This 384-page book features a detailed review of the major religions of the world, exploring the various ways of worship, cultural background, lands and peoples. It reviews the seemingly instinctual and universal need to worship, that seems to be present in all cultures, as well as the various forms through history in which that need has manifested itself.

Primitive religions such as animism, as well as the history to modern day practice of Hinduism, including Yoga are considered, as well as Hinduism development into Buddhism. Other Oriental religions such as Taoism and Confucianism are also considered. A small section also describes the Sikh religion. The various forms of Judaism are discussed, with a history that goes back some thousands of years to the first Jew, Abraham, as well as the other two major monotheistic religions, Islam and Christianity. The Christian section considers both the background and life and ministry of Jesus Christ, as well as the primitive and developed practice of Christianity, the Dark Ages and the development of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the Reformation, Protestantism, and modern day Christianity.

There is a chapter which considers the historical development of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a section on modern day disbelief which touches on both Darwinism, and worship of the state in socialist countries. The book is factual, non-judgmental, accurate, and it is a complete reference that is equal to an advanced college course on world religion. The only thing lacking in Mankind’s Search for God is information on some of the smaller Christian religions in modern times, that is Later Day Saints and Seventh Day Adventists, as well as more details on the present state of 21st Century Evangelicals. Other than that, one can consider it to be both a complete and authoritative guide on world religion. (The writer of this article passed a college test worth 3 credits on world religion, only from knowledge derived on the subject from this book.)

It is important to have a feel for world culture, in today’s melting pot of society that exists in most developed countries. Gaining an understanding or world religion gives one a basis for examining his or her own belief system, in a broader context. This also is of much value. The other benefit of reading Mankind’s Search for God is that it helps to document the continued and historical, almost instinctive need that humans have for worship, that seems to be a universal part of nearly every culture, and despite many who have turned to science, almost as another religion, or others who have worshiped the state, in certain countries which have or had almost deified their leaders, the majority of mankind continues to cling to both a belief system and some form of worship. This is an important cultural phenomena and a reflection of the essence of one of man’s greatest needs, the desire to search for a higher purpose in life, for the “great cause” of this awesome universe, and how we fit into that grand purpose.

John Scott is an educator in Newark, NJ, and works in Newark public schools. He is 46 and his certificates are in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and High School Psychology. Mr. Scott writes poetry between classes, collects poetry from students and encourages poetry as a healthy creative outlet for children and teens. He is a member of the New York Chapter of NAMI, in connection with writing on psychology, and also a member of STP (The Society for Teaching Psychology). He has a BA in Social Science from Thomas Edison State College, as well as advanced studies in psychology.

Mankind’s Search for God is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, and can be obtained through the http://www.jw-media.org website, or from contacting the producers of http://jehovahs-witnesses-headlines.net.

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