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November,2002

World Scriptures
Compiled by Leland P. Stewart
Hardcover, $57
Unity-and-Diversity World Council

The introduction to World Scriptures states that "the real core of lasting peace is not to be found in any governmental organization but in meaningful ways of life."

This enormous volume (800 pages) is a compendium of world religions and belief systems, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism, as well as Baha'i, Course in Miracles and Science of Mind, among others. Each religion or system is explained in terms of its historical origin and its basic tenets, and a selection of scriptural texts is included.

Parables and poetry from each tradition enliven each discussion, making World Scriptures more than a mere reference book. This book provides a non-judgmental appreciation of every major religion and belief system, itself a perfect example of the unity in diversity it preaches.

-Jan Suzukawa

www.sacreddays.org

"It is God's will for us to be healthy, happy, prosperous and free."

Thus begins the introduction to a most remarkable site. This ambitious project is the inspiration of Reverends Marcia Sutton and Lloyd Strom, who have combined their ministries to not only create this website, but develop a vision that they have called "Revealing the Presence of Christ in Our Lives."

Among their listed intentions are 1. To awaken an impulse to live in Christ Consciousness; 2. To facilitate spiritual healing; and 3. To serve as a Center for the distribution of spiritual materials and practices as a means of realizing a universal spirituality that will ultimately "serve all humanity." The site also offers viewers a graphic lesson into what has been titled "The Coach to Everywhere."

Clever illustrations depict a coach (our body) that makes its journey along the evolutionary path to "Spiritual Enlightenment." Each element of the graph corresponds to an aspect of our own being. The Master of the coach is our Creative Spirit within us all. The driver is our mind; the horse, our emotions; the passengers, our emotions; and pedestrians, those temptations of life that all of us meet on the journey.

-Cliff Johnson

The Force Is with You:
Mystical Movie Messages That Inspire Our Lives
By Stephen Simon
Trade Paper, $14.95
Hampton Roads Publishing Co., Inc.

Stephen Simon is the producer of Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come, two classic metaphysical films, and his "Movie Mystic" column has a circulation in print and on the Internet of over 300,000.

In his introduction to "The Force Is With You," Simon notes that movies are "the natural conduit for inspiring ourselves to look into the eternal issues of who we are and why we are here." Despite his resume in the film industry, Simon's style in the book is warmly personal and engaging-just one movie fan talking to other movie fans-and he shares his love of films with a spiritual message (which he believes to be a new genre of film) with great verve and enthusiasm. Films as seemingly divergent as The Matrix, A Beautiful Mind, Star Wars, and Forrest Gump are examined in light of their metaphysical and spiritual themes.

In addition, Simon speaks candidly about his experiences as a major film producer in Hollywood, with a special emphasis on the making of his two-most recognized films, Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come. His insider's view provides a special look into the movie industry which many readers will find fascinating.

-Jan Suzukawa

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