The Power of Faith.

The Power of Faith Jay D. Glass, Ph.D. Donington Press Ltd., Inc. PO Box 22, Corona del Mar, CA 92625-0022 9780966053609, $24.95

Written by neuroscience and psychology expert Jay D. Glass, Ph.D., The Power of Faith: Mother Nature's Gift is more of a scientific book than a spiritual one; chapters strive to understand and explain precisely what it is in human nature and the human mind that causes people to believe in God so passionately, to the extent that extreme believers kill or destroy themselves in the name of God. The Power of Faith probes the theory that belief in God is a valuable tool for the human species' individual and collective survival, and thus part of Mother Nature's programmed design. Chapters compare and contrast animal instincts to human thoughts, and focus especial interest on understanding why and how belief in God can ultimately turn destructive, in the hope of finding solutions to end cruelty, suicide, and murder in God's name. At the same time, The Power of Faith does not entirely denounce God, beyond admitting that scientific logic cannot prove God's existence. Readers of all faiths as well as atheists, agnostics, and especially social psychologists will find The Power of Faith intriguing not only for its exploration of human thought processes, but also for its search for solutions to large-scale modern problems.