tell you exactly what I experienced after finishing this book and how it became "The most important thing I've ever read".I have struggled for years to communicate with some of my friends and family. So many words were wasted discussing politics; religion and conspiracy theories and all we ever accomplished was self-fulfillment. We never had resolution and we never succeeded in convincing the other side.I'm a person who considers myself well-read and a champion for pragmatism and logic. You can probably imagine how frustrated I felt when I was consistently unable to win arguments about out-there; government's coming for us-so buy some guns; conspiracy discussions.Something had to give; so I went searching and ended up on this book. I read it; digested it and decided to try and apply the principles to my communications. I was determined to "align with their elephant" first so I could then shift their mindset to my point of view.Let's be honest: I was just trying to manipulate other people into seeing things my way.Well; something incredible and completely unintentional happened: I realized I was wrong; a lot.One of the foundational pieces discussed in the book is the fact that we; as humans; make decisions in the parts of our brain that aren't subject to critical thinking. If you want to sway someones opinion; Haidt suggests; you must first appeal to their elephant (the emotional part of their brain or "why they feel the way they do").In the effort to start practicing this: I dedicated myself to asking "why do they believe this way?" first and only made suggestions after I felt that I could articulate what the other person was "feeling" about the subject.A crazy thing happened: many times I would find myself changing my mind about a subject mid conversation. As it turns out; other people aren't quite as crazy as I thought; they just have different experiences than I do.After I spent some time training my brain; I started to conversate this way without any conscious effort. I actually seem to have re-wired my brain. The implication of this can't be overstated.I now see the world in completely different ways and I feel that I can actually empathize for the first time in my life.I only wish everyone could read this book; understand their natural decision making process and be aware of what's happening to them when they have disagreements or strong opinions on a subject.You need to read this book. Everyone does.To the author: Thank you; Jonathan; for giving your life to understanding us a little better and for taking the time to write it all down and pass these lessons onto the rest of us.66 of 67 people found the following review helpful. Cognitive DissonanceBy Avril JamesThis book was stressful for me to read because I really wanted to keep not liking the people I don't agree with. Challenge you to consider that those who do not agree with are not necessarily the devil. I will continue to refer to this in the future in my work as a therapist and minister.69 of 73 people found the following review helpful. Made Me Re-thinkBy Tony B.Excellent read. Made me think about a lot of cultural and social factors I would never have considered. I lean toward "liberal" idealogies; but this book made me realize the value of a more diverse perspective for the survival of the human race and how my anti-religious viewpoints had incorporated "sacred" elements of their own. Subsequently; a few of my liberal views which I would not allow to be challenged in my own mind; I am now open to considering broader implications. In summary; this book moved a few of my black and white viewpoints back into the gray and was unexpectedly life changing for me.
