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Archbishop of Canterbury endorses meditation/silent prayer
BhanteLuckyAlternative lifestyle person in the South Island of New ZealandNew ZealandVeteran
I love how he says this is "an insane consumerist society driven by advertising and the banking system." Who would have believed an Anglican, bastion of conservatism, could reach such a position. Things must really be getting bad, for the C of E to get off its arse and say something like that.
I love how he says this is "an insane consumerist society driven by advertising and the banking system." Who would have believed an Anglican, bastion of conservatism, could reach such a position. Things must really be getting bad, for the C of E to get off its arse and say something like that.
I fear that you may spend too much time hanging out with the fundies on Dhamma Wheel.aka " The Hanzze and Yawares Show " .There are conservative elements among the Anglicans, but it also contains people like Donald Allchin and Robert Llewellyn who know more about meditative practices than do most Buddhists
Meditation has always been a Christian tradition. Not very explicit in the texts, but then it hasn't been very explicit in Buddhist traditions until fairly recently (with the exception of a few schools like Zen).
Yes. The problem is that the world 'prayer is often used in Christianity to mean meditation and contemplation, which allows us to confuse formless meditation with asking for a new bicycle for Christmas.
It was pointed out to me recently by a historian that there are no specific instructions on how to pray in the core Christian texts, but that the Buddha did lay out specific instructions on how to meditate. Being a newbie, I do not know exactly where those instructions are, but this historian specializes in the Nikaya.
A search for 'Jesus prayer' may reveal much. Or for the text 'On Prayer' by Evagrios the Solitary from the Philokalia. 'Never create a form or a shape when praying' he tells us, 'then you will understand'.
"Dr Rowan Williams said people in the modern world were struggling with “chaotic” emotions as a result of living in an “insane” consumerist society driven by advertising and the banking system."
Am I the only one who has had enough of him and his letter box mouth? Its annoying how people try to connect the Church and the UK government soon, they should wake up and realise that the UK is a secular state.
Its annoying how people try to connect the Church and the UK government soon, they should wake up and realise that the UK is a secular state.
If it's a secular state why does the Archbishop of Canterbury sit with 25 other bishops 'Lords Spiritual' in our House of Lords, the body that makes the laws that 'govern' us.?
Its annoying how people try to connect the Church and the UK government soon, they should wake up and realise that the UK is a secular state.
If it's a secular state why does the Archbishop of Canterbury sit with 25 other bishops 'Lords Spiritual' in our House of Lords, the body that makes the laws that 'govern' us.?
Well regardless Christianity is flopping hard in the UK, if this is not a secular state it very soon will be. Atheism and Agnosticism is set to overtake Christianity by 2030, the population of non believers increases every year while the number of Christians falls rapidly.
I am so happy that we are giving up the fairy tale, at one point we would of been the heretics, soon it will be them who are the heretics.
And do you know why Theism is said to be falling in the UK? Because people are living longer, this shows how religion relies upon the fear of death, it is not the opiate of the masses but the placebo.
Or maybe people are waking up to a more sophisticated view of religion, not abandoning religion but leaving the old church behind.
I have great admiration for Rowan Williams but don't know the new guy. It's not surprising that religion is suffering though, given the millions of dollars spent every year persuading us to behave with no thought for such things and the unsophisticted nonsense about religion peddled by scientists, who for unknown reasons are given some respect on such issues by the general public.
It was pointed out to me recently by a historian that there are no specific instructions on how to pray in the core Christian texts, but that the Buddha did lay out specific instructions on how to meditate. Being a newbie, I do not know exactly where those instructions are, but this historian specializes in the Nikaya.
There are reasonable instruction in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:5 specifically. Jesus talks about retreating to a quiet place away from others and gives the example of the Lord's Prayer as the form he thinks prayer should take, not the petitionary prayer people perform today.
And do you know why Theism is said to be falling in the UK? Because people are living longer, this shows how religion relies upon the fear of death, it is not the opiate of the masses but the placebo.
Is it decreasing? Numbers of adherents of organised religion is certainly falling, but in my personal experience even those who don't go to Church believe in some form of God and afterlife, though they may have never given it all that much thought.
And do you know why Theism is said to be falling in the UK? Because people are living longer, this shows how religion relies upon the fear of death, it is not the opiate of the masses but the placebo.
Hmmmm... I believe very firmly in the seperation of church and state. It also seems very much like more and more people are questioning their religious institutions. That said, affliliation with a religious entity is not a terribly accurate way to judge whether or not people are actually atheist or agnostics. There are folks who maybe quite religious in their own way, but don't seek spiritual fulfillment and guidence in particular church. There are others that may participate in nonmainstream religious groups as well.
Also, religion doesn't just rely on end of life concerns. Death is a big one, because we all face it and no one really knows what lies beyond. Naturally people are going to be pondering it at least to some extent, and living longer doesn't change that. EVERYBODY dies at some point whether it's at 65 or 102. Also religion looks at other things besides death that science won't/can't. It has a legitimate place in society.
However, religion also has to be able to evolve and stay relevent to the time, which is why you may see some institutions struggling with shrinking membership. Some religions have a harder time staying in step with changing times. That does not mean religion as a whole is outdated.
BTW, I practice a religion. It is called Buddhism. Some people call it a philosophy, some a religion -- I personally don't think it matters what label you use. However, there are many Buddhist practices that look just as religious as the religions you claim are failing. Buddhism itself is not really atheistic -- it doesn't describe gods in the way we are perhaps used to seeing them described and is not particularly concerned with them. But that is different in saying that no deities exist.
The concept of religious affiliation is also flawed because religion and culture go hand in hand. I have Chinese friends who claim to be culturally Buddhist but who would no more meditate or make offerings or prostrations than they would queue up to be circumcised at the Islamic Centre. Culturally speaking the United Kingdom and most of Europe is still very much Christian. You can't erase a couple of thousand years in an eyeblink. I don't begrudge the ABofC speaking to Government or the Bishops' privileges in the House of Lords. I would rather have them than someone who believed in nothing more than feathering their own nest at the expense of the country.
And do you know why Theism is said to be falling in the UK? Because people are living longer, this shows how religion relies upon the fear of death, it is not the opiate of the masses but the placebo.
I prefer my placebos w/o sugar, w/o dogma, and w/o cartot and stick. just a nice promise of nothing will do me just fine.
Comments
Who would have believed an Anglican, bastion of conservatism, could reach such a position. Things must really be getting bad, for the C of E to get off its arse and say something like that.
.There are conservative elements among the Anglicans, but it also contains people like Donald Allchin and Robert Llewellyn who know more about meditative practices than do most Buddhists
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/07/the-buddhas-meditation-dr-evan-finkelstein/
Hmmm... would that be the same 'insane world' where the Church of England doubles it's investment in hedge funds?
I am so happy that we are giving up the fairy tale, at one point we would of been the heretics, soon it will be them who are the heretics.
I have great admiration for Rowan Williams but don't know the new guy. It's not surprising that religion is suffering though, given the millions of dollars spent every year persuading us to behave with no thought for such things and the unsophisticted nonsense about religion peddled by scientists, who for unknown reasons are given some respect on such issues by the general public.
Also, religion doesn't just rely on end of life concerns. Death is a big one, because we all face it and no one really knows what lies beyond. Naturally people are going to be pondering it at least to some extent, and living longer doesn't change that. EVERYBODY dies at some point whether it's at 65 or 102. Also religion looks at other things besides death that science won't/can't. It has a legitimate place in society.
However, religion also has to be able to evolve and stay relevent to the time, which is why you may see some institutions struggling with shrinking membership. Some religions have a harder time staying in step with changing times. That does not mean religion as a whole is outdated.
BTW, I practice a religion. It is called Buddhism. Some people call it a philosophy, some a religion -- I personally don't think it matters what label you use. However, there are many Buddhist practices that look just as religious as the religions you claim are failing. Buddhism itself is not really atheistic -- it doesn't describe gods in the way we are perhaps used to seeing them described and is not particularly concerned with them. But that is different in saying that no deities exist.