Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, and Madonna all promote their own brand of spirituality. Richard Gere, Marie Osmond, and Ashton Kutcher embrace beliefs of yet other religions. In a culture obsessed and saturated with celebrity, people can'st help but be inundated with the spiritual practices of the rich and famous.
Whether athletes or actors or talk show hosts or even reality TV stars, these people have become role models--even spiritual guides--for children, teens, and adults alike. Yet just
because someone has a light shining on them does not mean they are reflecting the True Light. Most are pushing their own agendas and beliefs.
What do these celebrities really believe Does it line up with what the Bible teaches Bestselling pop-culture apologist Richard Abanes answers these questions and more as he examines
everything from Scientology to New Age to Kabbalah to Mormonism. Appealing to those curious about the religions of the rich and famous, Abanes holds celebrities's beliefs up to the light
of the Gospel, showing how each religion falls short of the Truth.
Concerned parents will also gain insight into how today'ss Hollywood spirituality affects the movies and television programs they see, as well as how their children might be influenced by
the way these religions are portrayed in the media.
My purpose isn'st to tear down any religion or spirituality, nor is it my desire to mock, belittle, or degrade anyone'ss viewsmy approach, therefore, will not be negative, per se, but
informational--i.e., based on clear explanations of each belief system, coupled with thoughtful observations of those systems from an evangelical Christian perspective. --Richard Abanes
About the Author:
Richard Abanes--former Broadway performer and television/film actor--is a bestselling and award-winning author of twenty-one books, specializing in the area of cults, the occult, world
religions, and pop culture. His most popular titles include A New Earth, An Old Deception and The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code. In 1997, he received The Myers Center Award for the Study
of Human Rights in North America for his outstanding work on intolerance.
Richard has a wealth of experience in the world of show business, including having appeared in numerous TV specials, as a lead actor in a major motion picture and in a PBS special hosted
by Bill Moyers. He also had roles in the hit Broadway musicals Dreamgirls and A Chorus Line. He has been interviewed on hundreds of radio and TV programs including MSNBC, FoxNews, and
CNN. He lives in Southern California.
Religions of the Stars: What Hollywood Believes and How it Affects You (http://www.bethanyhouse.com/Book.aspisbn=978-0-7642-0648-1)
by Richard Abanes
978-0-7642-0648-1
Trade Paper; $14.99; 224 pp.
Release Date: July 2009
Review copies, excerpts, and interviews with Richard Abanes are available.