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.
To @Tosh post. Out of curiosity (I swear), how does one be Buddhist and Catholic. I have read that it's possible and I know there are similarities but are there not fundamental differences that would cause issues. For example, Buddha said it is unwise to follow a God for putting your life and fate in another's hand is dangerous.
@Tigger said:
To @Tosh post. Out of curiosity (I swear), how does one be Buddhist and Catholic. I have read that it's possible and I know there are similarities but are there not fundamental differences that would cause issues. For example, Buddha said it is unwise to follow a God for putting your life and fate in another's hand is dangerous.
I'm neither a Buddhist or a Catholic so I'm probably not qualified to answer.
I choose to be a '12 Stepper'; a recovered alkie in A.A.. I don't think it's helpful to publicly label myself as anything other than that because I don't want n00bs to recovery to think I'm strange, or weird, or anything that might prevent them from seeking any kind of assistance from me.
I do think your question is a bit of a strawman though.
If God's will is that we be warm-hearted and compassionate towards others, even if they're our enemy, how would that look any different to a Buddhist's warm-heart and compassion?
Different beliefs might provide different motivations, but the actual practise; the DOING; would look just the same.
Don't you think?
And don't think that all concepts of God are the same. Some can sound just as profound as emptiness.
Father Richard Rohr says "God is found in the silence".
2
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
For a comprehensive response, I would again urge you to consider TNH's book, as mentioned above.
HHDL also wrote a book connecting Christianity and Buddhism, titled "The Good Heart" and Thomas Merton actually stated that he wanted to be the best Buddhist he could be - an ordained Catholic Monk, imagine!
Jim Pym ("You don't have to sit on the floor") is both a Quaker and a Zen Monk....
Anything is possible.
Well.... going through a revolving door with a 6-foot ladder on your shoulder...? No. But otherwise, anything is possible.
I quite enjoyed Living Buddha, Living Christ myself. I wasn't raised Catholic and still deal with my own ill-feelings about the Christianity I was raised with. BUT, I do find what Jesus taught to be wonderful, and there are some really good teachings in the religion. It's mostly the Christians that spoil it for me, LOL. As the quote says "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Gandhi or fake Gandhi. not sure, lol I also quite enjoyed much of the Course in Miracles, which I read long before coming to Buddhism. I'm not on the creator train so much, but it's a lot about becoming more aware of love and its opportunities. I have to say, as I've opened myself to being more reasonable about reading some of these things, my understanding is better within myself. But it does not help me to deal with some of the people within Christianity, lol. Still working on that one.
2
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Reporter: "Mr Gandhi, what do you think of Western Civilisation?"
Gandhi: "I think it would be a very good idea!" (Also Apocryphal!)
If God's will is that we be warm-hearted and compassionate towards others, even if they're our enemy, how would that look any different to a Buddhist's warm-heart and compassion?
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@karasti said:
I quite enjoyed Living Buddha, Living Christ myself. I wasn't raised Catholic and still deal with my own ill-feelings about the Christianity I was raised with. BUT, I do find what Jesus taught to be wonderful, and there are some really good teachings in the religion. It's mostly the Christians that spoil it for me, LOL. As the quote says "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Gandhi or fake Gandhi.
I'm inspired to read this, actually, given what's recently been happening to me. I think I will be purchasing a copy to read at my leisure.
@mingle You will find a lot of non-complex but rich teachings by checking out the Dhamma talks and writings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu, written from the Theravadan perspective of the Thai Forest tradition. Here's a link to 40 free transcriptions of some of his Dhamma talks: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/meditations.html
Also, check out the Facebook page devoted to him which does excerpts that lead on to fuller Dhamma talks:
And esteemed 89-year-old Theravadan teacher Bhante Gunaratana writes about as clearly and directly about the Buddha's teachings as a Westerner might hope: http://www.wisdompubs.org/author/bhante-gunaratana
Comments
Gee @Tosh, it's so nice to have you back with us.
Give it a couple of weeks...
To @Tosh post. Out of curiosity (I swear), how does one be Buddhist and Catholic. I have read that it's possible and I know there are similarities but are there not fundamental differences that would cause issues. For example, Buddha said it is unwise to follow a God for putting your life and fate in another's hand is dangerous.
I'm neither a Buddhist or a Catholic so I'm probably not qualified to answer.
I choose to be a '12 Stepper'; a recovered alkie in A.A.. I don't think it's helpful to publicly label myself as anything other than that because I don't want n00bs to recovery to think I'm strange, or weird, or anything that might prevent them from seeking any kind of assistance from me.
I do think your question is a bit of a strawman though.
If God's will is that we be warm-hearted and compassionate towards others, even if they're our enemy, how would that look any different to a Buddhist's warm-heart and compassion?
Different beliefs might provide different motivations, but the actual practise; the DOING; would look just the same.
Don't you think?
And don't think that all concepts of God are the same. Some can sound just as profound as emptiness.
Father Richard Rohr says "God is found in the silence".
For a comprehensive response, I would again urge you to consider TNH's book, as mentioned above.
HHDL also wrote a book connecting Christianity and Buddhism, titled "The Good Heart" and Thomas Merton actually stated that he wanted to be the best Buddhist he could be - an ordained Catholic Monk, imagine!
Jim Pym ("You don't have to sit on the floor") is both a Quaker and a Zen Monk....
Anything is possible.
Well.... going through a revolving door with a 6-foot ladder on your shoulder...? No. But otherwise, anything is possible.
I've read a few books by Thomas Merton, which is probably why I like Father Richard Rohr; he's from the same mould.
I'm going to have a look at Jim Pym; if I was going to be a Christian (which I'm not), I'd probably go Quaker.
Thanks.
I quite enjoyed Living Buddha, Living Christ myself. I wasn't raised Catholic and still deal with my own ill-feelings about the Christianity I was raised with. BUT, I do find what Jesus taught to be wonderful, and there are some really good teachings in the religion. It's mostly the Christians that spoil it for me, LOL. As the quote says "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Gandhi or fake Gandhi. not sure, lol I also quite enjoyed much of the Course in Miracles, which I read long before coming to Buddhism. I'm not on the creator train so much, but it's a lot about becoming more aware of love and its opportunities. I have to say, as I've opened myself to being more reasonable about reading some of these things, my understanding is better within myself. But it does not help me to deal with some of the people within Christianity, lol. Still working on that one.
Reporter: "Mr Gandhi, what do you think of Western Civilisation?"
Gandhi: "I think it would be a very good idea!" (Also Apocryphal!)
I iz Christian?
Well try to be. As Buddhists we read the books and follow the example of our best. In a similar way ...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Underhill
or the works of St John of the Cross or reading the anonymous 'Cloud of Unknowing'.
http://christianmystics.com/Ebooks/Christian_Mystics.html
I'm inspired to read this, actually, given what's recently been happening to me. I think I will be purchasing a copy to read at my leisure.
@mingle You will find a lot of non-complex but rich teachings by checking out the Dhamma talks and writings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu, written from the Theravadan perspective of the Thai Forest tradition. Here's a link to 40 free transcriptions of some of his Dhamma talks:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/meditations.html
Also, check out the Facebook page devoted to him which does excerpts that lead on to fuller Dhamma talks:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/862855377136521/
And esteemed 89-year-old Theravadan teacher Bhante Gunaratana writes about as clearly and directly about the Buddha's teachings as a Westerner might hope:
http://www.wisdompubs.org/author/bhante-gunaratana
I'm reading this now - it's definitely easy to read and follow.