Posted on 11/14/2007 9:37:00 AM PST by shrinkermd
...One estimate puts the average age of Buddhist converts (about a third of the American Buddhist population) at upwards of 50. This means that the religion is almost certain to see its numbers reduced over the next generation as boomer Buddhists begin to die off without having passed their faith along to their children. And Jewish and Christian models offer the most logical solution for reversing that decline.
The basic problem is that non-Asian converts tend not to regard what they practice as a religion. From the beginning, Buddhism has been seen in its American incarnation not as an alternative religion, but as an alternative to religion. American converts have long held Buddhism apart from what they see as the inherent messiness of Western religious discourse on such issues as faith and belief, and from the violence that has so often accompanied it.
The author Sam Harris, though not himself a Buddhist, is nevertheless fairly representative of this point of view. In his book "The End of Faith," Mr. Harris is strongly critical of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but he gives Buddhism a free pass. "Buddhism has also been a source of ignorance and occasional violence," he concedes, but "it is not a religion of faith, or a religion at all in the Western sense."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The practice of meditation is an “inside job” and free from rituals. Converting others and obliging children to embrace this form of spirituality is left to the individual. As Albert Schweitzer said, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.”
There are several schools of Buddhism, which vary greatly in their beliefs about the supernatural and superstition. The advantage of Buddhism over mainstream religion, in my mind, is that the more conservative schools (like the Sri Lanka based Theravada Buddhism) encourage questioning and reasoning of all beliefs, including key ones such as reincarnation (which I can accept symbolically, but not literally). I don’t like being told that my world view should be based on blind faith, even when it appear illogical.
I tend to agree with the author that the American-style of Buddhism may be a fad. It would be a shame to lose it.
Asian Buddhists laugh their a**es off at the Birkenstock types who claim to be Buddhists. There is no similarity to real Buddhism; just a bunch of hippies who don’t want to go to church. (Been in and out of Asia for most of the last 40 years and married to an Asian Buddhist so I know whereof I speak).
Nam myo ho renge kyoooooo
As a Zen practitioner, I can tell you that, like AA, it is a program of attraction rather than promotion. Buddhism is alive and well, if not numerous. It will grow slowly and steadily and not to the detriment of other religious traditions. There will cross-pollination - hopefully for the better.
The seven-year-old daughter of an Asian Buddhist listened politely as an American Boomer hippie went on and on about Buddhism. When the hippie paused for breath, the girl looked at her seriously and said:”Whoever told you all that made it up.”
True story.
All; from what I understand Buddism is based on the effort of one (individual) to achieve “internal peace”-
Well I tell you all that only Jesus Christ can give you peace, and though I am not saying this for my own, I care for you as freepers (acquaintence-friends) and as fellow men and women.
The only way to God, is through Christ, and recognition of our own inherent sinfulness that we are dead untill we recognize this then recieve Jesus as our Lord and Savior!~
Love it. I remember a few years ago when the Dalai Lama was in the US and spoke in California to a group of American Buddhists when one of them asked him about Buddhism and gays. He said gay sex was a serious sin, and that it would be preferable for people to go to prostitutes. Richard Gere was there and the whole group had an advanced case of the fantods from which they may not yet have recovered.
Next time anyone is in a bookstore, go read Tricycle or the other US Buddhist mags on the magazine rack for a great laugh...
Only took eight posts before the “Christians have cornered the market to salvation” crowd to chime in.
Just found this in a 1998 Christopher Hitchins column in case anyone doubts what I said above: “Sexual misconduct for men and women consists of oral and anal sex,” he [the DL] has repeatedly said in promoting his book on these matters. “Using one’s hand, that is sexual misconduct.” But, as ever with religious stipulations, there is a nutty escape clause. “To have sexual relations with a prostitute paid by you and not by a third person does not constitute improper behavior.” Not all of this can have been said just to placate Richard Gere, or to attract the royalties from “Pretty Woman.”
Shouldn't be a big deal to those who a adherents to Buddhism, since Buddhists don't even think salvation is an option.
In the Soto and Rinzai Schools it would be just as accurate to say that it's based on the individual's finally stopping the effort to achieve internal peace.
Buddhism has great diversity in "faith" and in "practice", from the austerities of the Theravedans to the exotica of the Vajrayana and many Mahayana schools. I also believe that Jesus is the unique way to peace. But I also want to acknowledge what is noble in the Buddhadharma, and chief among its excellences is the moral and spiritual ideal of embracing pain in compassion for others. It is not surprising that Christians, whose Lord showed his power, splendor, bliss, and love so wonderfully on the cross -- it is not surprising that suffering Love is high in our catalogue of virtues and gifts.
It IS surprising that without that revelation, the Mahayana also embraced compassionate love as the chief of virtues.
I do not mean to minimize the hugely important differences between the Gospel and the Dharma. I do hope though that we can see and acknowledge not only the failures but the achievements of people all over whose hearts, made restless by God, found much as they sought their rest in Him.
Jesus is the way; I too respect you but we have all sinned (against both God and fellow man) and thereby because Justice are deserving of death and hell/judgement: We can not achieve “salvation” through our own effort; since our actions are meaningless in reguard to our “debt”. God is/was Holy enough to love us and send His son (and self) to take our punishment!
I don’t think we are going to agree; but at least I told you what I needed to (and I do respect you)!~
-JS.
That there is a king-size 10-4. Thanks be to God, sez me.
Could be. . .I'm not Catholic, so I don't know from saints.
I may be wrong, but I think Jesus Christ can be someone’s “Buddha” it’s just an alternative way of praying in some sects. I could be mistaken though.
People can believe all kinds of stuff. But of course, in Christianity Buddha and Jesus are not the same. Buddha is a person (a lost one according to Christians), Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.
I appreciate what you are saying. I accept that Christians may be right, but since I don’t know that they are, I can’t be Christian (I was, studied hard, and came away with too many doubts).
I would just like to point out to the others that, from a purely Earthly standpoint Buddhists, in general, make good neighbors.
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