I am not a Christian, and considerable drivel about my reasoning on this

Me

[West Texas Chuck]

OK, a lot of y'all will freak on this, but I am not a Christian. Not that I have any problem at all with His teachings, but I decided a long time ago I didn't want Jesus to die on that cross to expunge my sins. I'll take the hit to my own Karma. Laugh if you want, but this is what I believe: Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism.

I was raised Southern Baptist. My grandfather was a deacon in the church in Shawnee, Oklahoma. I remember unlocking the church with him before the sun came up, and going to Sunday School. Ortho Orville Oliver would probably spin in his grave to hear this but at his funeral I decided his religion was not what made sense to me. I think I was 12 at the time. I was a hippie for years, and then I was pretty much Godless for a long time, like those are different things. Then I met a girl who is what they call a "fortune baby" meaning she was born into this philosophy. Her old 75+ year old Japanese momma made her what she is, and she made me what I am, in a quasi-religious sense. It's a Japanese thing. I've been fascinated with Japanese culture since my first karate class, and before. Ni Gojuryu karate really started me down this path, several decades ago.

I don't worship Buddha, Soka Gakkai International is not about that in any way, we just believe in personal responsibility for the Karma we create for ourselves. There is no such thing as good Karma, all Karma is pretty much bad (sin?). It is a debt you create and carry. I believe in reincarnation and a lot of things that will probably make your skin crawl if you are Christian.

I have no problem with Christians. I'll stand and fight and die with you because you believe in a righteous God. Please don't hate me because I am a Buddhist.

Hate me because I am good looking ;)

[grey_whiskers]

My dogma ate your karma.

You can say that again!

(Talk about the hound of heaven...)

Cheers!

[john in springfield]

My dogma ate your karma.

I've heard of a dogma chasing karma, but never heard of a dogma actually eating karma.

[cammie]

As I said, no one on this board has come back from the afterlife to tell us that there’s no one but Christians in there.

I will not presume to know exactly what Jesus meant by “through Me” — whether it means “professing a belief in Me” or “by acting consistently with My principles of loving God and your neighbo” or that He is also a Gatekeeper who evaluates the quality of our lives with us (as some who have near death experiences have said) — nor presume that non-Christians who lived virtuous lives find the Door barred to them.

[Blogger]

I are a Calvinistic Baptist. He still doesn’t force His atonement on folks.

[mstar]

we just believe in personal responsibility for the Karma we create for ourselves. There is no such thing as good Karma, all Karma is pretty much bad (sin?). It is a debt you create and carry. I believe in reincarnation

Correct me if I am wrong, the reason Buddha set out on his spiritual quest was to find a way to break the hell of Hindu karma. The final goal of his new religion was to achieve "nothingness" in order to end the karma nightmare.

Why would you want burdens like this for your life? Christ has already given you the break-through from karma and its burden free.

[presently no screen name]

He is also a Gatekeeper who evaluates the quality of our lives with us (as some who have near death experiences have said)

The quality of our lives?? Our quality is squat! We are nothing without Christ. No one can attain heaven on THEIR qualities. Why did Jesus have to die if it were about 'our' qualities? You reduced his sacrificial death down to a zero if you think you could add one thing to your salvation. That is pride.

— nor presume that non-Christians who lived virtuous lives find the Door barred to them.

We aren't to presume anything, it's not about us - it's what God says. Why would a non Christian want to spend eternity w/Jesus when they didn't want anything to do w/Him while on earth, no personal relationship? Virtuous lives? Again, you think it's about what someone does - it's not - it ALL about what Jesus did at the cross.

What you are implying is Jesus isn't the Way, your virtuous life is, Jesus isn't the Truth, your presumption is.

The door is open - God wants that none should perish - yet, many have barred the door by rejecting Christ and His teachings. It's an open invitation and the price was already paid - to say God has/will bar the door is major fallacy!

Here's what The Gatekeeper says...Matthew 7:13,14

"ENTER through the NARROW gate. For WIDE is the gate and BROAD is the road that leads to DESTRUCTION, and MANY enter through it. But SMALL is the gate and NARROW the road that leads to LIFE, and ONLY a few find it.

[wardaddy]

How old are you?

at least you believe in something besides random cosmic masturbation spillage

[goat granny]

You have as much right to your religious or nonreligious beliefs as do Jews, Catholics, or other christian denominations or non christian denomonations...If any one gives you flack, they are not worth your time. I don't believe in reincarnation, to me it makes no sense unless you know for what reason you are back again for...but for those that believe, its their right and their life.

After having 5 children in 6 1/2 years the only thing I have said about reincarnation is if its true, I better come back sterile...

[West Texas Chuck]

Thank you, I cannot argue with a word you say.

I’m certainly no expert on Hinduism but to me Siddarth was saying nothingness means not creating any new Karma. No mortal man can do that. Maybe Jesus could live that way, but a man cannot.

I’m not trying to convert anybody here, I’m just ranting about my own thoughts and faith.

Maybe I suck at religious expression. Some of us just use different definitions.

[West Texas Chuck]

I’m probably old enough to be your seriously older brother. No, I have serious beliefs. I have faith, even if it seems dumb to some people, it is from my heart.

[mstar]

I’m certainly no expert on Hinduism but to me Siddarth was saying nothingness means not creating any new Karma. No mortal man can do that. Maybe Jesus could live that way, but a man cannot.

You are right when you say "nothingness" creates no new Karma, but according to Buddha's teachings, "nothingness" also means you cease to exist at all. To achieve Buddha's goal of nothingness, you lose all the uniqueness of your person hood. The specially designed person you are, that God lovingly created before the foundation of the world, will be gone, will just cease to exist.

You are also right when you say no mortal man can stop Karma, it is impossible. That is why it took Jesus, our Emanuel, God coming among us in the form of a man, to do that for us. It is the only way karma will break without breaking us, and it is free, plus you get to be the person He made you to be for eternity.

[Paradox]

Not to detract from the thread but I find your statement controversial.

How so exactly? That I dont consider myself a Christian?

I’m a Christian who believes in abortion in dire situations, yet I have been severely chastisted about that. Please share your thoughts about being a FReeper while holding beliefs outside the norm for most Conservatives. Thank you for a response. I'm thinking that the only "allowable" abortion would be in case the mothers life is in jeopardy, and maybe, _maybe_, in cases of rape. I think that any time anyone has voluntary sex, they know that they might create a baby, and that is one of the "risks" that those people take on when they have sex. Protected or unprotected is irrelevant. Its sort of a contract with God/Nature. You can have sex, but you have to be responsible for what comes of it.

In the case of rape, it might be argued that it was involuntary on the womans part, so that part of the contract is null.

Not saying thats what I believe personally, but I think an argument can be made.

[mstar]

when my time comes and I see that light, if Jesus is standing there I am sure to humble myself and accept him. See, that is so Buddhist, though I’m sure it makes no sense to some of you. When you see die and the truth is there, you have to go into the light.

Chuck, Jesus draws you to Himself in His timing. He chooses you. If you feel Him drawing you to Himself, don't put it off until a time you think you will cross over, He died so you would not have to. He went to hell and burned your record of Karma so you would not have to stand in judgment for your sins or live a life here of bondage. The price of your karma has already been paid in full. Within His completed work for you, you are free to rest in Him.

You are in my prayers. Hope to see you around here more on FR, or at some of our Texas Conservative gatherings, as we labor to get O and his bunch out of our WH.

[grame]

Fearing death and Fearing God are not in the same line of thinking.

I would say your self righteousness is going to sell you short one day. It doesn't matter one whit to God about what we look like on the outside. But on the Judgement Day He is going to ask, Did you know my Son, and call Him Savior? Your answer of self righteousness and outward beauty will fall short.

But God still loves you, and has forgiven you. He's just waiting for you to accept it. Free Gift. I'm praying for you to come to the end of yourself before the judgement day.

[melsec]

So you basically believe that you reap what you so but even when you do good things you reap bad stuff. God Bless ya but I think I will stick to Christianity. It obviously has taken you years to get to where you are now - the journey isn’t over yet and so I pray may God guide your steps!

Blessings

Mel

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Amen - thank you!!!

[grame]

Having 10 grandchildren in 8 years is much much easier and so wonderful.

[dangus]

OK, I know it was a cartoony, jokey reference, but I was referring to Irresistable grace.

[Blogger]

Irresistable grace isn’t force. It’s just not something the elect will resist.

[dangus]

Yeah, I know, but that kind of defeats the whole notion of calling it irresistable. “Irresisted” grace?