Some of the many important conclusions of the book are:
• Spirituality and reason involve distinct and separate parts of the brain and both are hard - wired and controlled in part by your genes.
• Spirituality played a critical role in the evolution and survival of man. A yearning to be associated with something that transcends one’s self has become a rewarding, comforting, and innate part of the human condition.
• Humans are inherently good – independent of religion.
• Although reason is based on fact and spirituality is based on faith, they do not have to be mutually incompatible.
• Biological evolution can account for the origin of all species including man. A super-natural Intelligent Designer is not required.
• The vast majority of humans in the world believe in God and most believe in a personal God that looks over them and answers their prayers. Why do so many believe?
• Many also believe that God created Man in his own image and was the sole author of the sacred texts.
• This book explores the possibility that most humans have it backward and that in fact Man Created God in his image and that man wrote the sacred books.
• In the pre-scientific world a man-made Theory of God explained everything about the world that was unexplainable.
• The concept of a soul and heaven gave humans great comfort in the face of the inevitability of death. The beliefs of a given religion were taught to us as children.
• While many have never questioned their childhood beliefs, many have had some doubts about their religion or faith, but lacked the scientific background to understand the basic aspects of evolution, genetics, brain structure and brain function that would allow them to make an informed decision. Is also important to understand the role of genes as they relate to our rational and spiritual brain and to good and bad behavior. If you are one of these people that thirst for a broadened base of knowledge, this book is for you.
• Some atheists believe spirituality is a dirty word. However, millions of people are spiritual but not religious. Non-theism and spirituality are not mutually exclusive.
• Modern terrorism is not due to religious faith per se. It is due to the belief that the sacred books are the literal word of God and that one man's God is better than another's.
• Humans need to recognize that if man, not God, wrote the sacred books then one religion is not inherently better than any other. Such a rational spirituality can be the glue that holds mankind together in peace.