New book uses science, history to show gods to be a product of human invention
For immediate release
Contact: Brian Magee, 202-238-9088 ex. 105, Mobile: (202) 681-2425 bmagee@americanhumanist.org
(Washington, DC – March 21, 2013) – Dr. Reginald J. Exton, a NASA scientist for five decades, shares clearly and succinctly the evidence that points to the human origin of religions in Make the Break (If You Can), the latest title from Humanist Press. To this end, Exton has gathered a representative list of events, scientific observations, and religious developments that lead the reader to the eventual realization that there is voluminous evidence that humanity itself created gods and religions to shield itself from the unknown.
The printed book is in magazine format, making its 64 full-color pages—including pictures, charts and graphs—easy to read and comprehend. The ebook version contains links to additional online content, including a forum where readers can communicate with one another.
“My sincere hope is that the book will help to relieve people of their historical guilt and clarify the individual rights and responsibilities of all human beings,” Exton said. “These hopes are particularly meaningful at the beginning of the twenty-first century as two major religions again conduct crusades against one another, and the political arm of religion in the U.S. strengthens itself to secure by ‘democratic’ means what it cannot obtain by argument.”
Outlining the human origin of religions, Make the Break (If You Can) begins with a brief synopsis of the major developments in the formation of our universe; a description of more recent events in the development of civilization, including the period of religious fervor; and the evolutionary process leading to modern man. From these initial chapters, Exton discusses why religious beliefs are so strongly entrenched in peoples’ thinking and why many maintain these beliefs today. The subsequent chapters list some of the worldwide conflicts that have arisen out of religion; an outline of an astrophysical projection of the ultimate fate of our universe; and offers an alternative to god-based religions that captures the best parts of the various religious rules and philosophies practiced today.
Dr Exton’s scientific career began in 1954 at the University of Richmond, where he majored in physics, graduating with a B.S. in 1958. He completed is education in physics with an M.S. and a Ph.D. at West Virginia University. For the past 50 years, he has been a researcher with NASA at Langley Research Center. During his interesting career, he has worked on reentry physics, atmospheric and oceanographic pollution, laser spectroscopy, hypersonic combustion, aerodynamics, and plasma physics. A list of his publications in these areas can be found at http://asomb.larc.nasa.gov/directory/exton_reginald.htm.
The ebook is available through HumanistPress.com and major online retailers. The ISBN number for the paperback is 978-0-931779-26-8, for the ebook it is 978-0-931779-31-2.
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Humanist Press is the publishing house of the American Humanist Association, providing material for the humanist/freethought/atheist market since 1995. The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists and atheists in the United States. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., its work is extended through more than 160 local chapters and affiliates across America.
Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.