Additional information
by Stephen Knapp (Author)
This book brings together the easy and joyful principles and practices that are common to all of the major religions of the world. These are what can be used by all people from any culture or tradition for the highest spiritual progress, and to bring about a united, one world religion in a happy process of spiritual success for everyone. This is much easier to recognize than most people think, and is a way to bring down the differences, barriers and separations that seem to exist between religions. This also presents: - a most interesting and revealing survey of the major spiritual paths of the world, describing their histories, goals, and how they developed, which is not always what we would expect. - the philosophical basis of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism, etc., and the types of spiritual knowledge they contain. -how Christianity and Judaism were greatly influenced by the early pre-Christian or "pagan" religions and adopted many of their legends, holidays, and rituals that are still accepted and practiced today. -the essential teachings of Jesus. -benefits of spiritual advancement that affect all aspects of a person's life, and the world in which we live. -how spiritual enlightenment is the real cure for social ills. --and, most importantly, how to attain the real purpose of a spiritual process to be truly successful, and how to practice the path that is especially recommended as the easiest and most effective for people of this age.
Author Biography
Stephen Knapp grew up in a Christian family, during which time he seriously studied the Bible to understand its teachings. In his late teenage years, however, he sought answers to questions not easily explained in Christian theology. So he began to search through other religions and philosophies from around the world and started to find the answers for which he was looking. He also studied a variety of occult sciences, ancient mythology, mysticism, yoga, and the spiritual teachings of the East. After his first reading of the Bhagavad-gita, he felt he had found the last piece of the puzzle he had been putting together through all of his research. Therefore, he continued to study all of the major Vedic texts of India to gain a better understanding of the Vedic science. It is known amongst all Eastern mystics that anyone, regardless of qualifications, academic or otherwise, who does not engage in the spiritual practices described in the Vedic texts cannot actually enter into understanding the depths of the Vedic spiritual science, nor acquire the realizations that should accompany it. So, rather than pursuing his research in an academic atmosphere at a university, Stephen directly engaged in the spiritual disciplines that have been recommended for hundreds of years. He continued his study of Vedic knowledge and spiritual practice under the guidance of a spiritual master. Through this process, and with the sanction of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, he became initiated into the genuine and authorized spiritual line of the Brahma-Madhava-Gaudiya sampradaya, which is a disciplic succession that descends back through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Vyasadeva, the compiler of Vedic literature, and further back to Sri Krishna. Besides being brahminically initiated, Stephen has also been to India several times and traveled extensively throughout the country, visiting most of the major holy places and gaining a wide variety of spiritual experiences that only such places can give. Stephen has put the culmination of over forty years of continuous research and travel experience into his books in an effort to share it with those who are also looking for spiritual understanding. More books are forthcoming, so stay in touch through his website to find out further developments.
