Four Books you won't hear about in church... or Synagogue

The God Code by Gregg Braden. He's not Jewish, but he could pass -- he sure knows his Hebrew -- and his genetics ~! In this book, he explores "the secret of our past, the promise of our future", making a brilliant case fo a coded message found within the molecules of life, deep within the DNA in each cell of our bodies, making us literally "related" to every man, woman and child on Earth, past and present. He draws this conclusion from a remarkable discovery linking biblical alphabets to our genetic code.

With nearly one-third of the world's nations currently embroiled in armed conflict, such proof of a universal origin and bond offers compelling evidence that we have much more in common than any beliefs that have separated us in the past. Through this newfound expression of unity, we find a place to embark on the road to world (and personal) peace when our differences may seem insurmountable.

This is a book I've read and re-read -- and recommended to EVERY thinking person I know ~!


Code Name God confirms that transcending all theologies and denominations, humankind has had a conviction of a creator divinity. Having brought the universe into existence, it remains present throughout, unfolding the ongoing creation. People seem to have always accepted that the Creator will never be revealed to us empirically. Dr Bhaumik finds remarkable support from science for the one source of religion. He portrays our objective knowledge of an abstract entity that permeates the entire universe. He also argues why an inseparable association of that universal entity with consciousness appears credible and why it would be logical to infer that the one source of the world's great spiritual traditions is grounded in scientific reality. Code Name God illustrates for general readers the particulars of these profound new discoveries of science.




The Third Jesus. "Jesus" has now long since "left the building" -- or at least escaped the confines of any one church or brand of theology. In Chopra's book, you'll get a whole new look at the great sage, healer (of minds, bodies and spirits) and teacher. Here, a Jesus is paradoxically presented who is both closer to the original and much more available to postmodern people than the stained-glass, hung-on-the-cross version. The book is bound to provoke admiration and condemnation, which, is what the maverick Galilean rabbi also did.

In his book here, Chopra introduces the West to a Jesus we have either lost of have never truly known. He explores what he calls the "Christ consciousness," which can be identified neither with the Jesus of History nor with the Jesus of the creeds, the doctrines, and the dogmas of the ecclesiastical institutions. This "third Jesus" can only be seen when we move into a new human awareness that will carry us beyond tribe, prejudice, judgment and certainly beyond our hide-bound religious systems and traditions.


Sacred Therapy by Estelle Frankel applies Jewish spiritual teachings on emotional healing and inner wholeness.  By Harold Kushnet, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, "Frankel has done an impressive job of blending ancient Jewish wisdom with modern psychology to fashion a powerful force for healing.

I couldn't agee more.  In my spiritual quest, after growing up in a VERY fundamentalist, black-and-white religion, I turned athiest, then agnostic, then spiritual seeker, Unitarian, Methodist, then converted to Judaism (which made the most sense of all, really) and now comfortably UNcomfortable, just not having all the answers.

But, much wisdom was found in Frankel's book, e.g. "Sometimes, those very things that come into our lives not according to our conscious choide or desire turn out to bring us the greatest blessings."   When (IF) I do attend church (or temple), I want to leave having been uplifted -- dusted off spiritually or emotionally, nurtured and srengthened to face another week.

I do NOT need any guilt trips -- Jesus 'died for your sins", or saving -- like teachings from Judaism, I'll answer to G-d directly for my mis-deeds -- or orders from headquarters, e.g. you MUST believe and accept..., or light candles every Friday night at dinner, etc.  This is NOT to discount or diminish traditions -- they do serve to keep us connected with a spiritual history and should be honored as such.

But just as I never believed "GOD" could be fitted into a neat little box labeled Islam or Baptist or anything else, I don't think there's any pulpit large enough to fit Jesus into, so I remain content with my areas of "not knowing" and the jury is still out.