Hudson Tuttle was an extremely sharp-witted man who wrote books mostly on religion and its limiting effects on man. This book, Career of Religious Ideas, is no exception. Tuttle explains the Church"s authority early on in the book by stating that the Church basically has no authority -- and backs himself up quite well. He is a champion for science rather than faith and considers proper knowledge to be our true savior. He states that "faith is another name for credulity, and is most reprehensible." True morality and goodness, he states, can only appear if we can rid ourselves of strict dogma.Tuttle lays out his arguments in clear form and in plain language, making him a joy to read. Various forms of religion and their origins are discussed including polytheism, monotheism, and pantheism. He shows how humankind has functioned within these structures in both good and bad ways, and how we reached our current forms of belief. Understanding this overview, this larger picture, brings one out of one"s current belief structure just long enough to experience a fuller understanding of religion and how we arrived at our beliefs.Tuttle is a freethought writer and opposes dogmatic traditions. He predicts the day will come when, at the hands of true knowledge, all popes, priests, and dogmatic superstitions will vanish. If Tuttle had written this book today, he would still be ahead of his time. Therefore what he says still has great value to all open-minded, clear thinking people. One may not agree with everything he says, but everything he says will cause one to open one"s mind and to think critically on important issues.