The ripe sayings of the Ancient Wisdom, as spoken again in the world of Greece–a world so much vaster than the area of the Greek peninsula–are somewhat fading from the minds born anew into the hurrying life of the twentieth-century West. But the West cannot afford to let them fade away, for more than ever are they needed now to breathe their undying music into the ears stunned with the clashing discords of a materialistic and luxurious civilization. Life grows too crowded and too showy; crowded, not full–for crowd is from without, fullness from within; showy,

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not splendid–for show is the veneer of wealth covering a base metal, while splendour is the gleam of the golden thread of stateliness interwoven with the silken web of noble character. Sorely is needed in such a life the strong, pure teaching of the elder days, when learning was held to be richer than wealth, and simplicity finer than lavishness. The Greece of Pythagoras, with its mathematics and music–order and harmony–has a message for the modern nations, disorderly and discordant, and this message may best come through those who, their own natures attuned by brooding over the Pythagorean wisdom, can teach by life more than by word “the Beauty which was Greece.” Read more…

This detailed study of the lives and teachings of Confucius and Socrates compares how and what they taught in order to help others to become wiser. The appendix includes English translations of ancient texts describing their teaching in action.

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Description:
Wisdom Bible is a collection of the greatest spiritual and philosophical classics from ancient Daoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Platonism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Whole texts are included, but only selections from the Qur’an. The four Gospels are synthesized into one narrative combining all the elements.

About the Author:
Sanderson Beck earned a B.A. in Dramatic Art from UC Berkeley, an M.A. in Religious Studies from UCSB, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from World University. He has taught dozens of college courses in philosophy, psychology, world civilization, etc. He is the author of numerous books, including the HISTORY OF PEACE and the ETHICS OF CIVILIZATION series as well as translating and editing the WISDOM BIBLE. He has been active in the world peace movement since 1982 and is president and founder of World Peace Communications. He was a presidential candidate in 2003 until he endorsed Dennis Kucinich.

Paperback/Hardback: 920 pages

Publisher: World Peace Communications

Publishing Date: May 2002

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Leo Tolstoy was a spiritual man of much wisdom and expressed his own version of unorthodox Christianity through his writings, which championed social justice, pacifism and various moral causes in his life.

In a series of posts, I will be hoping to share with you selected writings of Leo Tolstoy which I think will both enlighten you with the true Christian values, and how, most importantly, you can apply these wise teachings in this, seemingly, corrupt world we now find ourselves.

Starting with the Leo Tolstoy essay ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’ written in 1900, which argues the case for us all to embrace and uphold the inspirational teachings of Jesus Christ.  This essay was especially directed at two competing powers in Europe at the time; namely, the State and the religion of orthodox Christianity.

The imperative Commandment of ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’, of which Tolstoy’s essay is titled, obviously implies for us in general not to engage in violence and murder in any way shape or form, such as in retribution, revenge and, most heinous of all, war. Read more…

Once exclusively reserved for study by ultra-religious male scholars of Judaism, Kabbalah has recently become known as a multi-million dollar, celebrity-endorsed phenomenon. SECRETS OF KABBALAH strips away the hype and demystifies the writings that have been studied by Jewish scholars for thousands of years. Is the Kabbalah of the stars the same Kabbalah that Jewish scholars have studied for generations? Even as more and more people are seen wearing the red string bracelets associated with Kabbalah, the original teachings behind this seemingly new fad are in fact understood by precious few.

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