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As a part-Christian, this kind of Christian tripe annoys me to no end
The main reason you are all here is because of Shakyamuni Buddha.
@OneLifeForm - do you mean here on Earth or here on this website?
To be on this website you must be on Earth or at least orbiting it
What I meant as a chain of cause and effect, if it werent for Shakyamuni doing what he did for us, who knows where all of us ignorant would be right now.
Probably mostly where we are now, since all the non-followers of the Buddha are where they are, doing what they do. I think Buddhism is more about the quality of one's life.
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DaftChrisSpiritually conflicted. Not of this world.Veteran
You talk alot with an knowledgable tone. How about you actually have some right views and a principal for your life before trying to influence other people?
Then again, what is a "right view"? Certainly it includes right speech, actions, etc., but from what I interpret, by vinlyn being part Christian, that somehow gives him a "wrong" view? How so? Because it's different from your own? Because, as he is a Christian as well as a Buddhist, he's not a "real" Buddhist?
Buddhism is about using knowledge to find enlightenment in our lives. You (at least from I've read from you) appear to uphold a traditional view of Buddhism. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. Vinlyn, along with many others (myself included), take wisdom from many different faiths and philosophies. And that's perfectly fine too. We all walk our own paths. They will all (eventually) lead to the same destination.
You talk alot with an knowledgable tone. How about you actually have some right views and a principal for your life before trying to influence other people?
Then again, what is a "right view"? Certainly it includes right speech, actions, etc., but from what I interpret, by vinlyn being part Christian, that somehow gives him a "wrong" view? How so? Because it's different from your own? Because, as he is a Christian as well as a Buddhist, he's not a "real" Buddhist?
Buddhism is about using knowledge to find enlightenment in our lives. You (at least from I've read from you) appear to uphold a traditional view of Buddhism. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. Vinlyn, along with many others (myself included), take wisdom from many different faiths and philosophies. And that's perfectly fine too. We all walk our own paths. They will all (eventually) lead to the same destination.
Hi Daft Chris...who isn't really very daft at all!
Before responding, I looked up the definition of Deism, so I'll respond based on the definition I settled on: " is the belief that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a creator, accompanied with the rejection of revelation and authority as a source of religious knowledge."
Pretty close to me. I think that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to lead one to believe in the existence of a creator, at least as one answer to many of man's questions. But, I remain open-minded, and if tomorrow someone proved there wasn't a creator-God, I'd have no problem saying -- oops, I really got that one wrong. And of course, that open-mindedness (aka doubt) means that I do tend to reject revelation and authority by any religious icon on earth as being infallible. At the same time, I would call the Christian part of me a New-Testamenter who thinks much (perhaps most) of the Old Testament is on pretty shaky ground.
When I was a principal, as all leaders at all levels, I was subjected to lots of criticism. I didn't give a shit about a lot of the criticism because I didn't respect some of the people who were most critical (I'm not saying I dismissed their criticism, because sometimes while being criticized you can really learn something about yourself). What really hurt and affected me most was when someone (whether a student or parent or colleague) I respected was critical of my job performance. Not too different from here on the this forum. I listen intently to some (like you), and not much at all to a few.
I guess for me, it annoys me not because of the words they state, but because of the implications when you look farther into Christianity and what God is like according to the bible and the words of ministers/priests/etc. I have no inherent problem with "Thank you God for sparing my house!" but more so the implication that "I must be a good person because God spared me" which then leads to the other side, those who weren't spared, who clearly must not have been good people as a result.
It irks me because of not a single person, but the overall God controlling the natural world and sending storms to punish people who are doing Him wrong. Of course that doesn't mean that is what the one person who posted implied. I don't know the person Vinlyn was talking about, but am talking about the people I do know who say those kinds of things, and that is indeed what they are implying, because I've asked them and that is where they take the conversation. So my views come of course from my experience with people I know and have had conversations with.
On a different level, I don't understand, and never have, why people would choose to live with that kind of mentality because it makes no logical sense to me. But that's ok...as long as what they do and say as a result isn't hurting others. Except a lot of the time, it does.
Look at that pastor who was in the news being all crazy saying "God sent the hurricane because those states love homosexuals and approve of gay marriage!" yet if you look at the worst of the damage, it happened in an Irish Catholic, God fearing area (talking about the neighborhood that burned down at the height of the storm). If the case is that God is punishing someone, it seems either God has it wrong, or the people who are god fearing, have something wrong (using their logic).
As far as "right" anything, I've never had the impression that Buddhism intends for it to be "right" versus "wrong" or that it uses the term "right" to mean "this is the right way and if you don't do it, it's wrong." But more so, that it's the wise way, and something to practice and strive for. Not a black or white/right or wrong issue.
The early Christians were not so naive about God as non-Christinas including some Buddhists normally assume Christians to be. This is explained well by Keith Ward in his God: A Guide for the Perplexed. I would consider myself part Buddhist and part Christian, and also part Sufi and part Kabbalist and part Gnostic and part Taoist and part Advaitan and part Theosophist and part Alchemist and , well, the list goes on. Although I should have put 'aspiring' after 'part' in each case. I can finds no conflict between these religious movements that are not caused by heterodox interpretations.
Comments
What I meant as a chain of cause and effect, if it werent for Shakyamuni doing what he did for us, who knows where all of us ignorant would be right now.
From what I've read from you, you actually seem more of a Deist than a Christian.
@Metallica Then again, what is a "right view"? Certainly it includes right speech, actions, etc., but from what I interpret, by vinlyn being part Christian, that somehow gives him a "wrong" view? How so? Because it's different from your own? Because, as he is a Christian as well as a Buddhist, he's not a "real" Buddhist?
Buddhism is about using knowledge to find enlightenment in our lives. You (at least from I've read from you) appear to uphold a traditional view of Buddhism. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. Vinlyn, along with many others (myself included), take wisdom from many different faiths and philosophies. And that's perfectly fine too. We all walk our own paths. They will all (eventually) lead to the same destination.
Buddhism is about using knowledge to find enlightenment in our lives. You (at least from I've read from you) appear to uphold a traditional view of Buddhism. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. Vinlyn, along with many others (myself included), take wisdom from many different faiths and philosophies. And that's perfectly fine too. We all walk our own paths. They will all (eventually) lead to the same destination.
Hi Daft Chris...who isn't really very daft at all!
Before responding, I looked up the definition of Deism, so I'll respond based on the definition I settled on: " is the belief that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a creator, accompanied with the rejection of revelation and authority as a source of religious knowledge."
Pretty close to me. I think that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to lead one to believe in the existence of a creator, at least as one answer to many of man's questions. But, I remain open-minded, and if tomorrow someone proved there wasn't a creator-God, I'd have no problem saying -- oops, I really got that one wrong. And of course, that open-mindedness (aka doubt) means that I do tend to reject revelation and authority by any religious icon on earth as being infallible. At the same time, I would call the Christian part of me a New-Testamenter who thinks much (perhaps most) of the Old Testament is on pretty shaky ground.
When I was a principal, as all leaders at all levels, I was subjected to lots of criticism. I didn't give a shit about a lot of the criticism because I didn't respect some of the people who were most critical (I'm not saying I dismissed their criticism, because sometimes while being criticized you can really learn something about yourself). What really hurt and affected me most was when someone (whether a student or parent or colleague) I respected was critical of my job performance. Not too different from here on the this forum. I listen intently to some (like you), and not much at all to a few.
It irks me because of not a single person, but the overall God controlling the natural world and sending storms to punish people who are doing Him wrong. Of course that doesn't mean that is what the one person who posted implied. I don't know the person Vinlyn was talking about, but am talking about the people I do know who say those kinds of things, and that is indeed what they are implying, because I've asked them and that is where they take the conversation. So my views come of course from my experience with people I know and have had conversations with.
On a different level, I don't understand, and never have, why people would choose to live with that kind of mentality because it makes no logical sense to me. But that's ok...as long as what they do and say as a result isn't hurting others. Except a lot of the time, it does.
Look at that pastor who was in the news being all crazy saying "God sent the hurricane because those states love homosexuals and approve of gay marriage!" yet if you look at the worst of the damage, it happened in an Irish Catholic, God fearing area (talking about the neighborhood that burned down at the height of the storm). If the case is that God is punishing someone, it seems either God has it wrong, or the people who are god fearing, have something wrong (using their logic).
Of course, someone also jokedthat the hurricane was God's punishment for Romney being in the lead in the election.