We can’t always agree on exactly how to define what is or is not a “religion”.  In general, it’s a system of beliefs with a lot of followers. Early religions tended to be used at least partly in place of science, to explain why mysterious natural things happened (e.g., thunder and lightning are the sound of a god driving his chariot through the sky).  However, religions also detail practical moral standards and codes of conduct for believers. Their authority ultimately must rest on theological faith or supernatural elements -- today, usually a monotheistic, capital-g God. The difference between a splinter faith and a cult is not always clear and often leads to heated arguments, and there are also many people -- more today than ever -- who believe religions are outdated or harmful, while others argue that they are more important than ever in the apparently amoral modern world.

This book attempts to revitalize the debate about the modern role of religion by looking at the history of faith and whether or not it is natural for human beings to be religious and then introducing an innovative new perspective on faith and secularism.  Many examples are used to illustrate the concepts involved and provide context for discussion and debate. The author makes special emphasis on the idea that, while it’s impossible to verify someone’s internal beliefs, it can still be useful to examine their behavior and use that information in the discussion of religion.

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