Overview

"In the 1950s, a group of social psychologists infiltrated a doomsday cult--a religious group that believed the world was coming to an end--and studied how its members sustained their beliefs when the prophecy failed. How are major religions different from cults? My argument is that they persist through political fiat rather than the evidence provided for their central dogma. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all quote private conversations that were never recorded until decades, sometimes centuries, after the fact. Can these be accurate? I think not. Religion on Trial reviews the origins of religion, the early days of the chief ""desert religions,"" and the arguments of notable dissenters. It examines the likelihood that a ""god-concept"" is inborn, showing up in 5-year-old children regardless of their parents' beliefs. Finally, it delves into the realm of neuropsychology, which shows that humans are wired to consider new beliefs not on a basis of evidence, but on how that belief resonates with our other preconceptions. It is possible to forge a society on a moral basis rather than a central god-concept; given the divisiveness of religion, I believe it is time we did so."

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9781773740485

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Religion on Trial is the best introduction to the psychology of religion available: grounded in a wide-ranging scholarly literature, but clear and insightful; open-minded in discussing various religious traditions and addressing contemporary public concerns about multi-religious societies; unique and essential. I can only wish that I had read it 50 years ago! - Professor Michael Harris Bond, Cross-Cultural Psychologist, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China A tour de force. Dutton has revealed not only how and why religions arise, but explains their resilience in the face of disconfirming scientific knowledge. - Ehor Boyanowsky, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University

Religion on Trial is the best introduction to the psychology of religion available: grounded in a wide-ranging scholarly literature, but clear and insightful; open-minded in discussing various religious traditions and addressing contemporary public concerns about multi-religious societies; unique and essential. I can only wish that I had read it 50 years ago! - Professor Michael Harris Bond, Cross-Cultural Psychologist, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China A tour de force. Dutton has revealed not only how and why religions arise, but explains their resilience in the face of disconfirming scientific knowledge. - Ehor Boyanowsky, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University

Author Information

Don Dutton is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia. He is also the author of several books including The Abusive Personality, Rethinking Domestic Violence, and The Psychology of Genocide.

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