Posted on 01/16/2010 6:46:41 AM PST by cold start
The very idea of the “best religion” is very foreign to a Buddhist way of thought. Humility is not just a Christian virtue. His statement reflects an admirable level of humility.
Not when there are so many better reasons. /s ;^)
Some FReepers would do well to listen to the Dali Lama and stop worrying about who’s Christian and who’s not.
So does this mean that on my deathbed, I won’t receive total consciousness?
Yah, but what horse puckey! The Muslims in the mountains of Pakistan do not follow non-violence, nor do the muslim terrorists in India. Or the Hindu terrorists. Indians have far more political and religious violence than we do in the USA.
Not when there are so many better reasons.>>>>>>>>>>>>><p.
Yes, some beings can only be helped by destroyiog them. A sad but true fact. There are myriads of better reasons, and I am prepared to use every one of them if I have to.LOL.
Yes, some beings can only be helped by destroyiog them. A sad but true fact. There are myriads of better reasons, and I am prepared to use every one of them if I have to.LOL.
Atheism, with it premise of "if it feels good, do it", is far more intrusive and pervasive (not to mention pernicious) in our daily lives than Christian principles and beliefs.
But when you listen to Jesus it is a major issue. His command to his believers was to go and tell the whole world of his good news, that God himself paid for their sins and all they need to do is believe to receive eternal life.
Caring that others will miss out on that terrific gift is not a bad thing.
So does this mean that on my deathbed, I won’t receive total consciousness?
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No, you’ve still got that going for you. He didn’t stiff you.
So does this mean that on my deathbed, I won’t receive total consciousness?
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No, you’ve still got that going for you. He didn’t stiff you.
If you can’t say your religion is best, then why be a member of it, much less leader?
Whenever I think of Buddhism, I remember two things.
The first is a classic Chinese picture. It shows three men standing next to a barrel of vinegar, and represents the three great philosophies of China: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Each of the three has dipped their finger into the vinegar, then tasted it.
The Confucian does not approve of the vinegar, because its sour bitterness is at odds with what he thinks is the order of the universe.
The Buddhist looks sad, because the sour bitterness of the vinegar reminds him of the suffering involved in life, with escape only in nothingness.
But the Taoist has a happy, almost silly grin on his face, because sour and bitter is how vinegar is supposed to be, so all is well.
The other thing I think of is the story of a delegation of four Buddhist monks who were conducting unofficial diplomacy with the US government. Three were the diplomats, and a very senior, elderly monk was brought along as a courtesy.
They had just arrived at LAX, and were walking down the concourse to get their luggage, when they were seen by a young Mexican girl who was at the airport with her mother. Without any hesitation, the young Mexican girl walked up to the monks, turned to the eldest one, and, in English, started berating him.
She loudly shouted at him that he was a worthless, good for nothing layabout, who never did his homework, was always tardy to class, and spent all his time daydreaming.
All the monks were puzzled, then suddenly the old monk acted terrified, and began to frantically apologize and protest that it wasn’t his fault, and he swore to do better in the future, and please don’t hit me.
Then the penny dropped that the little girl was acting just like his teacher had when he was just a novice monk, and had reincarnated in the little girl. The old monk was convinced beyond any doubt, even though he had to sit down for a while with the shakes.
So the delegation sought out the girl’s mother and explained the situation to her. After lengthy negotiations, the mother agreed that for some months of the year, the girl could travel to Nepal, for the purpose of taking a senior academic post, as long as she kept up her American schoolwork.
A picture was taken of the girl in Nepal, seated on a tall chair and wearing elaborate robes many sizes too large for her, but with a stern and authoritarian expression on her face, as a group of novice monks, looking rather sheepish, groveled on the floor in front of her.
What would really be a breath of fresh air? To hear that the Dalai Lama had come to Christ and renounced Buddhism as a false religion.
That would turn peaceful, non-judgmental Buddhism on its ear!
But no such luck...
This may indeed be true of the religion as established by Gautama and more or less practiced in various places still today.
It's hardly true of Tibetan Buddhism, which has many thousands of deities, ascended Buddhas, demons, heavens and hells, etc. This is largely because it is a fusion of the indigenous Tibetan "pagan" religion, Bon, and the imported Buddhism.
It may be true they don't believe in God, in a monotheistic sense, but they certainly have more than enough gods. The more Buddhist-influenced believers consider these to be forces, influences or metaphors, much as the more "advanced" Hindus do, while those more influenced by Bon tend to view them more as actual entities with real existence.
In fact, in some senses, the Dalai Lama is himself considered a god, a reincarnation of the God of Compassion.
That’s it! Leave no tern unstoned. LOL
By what process does one choose their religion? How were you able to determine that your religion was the best when you were making your choice? This is very interesting to me.
I know two Chinese immigrants who are both Buddhist and Christian! They say there are many like them. They also say that both work quite well together.
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