Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions

I have watched a few documentaries on cults recently. They intrigue me in that people are drawn to religious leaders as much as they are or even more than to any religious principles. This is one of the major arguments I often get against Christianity. Why isn’t classic Christianity little more than what it began as, a cult? I also am asked, “Why compare religions to one another,” or as one insightful little boy said as he noticed I was reading a book on World Religions, “You can read about them, but don’t join them.” It’s like saying, “You can look, but you can’t buy.” As with all things, I think thoughtful scholarship is the best approach to understanding the power of religion in the lives of people.
Nelson’s Illustrated Guide to Religions analysis scholarly the impact of religions of the world as a textbook written from a Christian Worldview and perspective. James A. Beverely explains 19 different religions ranging from Baha’I to Witchcraft in a respectful way. It is written as informational text with little to no commentary. At times you can hear the Christian slant, but it is no more than a secular slant would be apparent in a regular textbook. This volume is precisely what would be helpful in a class on comparative religions at a Christian School or University. It would also be helpful to anyone that wants to really understand the nuances and influences of religion on sociological issues.
For me, it has helped me sort through the confusion of the offerings of what teachings on Universalism would propose. Clearly, there are distinctive differences of each world religion that many times override their commonalities. I see that Christianity is most certainly no longer a cult because it is mainstream, but it is little more than false without the distinctive of a death and resurrection that actually happened- a choice in the myriad of choices. And it is simply a virtual world that can destroy people if it is not countered with reality, thought, and Scholarship.