Robert Kisala's Books

Prophets of Peace

Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions

By: Robert Kisala

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Prophets of Peace

Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions

By: Robert Kisala

Wars in the Persian Gulf and Yugoslavia have given new impetus to the ongoing debate in Japan concerning its postwar constitution and related issues of national security and world order. Although often overlooked in this debate, Japanese religious groups--especially some of the New Religions--have promoted peace as a major theme of their doctrine and activities, often explicitly supporting a pacifist position. This study, undertaken in the wake of the Persian Gulf War, looks at a representative group of New Religions and explores their concepts and practices of peace. Many of the Japanese New Religions draw on a tradition that emphasizes individual moral cultivation and use of prewar terms to describe their mission. One expression, hakko ichiu (literally, "the whole world under one roof") conveys the ideal of world unity under Japanese direction, leading to the establishment of peace. In this way it is a prime example of the prewar idea of establishing peace through the spread of Japanese civilization. The author cites evidence pointing to the prevalence of a mistaken notion of the implications of the pacifist position, a situation that both reflects and contributes to the confusion surrounding popular debates on pacifism in Japan. Prophets of Peace is an attempt to correct that misperception by providing a critical study of the social ethic of the Japanese New Religions--a topic that has been largely ignored in research on new religious movements worldwide. Professor Kisala draws on the literature that presents their doctrine and surveys their believers to describe their approach to the question of peace. The results of this fieldwork are placed within the dual framework of Western peace studies and the modern Japanese intellectual tradition, highlighting the issues of pacifism and the cultural approach to peace in Japan. In his analysis of these results, he offers some observations on the role of religion in contemporary Japanese society and advocates a more positive engagement in the debate on Japan's role in international security arrangements. By offering a representative sample of New Religion groups and focusing on their doctrines, Prophets of Peace provides a different perspective for those whose primary interest is the Japanese New Religions. Although students and scholars of Japanese religion will be the book's first audience, its accessibility and thematic approach also recommend it to readers with a broader interest in contemporary Japanese society, peace studies, and the role of religious groups in modern society.

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Page Count

258

Publisher

University of Hawaii Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0824822676

ISBN 13

9780824822675

Destroying the World to Save It

Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism

By: Robert Jay Lifton

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Destroying the World to Save It

Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism

By: Robert Jay Lifton

National Book Award winner and renowned psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton reveals a world at risk from millennial cults intent on ending it all. Since the earliest moments of recorded history, prophets and gurus have foretold the world's end, but only in the nuclear age has it been possible for a megalomaniac guru with a world-ending vision to bring his prophecy to pass. Now Robert Jay Lifton offers a vivid and disturbing case in point in this chilling exploration of Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese cult that released sarin nerve gas in the Tokyo subways. With unprecedented access to former Aum members, Lifton has produced a pathbreaking study of the inner life of a modern millennial cult. He shows how Aum's guru Shoko Asahara (charismatic spiritual leader, con man, madman) created a religion from a global stew of New Age thinking, ancient rituals, and apocalyptic science fiction, then recruited scientists as disciples and set them to producing weapons of mass destruction. Taking stock as well of Charles Manson, Heaven's Gate, and the Oklahoma City bombers, Lifton confronts the frightening possibility of a twenty-first century in which cults and terrorists may be able to bring about their own holocausts. Bold and compelling, Destroying the World to Save It charts the emergence of a new global threat of urgent concern to us all.

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Page Count

388

Publisher

Metropolitan Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

146682784X

ISBN 13

9781466827844

Jaina Yoga

A Survey of the Mediaeval Śrāvakācāras

By: Robert Williams

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Jaina Yoga

A Survey of the Mediaeval Śrāvakācāras

By: Robert Williams

This book describes what the Jainas considered to be the way of life proper to a layman. It attempts to examine the contents of the principal Jaina Sravakacaras. As these texts are not well known and often not easily accessible, some information about

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Page Count

342

Publisher

Motilal Banarsidass Publ.

Published Date

ISBN 10

8120807758

ISBN 13

9788120807754

The Logic of Nothingness

A Study of Nishida Kitaro

By: Robert J. J. Wargo

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The Logic of Nothingness

A Study of Nishida Kitaro

By: Robert J. J. Wargo

The writings of Nishida Kitarô, whose name has become almost synonymous with Japanese philosophy, continue to attract attention around the world. Yet studies of his thought in Western languages have tended to overlook two key areas: first, the influence of the generation of Japanese philosophers who preceded Nishida; and second, the logic of basho (place), the cornerstone of Nishida’s mature philosophical system. The Logic of Nothingness addresses both of these topics. Robert Wargo argues that the overriding concern of Nishida’s mature philosophy, the attempt to give a reasonable account of reality that includes the reasonableness of that account itself—or what Wargo calls "the problem of completeness"—has its origins in Inoue Enryo’s (1858–1919) and Inoue Tetsujiro’s (1855–1944) preoccupation with "the problem of standpoints." A translation of one of Nishida’s most demanding texts, included here as an appendix, demonstrates the value of Wargo’s insightful analysis of the logic of basho as an aid to deciphering the philosopher’s early work.

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256

Publisher

University of Hawaii Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0824873890

ISBN 13

9780824873899

Prophets of Peace

Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions

By: Robert Kisala

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Prophets of Peace

Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions

By: Robert Kisala

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258

Publisher

University of Hawaii Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0824822676

ISBN 13

9780824822675

A House of David in the Land of Jesus

By: Robert Lewis Berman

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A House of David in the Land of Jesus

By: Robert Lewis Berman

The South is predominantly Christian, yet a small Jewish community in Lexington, Mississippi has flourished and sustained its unique identity. This saga is the heartwarming history of the residents, the trials and tribulations that they faced, their ability to connect with the surrounding Christian communities, and the remarkable story of Berman himself. After the original publication of this book, Lexington honored him by creating a "Robert Lewis Berman" day. In times of uncertainty, this book brings a message of hope.

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Page Count

354

Publisher

Pelican Publishing Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

1589807219

ISBN 13

9781589807211

Book's by Robert Kisala

Prophets of Peace

Prophets of Peace

Destroying the World to Save It

Destroying the World to Save It

Jaina Yoga

Jaina Yoga

The Logic of Nothingness

The Logic of Nothingness

Prophets of Peace

Prophets of Peace

A House of David in the Land of Jesus

A House of David in the Land of Jesus

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