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Title Page
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PREFACE - The God Question
INTRODUCTION TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION - The Gradual Illumination of the Mind
Part I - GOD AND BELIEF

Chapter 1 - DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?

A LEAP OF FAITH
A BREACH IN THE FAITH
THE ART OF THE INSOLUBLE
WHAT IS GOD?
THE FAITH OF THE FLATLANDERS

Chapter 2 - IS GOD DEAD?

GOD IN THE 1960s
TIME AND GOD
GOD’S RESURRECTION
SUPPLY-SIDE RELIGION AND THE SECULARIZATION OF THE WORLD
SOCIAL INDICATORS OF GOD
SACRED SCIENCE

Chapter 3 - THE BELIEF ENGINE

THE PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMAL
THE MEDIEVAL BELIEF ENGINE
THE MODERN BELIEF ENGINE
TALKING TWADDLE WITH THE DEAD

Chapter 4 - WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD

SEEING THE PATTERN OF GOD
IS BELIEF IN GOD GENETICALLY PROGRAMMED?
IS THERE A GOD MODULE IN THE BRAIN?
GOD AS MEME
SCIENTISTS’ BELIEF IN GOD
WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD
INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL REASONS TO BELIEVE
ALL’S RIGHT WITH GOD IN HIS HEAVEN

Chapter 5 - O YE OF LITTLE FAITH

PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENTS FOR GOD
SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS FOR GOD
THE NEW COSMOLOGY
THE NEW CREATIONISM
THE BIBLE CODE
THE REAL MEANING OF ARGUMENTS FOR GOD

Part II - RELIGION AND SCIENCE

Chapter 6 - IN A MIRROR DIMLY, THEN FACE TO FACE

A THREE-TIERED MODEL OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE
MORAL COURAGE AND NOBILITY OF SPIRIT

Chapter 7 - THE STORYTELLING ANIMAL

THE HOW AND THE WHY: IN SEARCH OF DEEPER ANSWERS
FROM PATTERN-SEEKING TO STORYTELLING
FROM STORYTELLING TO MYTHMAKING
FROM MYTHMAKING TO MORALITY
FROM MORALITY TO RELIGION
FROM RELIGION TO GOD

Chapter 8 - GOD AND THE GHOST DANCE

THE GHOST DANCE AS MYTHMAKING
THE 1890 GHOST DANCE
THE ETERNAL, RETURN OF THE GHOST DANCE
THE CARGO CULT GHOST DANCE
JESUS AS MESSIAH MYTH
WHY THE MESSIAH MYTH RETURNS

Chapter 9 - THE FIRE THAT WILL CLEANSE

WHAT IS THE MILLENNIUM?
WHEN PROPHECY FAILS—A.D. 1000
WHEN PROPHECY FAILS—A.D. 2000
THE LURE OF THE MILLENNIUM
HEAVEN ON EARTH
SECULAR HEAVENS
HOLDING THE CENTER

Chapter 10 - GLORIOUS CONTINGENCY

IF THE TAPE WERE PLAYED TWICE
THE MISMEASURE OF CONTINGENCY
CONTINGENT-NECESSITY
GLORIOUS CONTINGENCY: A LITTLE TWIG CALLED HOMO SAPIENS
THE FULL IMPACT OF CONTINGENCY
CONTINGENCY AND FREEDOM
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
FINDING MEANING IN A CONTINGENT UNIVERSE

AFTERWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION - God on the Brain
APPENDIX I - What Does It Mean to Study Religion Scientifically? Or, How Social Scientists “Do” Science
APPENDIX II - Why People Believe in God—The Data and Statistics
A Bibliographic Essay on Theism, Atheism, and Why People Believe in God
NOTES
CREDITS
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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