[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-115639-en":3,"doc-seo-115639-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},115639,2336474466412,"Ezra","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d",9,"Religion & Spirituality","Putting God First by Putting God Second - How to Save Religion from Itself","Putting God First by Putting God Second examines why religion can harm the very faith and moral life it claims to serve. Through chapters on nonindifference, divine intoxication and manipulation, and ways to recover and immunize from these distortions, the book challenges readers to confront scripture and belief as potential sources of ethical failure. The introduction grounds the inquiry in lived religious experience and the unsettling link between sanctification language and real-world violence.","[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nFOR  \nMichal, Yitzchak, and Talya A token of my love A sign of my respect A prayer that you continue to find your own religious paths  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nRav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Hiyya bar Aba: “They deserted Meand did not keep My instructions. (Jeremiah 16:11) If only they had deserted Me but kept My instructions.”  \n—Midrash Eikhah Rabbah Ptikha 2  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nCONTENTS  \nAcknowledgments  \nINTRODUCTION Religion’s Autoimmune Disease  \nCHAPTER ONE You Are Your Brother ’s Keeper: The Religious Ethic of Nonindifference  \nCHAPTER TWO God Intoxication and God Manipulation CHAPTER THREE Recovering from God Intoxication CHAPTER FOUR Immunizing Against God Manipulation CHAPTER FIVE When Scripture Is the Problem  \nCHAPTER SIX Do I Have to Believe in God to Be a Good Jew? CONCLUSION Putting God First by Putting God Second  \nReferences  \nIndex  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nACKNOWLEDGMENTS  \nWRITING A BOOK is a deeply personal journey into the depths of one’s thoughts, feelings, and words. One of the greatest blessings in my life is that I get to engage in this journey in the company of others who love, support, critique, and inspire me every day. It is a special blessing to be able to thank and acknowledge their role in my life and contribution to this book.  \nFirst and foremost my family: my wife, Adina; my children and childrenin-law Michal, Noam, Yitzchak, Avital, and Talya; and grandchildren Mia and Sofia. Adina, for whom God can only be first, who keeps God and religion alive in the consciousness of our family. I fight from the inside because of you. My children, to whom this book is dedicated, who are always in my mind and heart, and who are the most significant audience and religious partners I have. The love and care that engulfs our lives is the source of my strength and inspiration. My grandchildren and their gift of infinite joy and love, who energize and fill me every day, and whose world this book hopes to change. My mother, Bobbie, and my father, David z”l, my first and most significant teachers and my greatest supporters. The joy of seeing this book in print is diminished by my Abba’s death, for though he so much wanted to see it at this stage, it was not to be.  \nThis book was written in the company of a unique community of scholars, teachers, supporters, and students at the Shalom Hartman Institute, where I have been blessed to learn and work over the last thirty years. To the friends and supporters of the institute who provide the foundation and backing every day to enable this remarkable enterprise to thrive, and for the gift to be able to lead it. To my colleagues, individuals of great intellect and kind hearts, who generously give of their time and efforts to challenge, assist, teach, and advise. To think, create, work, and dream in your presence is a gift beyond measure. In particular, I want to thank Avi Sagi, who  \nalways makes time to talk, advise, and carefully read and critique everything I write, and Yitzhak Benbaji and Noam Zion for their significant input.  \nTo my students and friends at the institute in Israel and North America, who accompanied me and the ideas of this book over the last ten years, whose religious lives and probing questions shaped every page, and who shared the passion and need to engage in saving religion from itself.  \nTo Bishop Peter Eaton and Imam Abdullah Antepli, who provided critical advice and assistance and encouraged me to write for religious people at large. To David Schnell, who read the first draft and whose “layperson’s”perspective was invaluable. To Or Rose, who offered a hand of friendship ata critical time. To the wonderful people at Beacon Press and in particular Amy Caldwell, who embraced the book and nurtured it with professionalism and love.  \nAnd finally, to my editor, Charlie Buckholtz, who turned the ideas into beautiful words and sentences, and who served as my primary hevr","cbCailvTceqtvPA9","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailvTceqtvPA9","pdf",1414098,2,1,152,"English","en",105,"# Introduction\n## Religion’s Autoimmune Disease\n# Chapter One\n## You Are Your Brother’s Keeper: The Religious Ethic of Nonindifference\n# Chapter Two\n## God Intoxication and God Manipulation\n# Chapter Three\n## Recovering from God Intoxication\n# Chapter Four\n## Immunizing Against God Manipulation\n# Chapter Five\n## When Scripture Is the Problem\n# Chapter Six\n## Do I Have to Believe in God to Be a Good Jew?\n# Conclusion\n## Putting God First by Putting God Second","[{\"question\":\"What is “religion’s autoimmune disease” in the book’s framing?\",\"answer\":\"The book uses the autoimmune metaphor to describe how religious commitments can turn against the ethical and spiritual life they are meant to sustain, producing internal harm rather than healing.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the book explain “God intoxication” and “God manipulation”?\",\"answer\":\"It argues that people can become intoxicated with God-language or use divine authority to control others, distorting religious ethics and practice. The book then presents approaches for recovering from these distortions.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does the author address scripture as a potential problem?\",\"answer\":\"The book treats scripture not only as guidance but also as something that can be misused or misread, leading readers to evaluate how textual authority may shape harmful beliefs and behaviors.\"}]","Putting God First by Putting God Second - How to Save Religion from Itself | PDF",1785475531,383,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":87,"head_meta":89,"extra_data":91,"updated_unix":29},"putting-god-first-by-putting-god-second-how-to-save-religion-from-itself","",{"@graph":37,"@context":86},[38,54,69],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,48,51],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/religion-spirituality/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":53},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/putting-god-first-by-putting-god-second-how-to-save-religion-from-itself/115639/",4,{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":55,"author":56,"headline":13,"publisher":58,"fileFormat":61,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":62,"datePublished":63,"encodingFormat":61,"isAccessibleForFree":64,"interactionStatistic":65},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":57},"Person",{"url":42,"name":59,"@type":60},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-15","2026-07-31",true,{"@type":66,"interactionType":67,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":68},"ViewAction",{"@type":70,"mainEntity":71},"FAQPage",[72,78,82],{"name":73,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What is “religion’s autoimmune disease” in the book’s framing?","Question",{"text":76,"@type":77},"The book uses the autoimmune metaphor to describe how religious commitments can turn against the ethical and spiritual life they are meant to sustain, producing internal harm rather than healing.","Answer",{"name":79,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":80},"How does the book explain “God intoxication” and “God manipulation”?",{"text":81,"@type":77},"It argues that people can become intoxicated with God-language or use divine authority to control others, distorting religious ethics and practice. 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