Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Dealing With Sectarianism and Legalism.
Why do you think that people think other sects or schools of their own religion is wrong all the time? Like the baptists think the methodists are not following christ and catholics worship false gods because they pray to saints. Or the theravadins think the hinyanins are missing the point and viceaversa. Muslim & Jew, Atheist & Theist, etc.
Why do you think that people think that people who dont follow their rules, or believe what they believe are going to hell or whatever? Like if you dont think mary was a virgin and christ rose from the dead you'll go to hell. Or if you study the koran you'll get tricked by the devil and such.
I cant reach this on any level at all.
I get if you murder people then thats no good; and i get that jesus was pretty much love incarnate. But i dont get why love incarnate cares about you believing that you drink his blood in church, even though it tastes suspiciously like wine; and why he cares so much that he'll damn you for not believing this... somewhat... difficult fact to accept.
Im not saying that communion is stupid or bad. But why does someone not believing it make that big a difference?
Its just an example of something i see all over the place in different forms. I get why people like the rules, regulations, and beliefs of their religion. But why do they think that theirs are the only ones that aren't lies? or act like that anyway.
Thanks
Blessings
Alex
Why do you think that people think that people who dont follow their rules, or believe what they believe are going to hell or whatever? Like if you dont think mary was a virgin and christ rose from the dead you'll go to hell. Or if you study the koran you'll get tricked by the devil and such.
I cant reach this on any level at all.
I get if you murder people then thats no good; and i get that jesus was pretty much love incarnate. But i dont get why love incarnate cares about you believing that you drink his blood in church, even though it tastes suspiciously like wine; and why he cares so much that he'll damn you for not believing this... somewhat... difficult fact to accept.
Im not saying that communion is stupid or bad. But why does someone not believing it make that big a difference?
Its just an example of something i see all over the place in different forms. I get why people like the rules, regulations, and beliefs of their religion. But why do they think that theirs are the only ones that aren't lies? or act like that anyway.
Thanks
Blessings
Alex
0
Comments
The reason is that people are addicted to their beliefs in some sense. In another sense they are just doing what works for them in their lives.
Birds of a feather flock together and this is why purity of belief exists in churches and skhandas. You are supposed to believe Christ is divine if you want to walk in the door. They don't want atheists trolling them.
There do exist idols to which we sacrifice family, friends, and our neighbors (figuratively and sometimes literally)-- but those idols are not made of wood, stone, or metal-- they are made of abstract concepts and ideologies that live at the expense of addressing others as human beings.
Thankfully most people (though certainly not all) in this day and age don't cling so desperately to their beliefs-- and the world has been all the better for it.
Perhaps we too subscribe to beliefs, faith, opinions? Only vegetarians are following dharma? My reincarcerated lama is back from the dead? Now is the only place to be? Practice makes perfect? Enlightenment is a myth? I am a Arahat? No Buddhism without meditation?
What would we be without such thinking? Nothing?
I am a buddhist. But it is impossible for me to deny the compassion in the teachings of christ, the zeal of muhammed, the trust of moses, or the wisdom of david and solomon. For me these are all powerfull things that lead to a better life for the practitioner and all who know them. I suppose buddhism is my faith, because the teachings of the buddha resonate with me in a way that allows me to be more like christ, and muhammed, and moses. For others, judaism, islam, christianity, and whatever else are the way that they find peace, compassion, wisdom, and love. I would not devalue a belief with this result.
I just always was more drawn by attraction rather than promotion. I dont mind promotion, but to promote your belief by the devaluation of another, even within the same religion, seems counter intuitve to me. I just wish that these few individuals with negative tendencies would realize that they would be more successful if they respected the thoughts of others. I don't think any good person would say that a man who died on a cross to help man kind was not worth following. I feel sad that so many people are driven away, as a result of misguided actions.
I would like to understand the mentality of this person better so that I can help him get what they want. All i think they want, is for people to see how great their founder was.
It doesn't matter to me what label we use for what we believe. What matters to me is that the Golden Rule is at its core.
As they say "as you sow, so shall you reap."
I have been blessed with a sight that sees the goodness in all living beings and their actions. I just wish i could share that, not to change anything, why would i want to change what i see. Its like your favorite song or movie, you just want to show people.
As quick as i am to speak on behalf of non-believers, I am just as quick to speak on behalf of believers, whatever the belief may be.