What Book Have You Read Recently?

[Popeyesays]

It should be in choice of formats, if you have Adobe Reader choose *.PDF. If not choose HTML and you can read it in your browser whether on line or not.

I usually read e-books in Microsoft Reader which is a free download of software from the Micro Soft download files. It's more like a book and if you like you can have it read out loud to you. It sounds kind of like Stephev Hawkings reading to you.

An d Thanks, I hope you enjoy it.

Regards,
Scott

[Miss Amy]

I just bought a new book called "Buddha" by Deepak Chropra. Has anyone read it?

[dauer]

I'm just finishing up one book and am in the middle of two others.

The one I finished was Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. Very awesome. Straightforward, to the point. I started reading Sri Aurobindo's Psychology of Inner Growth at the same time, and it was interesting to see the contrast in style, with Sri Aurobindo getting much more into his own metaphysic. At first it was actually a complete turn off and I couldn't read the book. But I picked it up again a week later and am really loving it. I think probably the reason I rejected it so quickly is because it takes me longer to assimilate new data than the average person. So I need a few days of simmer time. It can be very frustrating, because the way I crunch the data and process it once I have it is, by the numbers, a bit above average. I haven't read enough of Aurobindo to really understand his system, but now that it's more familiar to me I'm able to get the messages the system is used to convey.

I'm also reading a more scholarly book by a Jewish feminist on engendering Judaism. I think that's the title, and the author is Rachel Adler. So far it's really fantastic. She's not really a mega-radicalist and she's not anti-man, which helps too. When I was in high school one time a speaker came in who was a radical Jewish feminist and her shtick was essentially: all men are pigs. the system we have now was created by men. we have to destroy it and create a new system.

Dauer

[Snoopy]

Zen Master Who? by James Ishmael Ford.

Described as a guide to the people and stories of zen, this book looks at zen as it has developed all around the world. Helps to put into context some of the names that one might read about.

s.

[Snoopy]

Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor

Only a short book but considered to be a key one in the "modern take" on Buddhism.

s.

[ardenz]

The God Delusion Richard Dawkins

This book sort of brought me to this site - searching for the grey bits between the black and white


Fundamentalism The search for meaning Malise Ruthven

I read this a while ago and am re reading in the light of Dawkins.


.......maybe a good Murder thriller next

[mee]

Should You Believe in the Trinity?
Answers such questions as: What is the Trinity? Does the Bible teach it? Is Jesus Christ the Almighty God and part of the Trinity? What is the holy spirit, and how does it function.................... this is a good read ,i really enjoyed reading this booklet and it is online too

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by ardenz

The God Delusion Richard Dawkins

This book sort of brought me to this site - searching for the grey bits between the black and white


Fundamentalism The search for meaning Malise Ruthven

I read this a while ago and am re reading in the light of Dawkins.

is that cos Dawkins' arguments make you concerned about religious fundies or because you think Dawkins is a fundy? (not a trick question, just chewing the cud!)

s.

[ardenz]

mmmm....both.

Marise Ruthvern's book is well written and fairly unbiased. He traces the root of the term in American churches and its adoption to cover many other beliefs, whether secular or religious, so yes Fundamentalist Atheism is a possibility.

I haven't read any of Dawkins' other books, but I have noticed that he has quite a following. His thesis, basically, that there is nothing at all beyond what we are in the physical world from natural evolution - Darwinism: there is nothing spiritual, no God, nothing valid in any belief structure, be it on any spectrum. He is a scientist, yes , but a biological scientist. He offhand dismisses theology as a proper field of study. Admits he is an amateur psychologist. Skims quickly over Quantum physics. Barely mentions eastern beliefs. And gives the worst examples from the Bible and Quaran. He generalises and puts all belief structures and believers into one big sticky "God is Bad" pot ...and of course Dawkins is right.

Yes there can be fundamentalist Atheists, I believe. Perhaps I'm a fundamentalist something else

I recently read The Penguin History of The United States of America: by Hugh Brogan which was a bit of a lightening tour, but informative nonetheless

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by ardenz

Perhaps I'm a fundamentalist something else

A fundy fence-sitter?!

s.

[ardenz]

Fence-sitter , but thats the worst thing you can be called by an Atheist!

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by ardenz

Fence-sitter , but thats the worst thing you can be called by an Atheist!

what, worse than "Theist" ??!!

s.

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

what, worse than "Theist" ??!!

s.

I think he meant "luke warm"...

v/r

Q

[ardenz]

I just read this Forum's rules - NO Religion or politics in the lounge-

[dauer]

My new amazon order came. Yayyyyyyyyy.

I'm getting really wrapped up in Kabbalah: A Love Story by Lawrence Kushner.
Amazon.com: Kabbalah: A Love Story: Books: Lawrence Kushner

It's my first fiction read in a while. I'm not even very far into the book yet but it seems really superb. I think I'll probably read this one a few times.

I read most of Sri Aurobindo's Growing Within: Psychology of Inner Development
Amazon.com: Growing Within: Psychology of Inner Development: Books: Aurobindo,The Mother

and I got a lot out of it. Every page is a blessing. This one I will probably also return to.

For something else to study with the weekly parsha I got Torah & Company by Judith Z Abrams.

Amazon.com: Torah & Company: The Weekly Portion of Torah, Accompanied by Generous Helpings of Mishnah and Gemara, Served up with Discussion Questions to Spice up Your Sabbath Table: Books: Judith Z. Abrams

I'm really enjoying it so far. Along with a piece of the week's parsha she provides texts from related sources and then after she asks discussion questions. And it's all related to one theme. So for Pinchas she shared Numbers 25:17-18, Mishna Avodah Zarah 4:7 (didn't check if it's all or a snippet) and a snippet from Bavli Avodah Zarah 35b. Then there are three discussion questions that relate to the text. I think I'll put Shefa Gold's book on the weekly parsha in my next order.

Also in this amazon order was Meaning & Mitzvah: Daily Practices for Reclaiming Judaism through Prayer, G!d, Torah, Hebrew, Mitzvot and Peoplehoold by Goldie Milgram.

Amazon.com: Meaning & Mitzvah: Daily Practices for Reclaiming Judaism through Prayer, God, Torah, Hebrew, Mitzvot and Peoplehood: Books: Rabbi Goldie Milgram

I haven't read anything by her yet and this book seemed a good way to go. Now that I've glanced at it, I think it may be a good book to read with my girlfriend.

Also in my book order was The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living

Amazon.com: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living (The Complete Idiot's Guide): Books: Beverly Lynn Bennett,Ray Sammartano

and Working with Anger by Thubten Chodron

Amazon.com: Working with Anger: Books: Thubten Chodron

I read another book by Thubten that I didn't like so much but this one seems to have won a lot of acclaim.

After a couple years of it sitting on my shelf I'm again reading Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism by Gershon Winkler

Amazon.com: Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism: Books: Gershon Winkler,David Carson,Gabriel Cousens

He's a very fascinating guy. Grew up and received smicha in the ultra-orthodox world, wrote fiction books for the frum community, then hit his midlife crisis and returned to nature. He practices what he calls flexidoxy. This particular book is really great in its defense of Jewish shamanic practices heavily footnoted to various classical Jewish sources. It also addresses the whole "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" commandment. I got turned off the first time I read it when he got into the directions, the winds, the animals and attributes associated with each tribe and the significance behind each but I'm willing to try it again. And I've been reviewing the Mei HaShiloach along with the parsha again. That Ishbitzer, a little ahead of his time. lol

Dauer