I have translated this book into the Urdu langugae. It is a highly useful book for common readers and for those who have dedicated their efforts for Change.

Armstrong understands the battle, its importance, and how the conflict should resolve itself. However, she and many others in academia must be much more honest with themselves and the world and admit that there s absolutely no evidence for an "historic" Jesus. They must make it clear that the battles involving "Jesus" are and always have been battles of ideals rather than battles over what an historic person once said or meant. ( )

This book will prove how powerful movments, as the religions, affect global politics and society today and into the future.

A concise analysis of the last five hundred years of religious evolution in Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Should be required reading for anyone who really wants to understand "where we are now" and "how we got here."

Lots of rich historical detail, but Armstrong also makes observations that seem obvious when you hear them, such as: fundamentalist movements are always fearful reactions to the encroachments of modernity and that attempts to modernize quickly are more likely to fuel a violent fundamentalist reaction than gradual change. You may also find some conclusions that seem surprising, such as that literal interpretations of the Bible are a very recent phenomenon.

Armstrong is not anti-religion, but she has a very clear-eyed view of it. It's hard to read this and not wonder how much better off we'd all be if our respective decision makers (deciders?) had such a broad and rational understanding of the world. You know, say a liberal arts degree instead of business school, debate club instead of the cheerleading squad, real military service instead of fake reserve service. (Sorry, I digress.)

Of course, the bad news is that at THIS point in history, irrational fundamentalism has gone mainstream, and not just in the Muslim world. American Christian Fundamentalists now control all three branches of our government.

The Battle For God will take you from Ferdinand and Isabella's expulsion of the Muslims to just shy of Bush Jr.'s Christian coup detat. For details on how the latter was accomplished, see Mark Crispin Miller's Fooled Again. ( )

outstanding scholarship in a readable form. she has the courage to write what she thinks knowing that many of the readers will not like what she has to say. If you want to know why the state of religion amongst the three montheistic religions is the way it is today read this book. ( )