This compendium of obscure facts about the world's religions highlights the political, cultural, and philosophical aspects of the history of religion. If you're waiting for the world's "Holy Men" to tell you the truth about their religions, do you suppose they'll mention that:

• The Tao Te Ching was only created because Lao Tzu was thrown in jail by a disciple who didn't want to let him leave town without writing down his teachings?
• "Passover" celebrates God killing all firstborn Egyptian kids while Jewish homes were "passed over" by the angel of death?
• Shinto, a natureloving, mellow religion, was transformed by the Japanese government into a nationalistic ideology promoting "holy" war?

• Carpocrates, an early Christian, argued that sex orgies were a key to heaven.
• Prostitution was a religious duty in Mesopotamian temples.
• The two major Chinese religions (Taoism and Confucianism) are completely at odds with each other and yet are often practiced together.
• Despite having persecuted Jews for two thousand years, Christian fundamentalists are Israel's biggest supporters.