James Gault reviews Opposing Forces: The Metaphysical War Between Good and Evil and the Shaping of Secular Modern Progress by Albert Ramos
​
In spite of its very specific title, Albert Ramos’ book provided us with a comprehensive historical survey of all the Eurasian religions from the earliest times to the present day. Its overriding theme is the concept of evil and its importance and relevance in various religions at different times in history. And its underlying premise is that morality is not set by a deity, but is an outcome of social and political conditions in any particular place and time. Morality is therefore relative: it varies over time and between cultures.
 
I couldn’t discern a real central message to the book, but this does not detract from its value as an ideal reference book for anyone interested in the Good vs Evil story through time and across cultures. My interest was as a student of moral philosophy and the philosophy of religion, but I could also imagine writers or lovers of fantasy or historical novels using it to discover factual background to their stories. Those interested in theology or religious studies would also find something there for them.
 
The book is written in a strict academic style and it can be a hard read at times, with long sentences the understanding of which needs a bit of work by the reader. Also, it is organised generally in chronological order, but by topic within that, and this results in some repetition of information. This is not a problem, and in fact is necessary if you are using the book for reference.
 
The table of contents is informative and helpful, and there is a good bibliography. Nevertheless, an index would have added considerably to its usefulness. For example, this would have allowed me to gather together the views of particular theologians and philosophers, which the author in in general treats in several places spread throughout out the book. In spite of these small criticisms, I found this book a valuable addition to my library.      
​

---