The World's Best Book Summaries
How is the decline of religion in America affecting the political parties? How do some members of Congress exploit religion? Churches are closing across America and each generation is becoming less religious than the last. Shockingly, the trend isn’t having the effect on politics that most would expect. In this article, we’ll examine what this could mean for the political future of America.
Would you like to be more aware of your surroundings? What are the benefits of practicing mindfulness? Mindfulness is an advanced type of concentration. Once you achieve mindfulness, your concentration and background awareness will be at their strongest. Keep reading to learn how practicing mindfulness can benefit you, according to The Mind Illuminated.
Have you come to grips with the fact that you’re going to die one day? Do you avoid thinking about death? The comforts we live with today don’t impact just our bodies; they influence our minds as well. With so many distractions, it’s easy to numb our minds and avoid thinking about things that are uncomfortable to confront. But, Michael Easter says letting your mind go to uncomfortable places is important for happiness. Read on for a practical discussion about this internal discomfort and the benefits that thinking about death can offer.
Are you disappointed in your meditation routine? How might you get better at meditation and enjoy it more? If you’re new to meditation, you might feel dispirited at how much time and effort it takes to master it. While it takes time to get a stable routine down, it’ll all be worth it when you start to notice stellar results. Here’s how to get better at meditation, with tips from The Mind Illuminated.
How do you know when you’re being oppressed? Is pornography harmful? Is marriage being expanded—or destroyed? Carl Trueman asserts that Christian values in society have been impacted in destructive ways by a transformed understanding of the self. He explores two major effects on modern society: the prioritization of feelings and the rise of the LGBTQ+ movement. Keep reading to understand Trueman’s arguments.
Does your mind often wander into another world? How can you stop daydreaming so much? Daydreaming can be a fun way to escape reality, but it’s not practical when you have important things to attend to. It hurts you especially when you’re meditating because that’s when your focus should be at its strongest. Keep reading for advice from The Mind Illuminated on how to stop daydreaming so much, whether you’re meditating or doing any activity that requires focus.
What’s the concept of universal compassion? Why should you strive to be compassionate for everyone around you? Universal compassion is an idea in Buddhism that asks you to have compassion for all living beings in the world. David Richo’s book How to Be an Adult in Relationships explains why everyone should live up to this standard and how to practice it, even if you’re not a Buddhist. Read below for a breakdown of universal compassion and how to accomplish it to improve your life.
Why is the Christian view of sexuality no longer mainstream? What has taken its place? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman argues that cultural developments of the past three centuries have transformed our conception of selfhood and, along with it, our conception of sexuality. He explores the ways the traditional Christian view of sexuality has been supplanted. Keep reading for this intriguing discussion of sexuality in the context of societal transformation.
What happens when you gain spiritual wisdom? How do you reach enlightenment? According to The Mind Illuminated, the foundation for achieving enlightenment is strong mindfulness. Once you’ve mastered mindfulness, it prompts five realizations that trigger an enlightened state of mind. Find out how to reach enlightenment and become your superior self.
When did the traditional view of human nature go out of fashion? How did this transformation occur? Carl Trueman explains that traditional Christian teachings hold that human nature is fixed, universal, and not determined by the individual. That view has changed significantly over the last few decades. Trueman takes us on a historical journey from Jean-Jacques Rousseau to today’s Marxists. Read more to understand these various views of human nature throughout Western history.