An encouraging guide to the concept of predestination.
In this brief examination of free will and fate, a psychotherapist and dedicated follower of Zoroastrianism outlines evidence for both.
Spitama, the author, notes that he’s simply the messenger for the writings here; he’s “a mail carrier delivering packages” for enlightened thinkers that came before him, including Zarathustra, the Buddha, and Socrates, among others. The author effortlessly relates a key belief that wisdom belongs to all. Zarathustra, he asserts, did not believe in mindless following; he helped others to see themselves as the “masters of their own destinies,” which was a radical idea in Zarathustra’s time. Spitama suggests that humans have a unique ability to make choices, unlike many other things in nature, and that people must always choose with wisdom and consciousness, because “being passive or neutral in life can lead to confusion and deception.” For example, the concept of fate can remove accountability, the author notes; the belief in karma can be used to justify tragedies, inequalities, and wrongdoings; and external factors such as accidents, luck, and the actions of others can be easy to rely on with little effort. These are all elements of predestination, he says, a concept that those who have consciousness but not necessarily wisdom believe: “consciousness doesn’t create wisdom,” he says. “It only illuminates what already exists,” thus making events seem predetermined. However, he effectively goes on to say that through practices like mindful meditation, changes can happen through choice. Spitama also lightly touches on other teachings of Zarathustra involving women’s rights and a comparison of good versus evil, but the major concepts of the book are concise and easy to understand. For modern Zoroastrians or curious learners alike, this text will be an accessible reference on a range of concepts, centering on free will, positivity, and good thoughts, while making clear the author’s notion that the way to make good choices is to ask questions.
An encouraging guide to the concept of predestination.Pub Date: April 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781038307682
Page Count: 84
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Dec. 18, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A conversational, pleasurable look into McConaughey’s life and thought.
All right, all right, all right: The affable, laconic actor delivers a combination of memoir and self-help book.
“This is an approach book,” writes McConaughey, adding that it contains “philosophies that can be objectively understood, and if you choose, subjectively adopted, by either changing your reality, or changing how you see it. This is a playbook, based on adventures in my life.” Some of those philosophies come in the form of apothegms: “When you can design your own weather, blow in the breeze”; “Simplify, focus, conserve to liberate.” Others come in the form of sometimes rambling stories that never take the shortest route from point A to point B, as when he recounts a dream-spurred, challenging visit to the Malian musician Ali Farka Touré, who offered a significant lesson in how disagreement can be expressed politely and without rancor. Fans of McConaughey will enjoy his memories—which line up squarely with other accounts in Melissa Maerz’s recent oral history, Alright, Alright, Alright—of his debut in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, to which he contributed not just that signature phrase, but also a kind of too-cool-for-school hipness that dissolves a bit upon realizing that he’s an older guy on the prowl for teenage girls. McConaughey’s prep to settle into the role of Wooderson involved inhabiting the mind of a dude who digs cars, rock ’n’ roll, and “chicks,” and he ran with it, reminding readers that the film originally had only three scripted scenes for his character. The lesson: “Do one thing well, then another. Once, then once more.” It’s clear that the author is a thoughtful man, even an intellectual of sorts, though without the earnestness of Ethan Hawke or James Franco. Though some of the sentiments are greeting card–ish, this book is entertaining and full of good lessons.
A conversational, pleasurable look into McConaughey’s life and thought.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-13913-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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