For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation).

A Christian is a follower of Jesus, whom they regard as the Christ. Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God, who lived a life befitting that of the creator of the universe, free of sin, and at the end of his earthly life was crucified, and then on the third day after death rose from the dead, to give the message to his followers. This belief is true of all Christian groups. However sects known by mainstream christians to be nonchristian cults, such as Unitarians, do not regard Jesus as a son of God, Christian Non Realists do not believe that Jesus was in any way miraculous and some don't believe he was real (e.g. Don Cupitt), docetists believe that Jesus was a human possessed by a divine being and that the human part never rose from the dead, the various forms of gnostics believe that most of his life is allegory rather than historic fact, and Arians do not regard Jesus as having existed since the creation of the Universe, or as having the same nature as God.

Christians believe that Jesus offers salvation; there are somewhat different interpretations of the exact meaning of the salvation offered, although virtually all Christians agree that it is the perfect form of reconciliation to God, and that this is only possible because of Christ. Christians, by definition, are a part of Christianity. Most Christians identify themselves as monotheistic, believing that there is one God, although a small number are henotheist, believing in the existence of other deities but not worshipping them, and Mormons are sometimes considered semi-tritheistic, believing that there are three distinct and separate entities that make up the Godhead, being the God the Father, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. Today, it is estimated that there are around 2.1 billion Christians in the world making up 33% of the world population, with the largest Christian sect being Roman Catholicism.Religions by Adherents Adherents.com.

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O'Reilly Media, Inc. New Books

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webmaster@oreillynet.com (Cyrill Harnischmacher) Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:18:01 -0800
To record the "invisible light " has always been an intriguing and fascinating experiment. The infrared part of the light spectrum is outside the range of what we can see. With a digital camera, we can record just this "invisible light " and block the "visible " part. This results in unusual but often beautiful renderings of otherwise fairly common scenes. since the 1960 's artists have experimented with analog infrared photography, as seen on album covers of Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa. This compact guide to infrared photography shows the beauty of infrared imagery but also teaches how to shoot these images with your digital camera. The book provides the basic theoretical background, some information on cameras, filters and equipment, and lots of guidance on how to do infrared photography. It is a beautifully designed and illustrated book, the right companion for the aspiring photographer wanting to explore new photographic territories.
MAKE: Technology on Your Time Volume 15
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Mark Frauenfelder) Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:18:43 -0800
Explore the euphonic delights of homemade music in MAKE, Volume 15, the Musical Instrument issue. From handheld synthesizers, to laser harps, to autonomous robot composers, MAKE 15 will fill your world with sweet sounds made by you, even if you've never learned to play an instrument.
Head First Statistics
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Dawn Griffiths) Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:17:50 -0800
Wouldn't it be great if there were a statistics book that made histograms, probability distributions, and chi square analysis more enjoyable than going to the dentist? Head First Statistics brings this typically dry subject to life, teaching statistics through engaging, interactive, and thought-provoking material, full of puzzles, stories, quizzes, visual aids, and real-world examples. This book satisfies the requirements for passing the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics Exam.
Head First Ajax
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Rebecca M. Riordan) Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:48:06 -0800
Head First Ajax gives you an up-to-date perspective that lets you see exactly what you can do -- and has been done -- with Ajax. Using the unique and highly effective visual format that makes Head First titles popular, this book offers a big picture overview to introduce Ajax, and then explores the use of individual Ajax components -- including the JavaScript event model, DOM, XML, JSON, and more -- as it progresses.
Python for Unix and Linux System Administration
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Noah Gift, Jeremy Jones) Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:48:25 -0800
Efficient Problem Solving with Python
Refactoring SQL Applications
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Stephane Faroult, Pascal L'Hermite) Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:17:49 -0800
What can you do when database performance doesn't meet expectations? This book offers methods for refactoring (or changing) SQL code to improve performance without altering a database application's purpose -- and helps you do it on a shoestring budget. This isn't a rehash of theory, but a tested set of options for making code modifications to dramatically improve the way your applications function.

O'Reilly Media, Inc. Upcoming Books

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Internet Explorer 8 changes the Web for the better. This essential guide will teach web developers to adapt their code.
Photographic Multishot Techniques
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Jürgen Gulbins, Rainer Gulbins) Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:16:35 -0800
Photographers are just beginning to realize the potential of HDRI. Now, using similar, even newer techniques based on a bracketed series of exposures, it is possible to go beyond high dynamic range: Photographers can increase resolution for ultrasharp, detailed images, or they can extend the depth of field in a way that was never before possible. Photographic Multishot Techniques provides a thorough introduction and a hands-on guide to these various techniques. Using a series of example images, the authors explain and illustrate the use of each technique in great detail. Included are lessons on HDRI, superresolution, focus stacking, and stitching. Moreover, the reader will learn how to effectively combine these techniques. Throughout the book, the authors use tools such as Photoshop, PhotoAcute, Photomatix, FDRTools, CombineZM, and Helicon Focus to illustrate the workflow with step-by-step instructions. Many of these tools (either full or test versions) are found on the CD that is included with the book. Learning these techniques will help to expand the repertoire and improve the photographic skills of the professional as well as the advanced amateur photographer.
Facebook Cookbook
webmaster@oreillynet.com (Jay Goldman) Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:16:35 -0800
This Cookbook gives you a unique collection of solutions and examples for building Facebook applications that stand out among the thousands already available on the platform. The easy-to-follow recipes in this book not only give you practical ways to design and build scalable applications using Facebook's development platform, they also offer strategies for successfully marketing them in this highly competitive environment.

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