The books re respectively 314 pages with endnotes and an excellent index and 188 pages with endnotes and index.
The books are moderately priced--especially if you buy both in paperback.
Note this statement:
“Nature is terrifying.
(I think Man has felt over the centuries that he had no control over his physical destiny, as life depended on raising crops, hunting or fishing, and nature could deny him of sustenance. Modern mankind has, in my opinion gone beyond this with the age of Reason, and scientific method. Western Civilization has matured to the point of Man NOT being subjected to FATE. The MUSLIM WORLD is still stuck in the FATE mode of thinking. This is a huge difference in our cultures)
Man seeks to deny his fundamental anxiety—death.
(I think religion serves Man to alleviate death anxiety. I don’t know if this is the force that motivates people to make money, take power, or provide Man’s ultimate ambition. I perceive much of what motivates people is cultural woven with the religion of the culture. Although individual character is also a factor. I do not think that I seek to deny my eventual death. I am 59 and can see the end of the road much closer than when I was 18, but my philosophy is not governed by seeking to deny death.)
The terror of death is so overwhelming we conspire to keep it unconscious.
(Man does seek self-preservation with an almost instinctive nature, but there are many stories of people sacrificing themselves to save others, or dying for their faith or country. I don’t see the motivation to keep it unconscious.)
The root cause of evil is the need to gain self-esteem, deny our mortality and achieve a heroic self-image. “
I think evil is much more than denying mortality. Evil essentially is selfishness, or imposing yourself on others.
So send these people back to the 7th century. Destroy everything they have, leaving them only 7th century technology. This is what they want.........give it to them. I see no other way around this. We either kill their will to promote terrorism, or we leave them alone. If we leave them alone and they attack us again, level the country they came from. This is the only thing they understand.
“Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same,that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Hebrews 2:14,15.
Jesus is the ONLY answer.