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complex issue - well I just feel like complex.

edited January 2012 in Faith & Religion
I have a slightly complex issue, Im sorry for posting on here I guess its easy getting advice from strangers than actually approaching a friend with this. I was born into a faith that never seemed right for me and lets just say that was always really just a title I used for whenever I had to fill out forms. Anyway years back my uncle died and it kind of set me off on this path to figure out the a religion I do believe in and follow and when I had those rock bottom moments it actually helped me up, the Abrahamic religion that I was born into did nothing for me.

Since this whole thing started I have had to start meditation and yoga to help me through the stress and ill health I was in at the time (plus I was having a hard time dealing with my uncles death) that lead me to Buddhism but lately I've just identified with Christianity. I was talking to a friend while at the gym about how im studying both Christianity and Buddhism and she just said something about how I may end up where I started, lost confused and just an eager hippy!

But I cant get over this feeling that im doing something odd. Has anyone else reverted from one faith to a totally different one? Im so sorry to have to discuss this here where it possibly doesnt even relate much.

Comments

  • Any religions you are free to explore but look the one with teacher on advice that said you are naturely almighty but because your mind wandering here and there, it disfocus your mind and dukka arises :D
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    I gather nearly everyone here has come to Buddhism from a different religion. There are some here that also have a multi religious practice. @vinlyn and @SimonthePilgrim are two that I can think of that are also Christian and I believe @Lady_Alison said she was Muslim/Buddhist-curious. Probably some others that I don't know of too.
  • Personally, I was born into catholism and went searching thru the faiths to a point where I believed but didnot feel God...nor did I feel that he cared, even if he did exist.

    I wanted to feel, feel, feel god.

    Not just believe.

    I also experienced a loss and in the depth of my hell tha no one couldget me out of, I had amoment of peace.

    VerY strange.

    I later learned what that feeling was...my body, mind and heart were suffering so much that at the point of exhaustion a space opened up for me of complete bliss.

    It was spontaneous.

    I recommend you talk to some people here...you are into something so kept searching.

    I recommend eckhart tolle audiobooks, see if that resonates with you.

    I suggest you be alittle careful who yoi tell about your journey, you seem like a smart person and sometimes people derail somthing they don't understand.

    Mayne once you gain some confidence I your practice you can be the living powerful presemce in their life.

    I had the, "so what, now you are turning into a butterfly?" From someone very dear and I thought they were right.

    Lol...yes, I am transforming...so what? it's my life...you don't have to live it.

    Which is another thing...this is your journey...you must choose for yourself.

    Just because they don't understand doesn't mean the practice is wrong.

    I am a abrahamic monotheist. I practice the teachings of christ, the pillars of islam and buddhism.
  • This is a good book to reconcile your dualistic mind into non dualism - PURE-LAND ZEN, ZEN PURE-LAND – LETTERS FROM
    PATRIARCH YIN KUANG
    [PDF] PURE - LAND ZEN ZEN PURE - LAND
    Zen , Zen Pure - Land” (second edition 1993∗),which is a translation of … Zen and Pure Land ,Pure Land Practice …
    www.buddhanet .net/. ./yin_kuang. pdf :D
  • edited January 2012
    @Lady_Alison. thats exactly how I felt. But how have you merged Islam and Christianity? Im intrigued...very intrigued! I agree that this is my choice and I am getting a similar reaction to you - i got the 'oh now your a hippy!'

    To be honest it was the process of grief that started it all off. I just couldnt comprehend how we as humans suffer so much, to be honest it was the question that I had at my uncles funeral....now what is he doing! I think that via meditation I have managed to stop my mind from being erratic and I think I ventured into the world Buddhism too fast and never eliminated my initial feelings of how I perceive God.

    @Spaceless, thanks for the reccomendations I will take a look Zen and Pure Land I was trying out the Theravadin practice and thats not for me.
  • @Lady Alison. thats exactly how I felt. But how have you merged Islam and Christianity? Im intrigued...very intrigued!

    To be honest it was the process of grief that started it all off. I just couldnt comprehend how we as humans suffer so much, to be honest it was the question that I had at my uncles funeral....now what is he doing! I think that via meditation I have managed to stop my mind from being erratic and I think I ventured into the world Buddhism too fast and never eliminated my initial feelings of how I perceive God.

    @Spaceless, thanks for the reccomendations I will take a look Zen and Pure Land I was trying out the Theravadin practice and thats not for me.
    For the sake of others...they have already heard my bitching..i will pm you.

    Lol
  • edited January 2012
    @Lady_Alison, sorry maybe I should have pm'd you at the start.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited January 2012
    There are some here that also have a multi religious practice. @vinlyn and @SimonthePilgrim are two that I can think of that are also Christian and I believe @Lady_Alison said she was Muslim/Buddhist-curious. Probably some others that I don't know of too.
    This is a great idea--you could PM Simon, @vintagelot, and see how he manages to combine Christianity and Buddhism. Simon's cool :cool:

    We've had threads on whether practicing Buddhism precludes a belief in God, and the upshot has been a tentative "yes". The Buddha never discussed the existence or not in a supreme being, he felt it was irrelevant to his method of eliminating suffering. So if belief in God works for you, go for it.

  • edited January 2012
    @Dakini, I was learning meditation from a Theravadin teacher and once I got good skills implemented he added the concept of emptiness and kept mentioning attachment as a bad thing. I kind of thought well yes im improving as a person but I dont think I can handle the concept of reincarnation when I need answers and a reason of why I suffered and saw so much of it.

    I think having a teacher is what lead to start feeling like im going off on an tangent back to the beginning.
  • The beginning isn't such a bad place to be... just keep your eyes open and you'll see more. Exploring where we come from is helpful in letting go of delusion we forgot we had, but still influences the way we act.

    The only difference between someone lost in the forest and someone who is just seeing the world is the lost one thinks there is somewhere else to be. Where are you trying to go? The forest is right there with you!
  • SattvaPaulSattvaPaul South Wales, UK Veteran
    edited January 2012
    I too left Christianity, embraced Buddhism, but as of recently I find the notion of God kind of attractive. But not in a Christian sense. I find that the Sikh mool mantra is very Buddhist and beautiful:

    "One Creator, Creation, Truth is God's Name, Doer of everything, Fearless, Undying, Unborn, Self Illumined, It is by Guru's Grace, Repeat and Meditate! True in the beginning, True trough all the ages, True even now, Nanak says Truth shall ever be."

    I'd say explore and follow where your heart goes. No need to feel odd about it.
  • @aMatt. I have this huge regret at having joined that class as I never saw it as being a place to cloud my mind in a odd way. In a sense I started from a position of wanting to gain a holistic approach to stress management and knowing that had I had more of a religious upbringing I would maybe had been more open minded as an adult and not so attached to materialist things. I did you think like that but it just got more confusing for me to follow.
  • If you look at Buddhism as a philoshpy rather than divine scripture it can mesh very well with any religion. I have a difficult time seeing how follwing a set of "rules" if you will, that are generally good can be frowned upon by any religion.

    I think that one can find solace in any religious study if it feels right to them. I know it is difficult to do sometimes, but don't let others determine what is right for you. Learn from other peoples experiences, keep an open mind, and I would bet you find what it is you're looking for.

    As for my experience.....Buddhism grounded me where no religion could. It made me a better person. If that is what it takes for me to be a better person then I will take my chances on the outcome when this life comes to an end. I still rather enjoy talking and learning about Christianity and other religions with my friends and colleagues though.
    Hope this helps.



  • thanks it does, I am not limiting how much of something I allow myself to be influenced by. If that makes sense I was following a type of Buddhism that gave me one set of rules too and it just make me move into a another round of questions.
  • You don't have to accept rebirth/reincarnation as a Buddhist. But Christianity had reincarnation until one of those Church councils eliminated it.

    If it's stress mgmt. you're after, just practice your meditation skills. You don't have to buy the whole package. Explore and find what balance between Christianity and Buddhism works for you. Maybe all you need is the secular "relaxation reponse", as the medical community refers to meditation.
  • no apologise u can pm me whenever you want...i can get a little zelous and then I sometimes use profanity to hit home...
  • thanks it does, I am not limiting how much of something I allow myself to be influenced by. If that makes sense I was following a type of Buddhism that gave me one set of rules too and it just make me move into a another round of questions.
    When you question, take a step back...
  • I am not trying to double post...my cat is demanding
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Sometimes, when we find we're moving away from god, and we feel we simply cannot let go, we discover that it's not faith, it's guilt.
    The Theistic religions are H-U-G-E on the guilt-trip thing.....

    Consider whether you can't let of of god, because part of you still believes s/he exists, or because part of you feels guilty for even thinking about it....
  • With the greatest respect to Fede, I would say that her post (above) is very personal to her. My own experience of Christianity is NOT about guilt but about at-oneness and unconditional loving compassion.
  • Y
    With the greatest respect to Fede, I would say that her post (above) is very personal to her. My own experience of Christianity is NOT about guilt but about at-oneness and unconditional loving compassion.
    Christ message was love. In fede defense I think he/she meant the institutional religions... Not the message.
  • ThaoThao Veteran
    But I cant get over this feeling that im doing something odd. Has anyone else reverted from one faith to a totally different one? Im so sorry to have to discuss this here where it possibly doesnt even relate much.


    It doesn't seem odd to me, but I have been doing this all my life: Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Buddhist, Unitarian.

  • But I cant get over this feeling that im doing something odd. Has anyone else reverted from one faith to a totally different one? Im so sorry to have to discuss this here where it possibly doesnt even relate much.

    It doesn't seem odd to me, but I have been doing this all my life: Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Buddhist, Unitarian.




    It's a journey through the desert we call life, from oasis to oasis
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    With the greatest respect to Fede, I would say that her post (above) is very personal to her. My own experience of Christianity is NOT about guilt but about at-oneness and unconditional loving compassion.
    @Simonthepilgrim dearest, we have so often met to discuss this aspect... *(((hugs)))*

    Experiences are different, person to person... i recently happened, by almost sheer chance, to reconnect with someone whom i knew in school, on FB... at the convent.... we have reminisced, and in spite of being separated by one year, we have very different memories, attitudes and opinions on our experiences...our recollections encompass virtually the same people - (both as staff and fellow pupils) and yet, our discussions seem to be about completely different places....!
    I have said, time and time again, that my transition from Catholicism to Buddhism has met with absolutely no hostility, resistance, condemnation or judgement, from anyone in the Catholic faith, of my acquaintance....
    And when I first embarked on my own personal journey from Christianity to Buddhism, i spent many a time wrestling with my conscience, but found that for myself, i had to make a choice.
    There are those who feel they can combine a theistic practice, with a non-theistic one.

    Thomas Merton excelled....

    I cannot - and would never presume to - put myself in the same boat.
    I can't do it.
    I had to make a choice, but the more I studied Buddhism, the easier that choice became.
    in the end, it all just fell away, and the incredible lightness of being was a relief.

    It has been said that you can practice any Theistic religion you want, and incorporate Buddhism, seamlessly.
    but you cannot practice Buddhism, and incorporate a Theistic religion, seamlessly.

    The Buddha was silent on the question of the existence of an omnipotent creator.
    Silent, because the discussion would have been inconclusive, and excessive pondering on an imponderable, cannot but bring helplessly confused results....
    I've made my mind up as a 'no' on that one.

    for me.
    One person's experience.


  • ZeroZero Veteran
    The path is wide and all encompassing... though many have tried, God can't be owned and traded... it is personal choice and youre free to believe whatever it is that appeals...

    I think a Bob Marley tune goes something like "We have a mind of our own - so go to hell if what youre thinking is not right!!"

    The draw back to chopping and changing / amalgamating and making it up yourself is that you often find that you are reinventing the wheel or that certain concepts are explained differently in different forms which can lead to confusion and even contradiction.

    The general advice seems to be that you should choose something that makes sense to you and then stick with it to obtain the most favourable and time efficient resolution...

    For example - in Judo, there is an extreme focus on groundwork whereas taekwondo has barely any of this - if you train in judo for a year and then change to taekwondo you may well be able to work on your feet and on the ground (which is advantageous against an untrained opponent) but you may find that you are not expert in either so if you met a purist in either form, you may struggle...
  • Although I found that the messages of Jesus the Christ and Gotama the Buddha fitted 'seamlessly', as Fede puts, I recognise that it is far from the same for other people. One of my closest friends, an anam cara, is a truly open-minded Catholic priest who has spent time both at Shantivarnam with Bede Griffiths and at Plum Village with Thay. He still has the greatest difficulty with the Common Ground, seeing mostly the differences, whereas I see the stepping stones. We meet each month and both come away from our few hours together invigourated and inspired - often with new insights and always with renewed love in our hearts.

    As Fede says, Gotama avoided answering questions about a Supreme Being, although 'lesser' deities do appear in the discourses. Contemporary Western thought being essentially reductionist and philosophically materialist, it is often contextually simpler to assume that "God is dead". I certainly cannot assert what this G-o-d is, only that there is a mysterious and dazzling 'darkness' at the heart of all things that is not nothing.

  • It's a journey through the desert we call life, from oasis to oasis
    Very cool observation! :thumbsup:

    In all this time, you must have studied the Gnostics, Simon. I find that Jesus in those teachings sounds very much like the Buddha. He said something about not taking teachings on outside authority, but to look within to find the truth.
  • edited January 2012
    I just wanted to say thanks for all the replies.

    I had never used the internet to gain all the knowledge on Buddhism that I had it was all primarily from the one meditation/Buddhism group that I joined. I was under the impression from the teacher within this group that to be a better student of Buddhism the best thing you can do is eliminate all the outside influences from other religions. So I would have to say leave Christianity at the door.

    Gradually through time I just became distant from the group as with my own personal background and experiences I was just to uncomfortable to yet have to conform to the rules of this group, and for me the concept of God is my comfort blanket. One occasion sticks in my mind when I asked the teacher this same question can a person be both a Buddhist and Christian or a Buddhist and a Muslim his exact words were 'you are better off leaving Jesus at the door!'. My reaction to this was to use the door and never go back. But I do miss that hour with the group. Im actually glad I asked the question here and its more alike to what I believe in - being liberal and doing things in moderation.

    thanks everyone :D
  • @vintagelot Buddhists respect Jesus as a great teacher. I really don't see a problem. Maybe at some point you'll find a more accepting and compassionate teacher.
  • @Dakini

    I think since leaving that group I am going to restudy Buddhism alone I think the group had a very different practice to others. They were clearly not liberal and I'm a total liberalist. Its like there was a extreme closeness to Hinduism and it was a little annoying!
  • @Dakini

    I think since leaving that group I am going to restudy Buddhism alone I think the group had a very different practice to others. They were clearly not liberal and I'm a total liberalist. Its like there was a extreme closeness to Hinduism and it was a little annoying!
    Some years ago, before the changes here at New Buddhist, we had a member with whom I had many a debate. I miss you, @Palzang, and hold you in my prayers. He is an American bhikku in the Tibetan tradition who has had bad experiences with a 'Christian' background. You can imagine, @vintagelot, that our discussions were often quite heated. In the end we came to agreement and understanding on one particular point:
    all doctrine and dogma aside, what is crucial is focused study. If we are to weave Buddhism into modern thought, be it secular or Christian, we need to understand them deeply. We cannot simp[ly sail along with prevailing cultural winds because Buddhism is not part of our culture as it is in, say, Thailand or some other places.

    This means that we must study.

    And, indeed, I believe that if we are serious about finding the Common Ground, we have a lot of work to do. As @Dakini says, I have studied not just the canonical books of the Bible but the 'Gnostic' texts and other 'apocryohal' writings. Personally I have found that the Gospel of Thomas, in the authenticity of which I have bcome convinced. has been extremely useful.

    Together with such early texts, sutra, treatises, etc., I have found great help in the more modern works by such scholars as Thich Nhat Hanh, Masao Abe, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and many more, together with conversations with practitioners of many levels.

    Alongside such study, a daily praxis of meditation/prayer seems to me to be essential together with regular service to others.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    If you look at Buddhism as a philoshpy rather than divine scripture it can mesh very well with any religion. I have a difficult time seeing how follwing a set of "rules" if you will, that are generally good can be frowned upon by any religion.

    I think that one can find solace in any religious study if it feels right to them. I know it is difficult to do sometimes, but don't let others determine what is right for you. Learn from other peoples experiences, keep an open mind, and I would bet you find what it is you're looking for.

    As for my experience.....Buddhism grounded me where no religion could. It made me a better person. If that is what it takes for me to be a better person then I will take my chances on the outcome when this life comes to an end. I still rather enjoy talking and learning about Christianity and other religions with my friends and colleagues though.
    Hope this helps.

    Very nicely put.

    While visiting and then living in Thailand I had a number of conversations with monks, and sort of discovered that different monks do have varying opinions on many matters related to Buddhism.

    In one conversation, a monk said flat out -- you can be another religion AND Buddhist.

    Another time three young monks wanted me to explain Christianity. They thought it was all very interesting, but laughed at the part about praying to Jesus. "What can a man who is dead do for you?"

    None of us has it all figured out...although some on the forum think they do.

  • Like I mentioned in our pm's.... you must do the legwork on understanding your faith.
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