tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post1343467989607298087..comments2024-02-14T08:44:41.513+00:00Comments on Progressive Buddhism: 12 Books that have influenced meMyeong Jin Eunsahn http://www.blogger.com/profile/10324409234993116264noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-21169741310569934132009-06-16T19:37:58.991+01:002009-06-16T19:37:58.991+01:00Here is my list of twelve that, though may not be ...Here is my list of twelve that, though may not be the primary influence, at least reflect where I was spiritually at the time I read them (mind you, some of these are really flaky):<br /><br />1- The Bible. This is the book I read when I started my spiritual journey when I was 14 y/o (1994). <br /><br />2- The Three Battlegrounds [Francis Frangipane]. I 'got saved' in a Methodist Church, but after getting 'baptized in the Holy Ghost' and moving to the Assemblies of God, this was one of the books that was popular at the time . Our church was into wild prayer meetings and 'spiritual warfare'. (1997)<br /><br />3- Pigs In the Parlor [Frank Hammond]. This was when I entered my flaky stage in my freshman year of college. I was hanging out with a Deliverance Preacher. I saw some really messed up stuff and was around some really crazy people a the time. (1998-1999) I switched churches to a non-denominational Word-of-Faith church.<br /><br />4- The Fabric of the Cosmos [Brian Greene]. I've always loved science, especially quantum physics, and while in college my Christian faith and all the flakiness I was around was challenged by books like this one. (2000-2001)<br /><br />5- The Tongue: A Creative Force [Charles Capps]. I almost deconverted in college, but I immersed myself in further into Christian fundamentalism and the Word-of-Faith movement. What influenced me about this book was that idea that I could have what ever I spoke by faith in 'God's Word'. (2003)<br /><br />6- The Image of Righteousness [Creflo Dollar]. I also got involved in the Prosperity Gospel. This book was influential in that Dollar was preaching a gospel that Christians are all little gods. It was blasphemous, but very much a part of what the "Name It, Claim It" bunch was about. (2002)<br /><br />7- Verbal Judo [George Thompson]. Not a book on spirituality, but on law enforcement. I took a job as a cop and wanted to learn how to talk to people better and in an effective way. (2004-2005)<br /><br />8- Restoration [D. Thomas Lancaster]. I started having some real issues with the Word-of-Faith movement at this time. I got involved with the Messianic Jewish movement and trying to find out how "Yeshua [Jesus] really wanted me to live, which was probably more like he lived in the first century... which was Jewish." (2004-2005)<br /><br />9- The Real Messiah [Aryeh Kaplan]. A Jewish counter-missionary book that was the icing on the cake as far as convincing me that Jesus (and Christianity) wasn't for me. (2005-2006)<br /><br />10- Atheist Universe [David Mills]. I ended up deconverting in December of 2006. This book helped reassure me that my objections to Christianity were solid. (2006-2007)<br /><br />11- The Demon-Haunted World [Carl Sagan]. I became a strident atheist and skeptic. Sagan's book was pivotal for me not only in challenging me to be skeptical and ask questions, but also to reclaim a level of personal 'spirituality'. (2007-2008)<br /><br />12- Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha [Daniel Ingram]. Though most of my Buddhist readings have been websites, pdf files, blogs, and audio podcasts that were probably more influential, this is a book (since that is what we are talking about) that has helped me become more committed to meditation practice. (2009)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-91315347018643004882009-06-15T18:37:34.244+01:002009-06-15T18:37:34.244+01:00I am not sure if it's a "progressive"...I am not sure if it's a "progressive" Buddhism book, but Buddhism for Mothers was a lovely book for me.Jody Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17843013129689049632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-6267067827717694592009-06-15T07:06:24.741+01:002009-06-15T07:06:24.741+01:00It was "Hermann Hesse - Siddharta" for m...It was "Hermann Hesse - Siddharta" for me. Going to get some of the things from your list too.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04232743279676296925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-34070837524081824322009-06-15T02:47:58.537+01:002009-06-15T02:47:58.537+01:00Wow! Great list! What initially got me into Budd...Wow! Great list! What initially got me into Buddhism was Geri Larkin's <b>Stumbling Toward Enlightenment</b>. It was just the immersion I needed. Recently, I have been reading Noah Levine's stuff. I think it is really bringing out the best in progressive Buddhism, helping recovering addicts and anger issues...really hitting hard with Western people with modern problems...Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12537256719881587886noreply@blogger.com