Pressestimmen
Rezension
—Karen Armstrong, author, A History of God and The Great Transformation
“Why are thousands not saying what this man is saying? Such obvious truth must be made even more obvious, and this is exactly what Samir Selmanovic is doing for all of us and for the future of humanity. After you read this wise book, you will say, ‘Of course!’ and ‘Thank God!’”
—Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
“We need a million more Samirs on the planet—people of conviction and humility who know that the vast mystery called God calls us not to the arrogance of ‘ownership’ but to the beloved community.”
—Parker J. Palmer, author, A Hidden Wholeness, Let Your Life Speak, and The Courage to Teach
“Samir Selmanovic offers a deeply personal reflection on faith, doubt, and ultimately, spiritual peace. . . . [He tells] a sophisticated and introspective story that simultaneously stirs the heart, challenges the intellect, and inspires the soul.”
—Daisy Khan, executive director, American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA)
“In a world in which religious traditions are too often digging their heels into the tired sod of exclusionary self-righteousness, this love song to the God of all Existence is a much longed for work of hope and optimism.”
—Rabbi Marcia Prager, author, The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine
“If atheists, agnostics, and non-religious people like myself want to gain understanding and improve the world …we need to read not only the hard-line voices of ancient religions but also the freshest and wisest voices of modern progressive religion. Samir Selmanovic's is just such a fresh voice.”
—Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University, and author, Good Without God: What a Billion Non-Religious People Do Believe
“For all Seekers of the Truth, Samir's deeply insightful, uniquely personal, lyrical quest for a relationship with God provides a clear vision on the need to dig deep, transcending traditional boundaries of faith and theology, be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu.”
—Rathi Raja, president of Arsha Vedanta Center (www.arshavedantacenter.org) of Long Island and the executive director of Young Indian Culture Group
“I'm speechless in trying to describe this book. I laughed out loud in places and cried big tears at the end. It's a work of faith, a work of art, and to some, no doubt, it will be a work of damnable heresy. I think this book will change people's lives, and more: it can save lives, in the many senses of that word. All the religious pundits and broadcasters on radio and cable TV had better take notice, because this book threatens our conventional, comfortable categories and familiar black-and-white polarities. Selmanovic has the nerve to imagine our religions becoming, not walls behind which we hide and over which we lob bombs of damnation, but bridges over which we travel to find God in the other.”
—Brian McLaren, Author/Activist (brianmclaren.net)
“This is a solidly researched book that reads like a love song. My inner mystic jumped and leaped and shouted for joy. I found myself less lonely in this big old world. I felt like I was at a really good party, each paragraph a song, each page another glass of wine, each chapter the prospect of another dance with a beautiful woman. At this party, nobody got mad at me for letting my hair down. In fact, everyone, including God, encouraged me to go a little crazy.”
—Rev. Vince Anderson, bandleader, songwriter, honky-tonkist, co-pastor of Revolution Church NYC, (reverendvince.com)
View all endorsements: (www.filedby.com/author/samir_selmanovic/3516513/presskit)
Rezension
—Karen Armstrong, author, A History of God and The Great Transformation
“Why are thousands not saying what this man is saying? Such obvious truth must be made even more obvious, and this is exactly what Samir Selmanovic is doing for all of us and for the future of humanity. After you read this wise book, you will say, ‘Of course!’ and ‘Thank God!’”
—Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
“We need a million more Samirs on the planet—people of conviction and humility who know that the vast mystery called God calls us not to the arrogance of ‘ownership’ but to the beloved community.”
—Parker J. Palmer, author, A Hidden Wholeness, Let Your Life Speak, and The Courage to Teach
“Samir Selmanovic offers a deeply personal reflection on faith, doubt, and ultimately, spiritual peace. . . . [He tells] a sophisticated and introspective story that simultaneously stirs the heart, challenges the intellect, and inspires the soul.”
—Daisy Khan, executive director, American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA)
“In a world in which religious traditions are too often digging their heels into the tired sod of exclusionary self–righteousness, this love song to the God of all Existence is a much longed for work of hope and optimism.”
—Rabbi Marcia Prager, author, The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine
“If atheists, agnostics, and non–religious people like myself want to gain understanding and improve the world …we need to read not only the hard–line voices of ancient religions but also the freshest and wisest voices of modern progressive religion. Samir Selmanovic′s is just such a fresh voice.”
—Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University, and author, Good Without God: What a Billion Non–Religious People Do Believe
“For all Seekers of the Truth, Samir′s deeply insightful, uniquely personal, lyrical quest for a relationship with God provides a clear vision on the need to dig deep, transcending traditional boundaries of faith and theology, be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu.”
—Rathi Raja, president of Arsha Vedanta Center (www.arshavedantacenter.org) of Long Island and the executive director of Young Indian Culture Group
“I′m speechless in trying to describe this book. I laughed out loud in places and cried big tears at the end. It′s a work of faith, a work of art, and to some, no doubt, it will be a work of damnable heresy. I think this book will change people′s lives, and more: it can save lives, in the many senses of that word. All the religious pundits and broadcasters on radio and cable TV had better take notice, because this book threatens our conventional, comfortable categories and familiar black–and–white polarities. Selmanovic has the nerve to imagine our religions becoming, not walls behind which we hide and over which we lob bombs of damnation, but bridges over which we travel to find God in the other.”
—Brian McLaren, Author/Activist (brianmclaren.net)
“This is a solidly researched book that reads like a love song. My inner mystic jumped and leaped and shouted for joy. I found myself less lonely in this big old world. I felt like I was at a really good party, each paragraph a song, each page another glass of wine, each chapter the prospect of another dance with a beautiful woman. At this party, nobody got mad at me for letting my hair down. In fact, everyone, including God, encouraged me to go a little crazy.”
—Rev. Vince Anderson, bandleader, songwriter, honky–tonkist, co–pastor of Revolution Church NYC, (reverendvince.com)
View all endorsements: (www.filedby.com/author/samir—selmanovic/3516513/presskit)
Kurzbeschreibung
Klappentext
It's Really All About God
Many of us say "Religion? No thanks. I'd rather be spiritual than religious."
But our departure from religion is at the very same time a departure from its rich treasures of community, insight, art, practice, organized action, and hard lessons. Without religion, we find ourselves isolated, incoherent, and naïve on our spiritual journeys.
It's Really All About God is Samir Selmanovic's personal and moving exploration of a very different way of seeing religion. Selmanovicwho grew up a in a culturally Muslim family in Croatia, converted to Christianity as a soldier in the then-Yugoslavian army, and went on to become a Christian pastor in Manhattan and in Southern Californialooks at how our ongoing and sometimes violent power struggles over who owns God and what God wants for the world and its peoples are serving neither God, humanity, nor our planet. Our religions have become self-serving God management systems. Yetas Selmanovic contendschange is possible. To learn to live together on this fragile earth, authentic believers of all traditions need to see that it's really not about their religion it's really all about GodGod who is about all of us and cannot be owned by any of us.
This book is an attempt to look at our religions not merely as adherents but as human beings. Selmanovic believes that love for one's religion is meant to be as dynamic as any love relationship. There must be distance as well as embrace. It's Really All About God is an invitation to acknowledge this tension and serves as a guide to a safe, honest, and hopeful relational place where wholesome love for our religions can thrive.
It's Really All About God is a very personal story and a thrilling exploration of a redeeming, dynamic, and radically different way of treasuring one's own religion while discovering God, goodness, and grace in others and in their traditions.
Buchrückseite
Praise for It's Really All About God
"Why are thousands not saying what this man is saying? Such obvious truth must be made even more obvious, and this is exactly what Samir Selmanovic is doing for all of us and for the future of humanity. After you read this wise book, you will say, 'Of course!' and 'Thank God!'"
Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
"We need a million more Samirs on the planetpeople of conviction and humility who know that the vast mystery called God calls us not to the arrogance of 'ownership' but to the beloved community."
Parker J. Palmer, author, A Hidden Wholeness, Let Your Life Speak, and The Courage to Teach
"Samir Selmanovic offers a deeply personal reflection on faith, doubt, and ultimately, spiritual peace. . . . [He tells] a sophisticated and introspective story that simultaneously stirs the heart, challenges the intellect, and inspires the soul."
Daisy Khan, executive director, American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA)
"In a world in which religious traditions are too often digging their heels into the tired sod of exclusionary self-righteousness, this love song to the God of all Existence is a much longed for work of hope and optimism."
Rabbi Marcia Prager, author, The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine
"If atheists, agnostics, and non-religious people like myself want to gain understanding and improve the world . . . we need to read not only the hard-line voices of ancient religions but also the freshest and wisest voices of modern progressive religion. Samir Selmanovic's is just such a fresh voice."
Greg Epstein, humanist chaplain, Harvard University, and author, Good Without God: What a Billion Non-Religious People Do Believe
"For all Seekers of the Truth, Samir's deeply insightful, uniquely personal, lyrical quest for a relationship with God provides a clear vision on the need to dig deep, transcending traditional boundaries of faith and theology, be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu."
Rathi Raja, president, Arsha Vedanta Center of Long Island, and executive director, Young Indian CultureGroup