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Buddhist learning about Christianity...
Jeffrey
Veteran
I feel a hesitation about reading authors and texts on buddhism, because I am worried it will further divide me from my christian brothers. Seriously I am seeing the wish that there could be more understanding. Specifically I am wondering how people handle their emotions in an office setting with ideas about their faith?
Any word on how to handle this? I am pensive about a volunteer opportunity.
I am not sure what I really want. I am kind of a jekly and Hyde personality in my ability to process thought. So reading a thick book is not an option probably.
Any word on how to handle this? I am pensive about a volunteer opportunity.
I am not sure what I really want. I am kind of a jekly and Hyde personality in my ability to process thought. So reading a thick book is not an option probably.
0
Comments
When I was thought of my question I had been having a tempation to start reading the Bible to get more knowledge, but then I figured I would get into it if I had that interest without knowing how to not just get caught up in more ideas. Even if I just read a page here and there? I don't know how to wrap this up, hmmm
The truth is what you are, what's going on around you, how you came to be and what happens to the body after death, it's simply this right here. Trying to find it in books and beliefs won't show it to you, it'll only give you something to believe in. You have to do the work yourself, see it how it is and work on purifying your mind to detach from unskillful karma that leads to suffering.
If there was no Bible to read, no Buddhist sutras, nothing of the sort... what would reality be? Find that reality, because it's the nature of all phenomena that exists before we impose thoughts and perceptions, memories and beliefs.
I can only understand the bible being dry as needing a substance to read it! Thats another story. Yes there will be an orientation. I have only attended church with my aunt and someone I knew in school. At my last job water testing in a small busines the forget what its called manager encouraged me to learn a new intrument beyond what I did at orientation. So I guess thats my blah blah. At that the setting the computers were named after dieties and I didn't get their jokes. Oh well.
There are basically two kinds of Christians:
(1) traditionals, such as Catholics; and
(2) modern evangelicals.
Unlike the traditionals, who emphasise goodness & charity, the modern evangelicals emphasise salvation through faith in the blood of Christ, regardless of deeds. The modern evangelicals emphasise the teachings of St Paul whereas the traditionals emphasise the teachings of Christ.
It is the modern evangelicals who are often to most intolerant. For example, the modern evangelical will tell you straight to your face, in the workplace, the Buddha, Mohamed, Krishna, etc, is the devil. They also disapprove strongly of Catholicism.
Therefore, there is really no need to share with others one is a Buddhist if it will just create conflict.
As for what the modern evangelicals believe, it is simply:
(1) we are all sinners;
(2) God sent Jesus, his only begotten Son, to die for us sinners;
(3) the sacrifice or blood of Christ is a demonstration of how much God love us
(4) therefore, by taking refuge in Christ's love, blood & forgiveness, we are set right with God via Christ's complete forgiveness of our sins
(5) Christ is the ONLY way.
On God's or Christ's behalf, this is quite similar to the Tibetan practise of 'tonglen' (taking & giving).
On our behalf, it is quite similar to taking refuge in Vajrasattva, the Bodhisattva of purification.
To end, there is no need the share one is a Buddhist. If asked about one's beliefs, simply reply with the dhamma, that is, non-harming, morality, compassion, etc
The Dalai Lama is a very good example. He wisely does not overplay religious differences but, instead, emphasises all religions have the capacity to develop goodness in human beings.
Therefore, just like the Dalai Lama, emphasise "goodness", "compassion", "non-harming" rather than "Buddhism". In short, you believe in helping people & being charitable.
Kind regards
DD
compassionate, I think so it is hard to avoid karma.
You caught me with this models of understanding and that connects to my past experiences.
In my job, there is a lady who I am good friends with. She is very kind.
The first time I met her, I was waiting for her boss, in her area, and was reading a calendar on her desk, with Biblical quotes.
She came back to her desk and I asked her about the meaning of one of the quotes.
She then began talking about Christianity and, without any prompts, saying how the Buddha was the devil, the Dalai Lama was the devil, Mohamed was the devil, etc.
But this lady is intrinstically a very lovely lady. Unlike most in the office, she will do anything for you. She, by nature, is genuinely kind.
We have always been good friends. She does a lot of things for me because she has access to certain computers I do not.
I have never told her I am a Buddhist.
But if she did ask me if I was religious, well, I would have to say "I take an interest in Buddhism".
But generally, these folks only ask the question: "Are you a Christian?".
So we only have to answer: "No".
Regards
DD
read through the politics. measure everything against your own heart/mind/experience.
The other thing you will be trying to develop is some confidence in using your new tool box. That also takes time. So the first thing is - be gentle on yourself. Buddhism is not a miracle package. It does take time.
You have started on a new path and, Yes, it will take you off in a different direction to others. What did you expect? There will be differences. Get use to those differences. Again, be gentle on yourself. You will make mistakes but learn from those mistakes. Maintain your Buddhist practice and remember to set your motivation and to dedicate your merit.
I am a Buddhist and I attend the local Christian church. Why, because I live hundreds of miles from the nearest Buddhist centre and I need some fellowship with others who are on their own spiritual path. There is nothing irreconcilable here - I just don't out of my way to unnecessarily frighten the horses.
Remember, treat all beings with compassion.
But that is beside the point what I did find was many christians combining their faith with budddhism and successfully so. I know from where I come there are a heap of deities worshipped at Buddhist temples.
Maybe you could benifit from looking for christian-buddhist resources and testimonies on the net if you have not already?
R
Victor
I don't feel that any of the world religions have all the answers. I have my own beliefs, which -- as you indicate some people doing -- incorporate both Buddhist and Christian principles. I don't know how correct or incorrect my personal religious views are...and neither does anyone else. We really won't know until the day we die, and perhaps not even then. So I increasingly just attempt to live a moral life.
If people want to discuss religion with me, that's all well and good with a couple of rules:
1. Although I'm open to listening to wisdom, don't try to convert me. Period. And I will respect the other person's beliefs in the same way.
2. Don't condemn any group for their religious beliefs, unless you can show me that they are actively harming other people.
3. As Anwar Sadat once said in an interview, man has a tendency to seek out the differences, and overlook the similarities in religion. I at least try to look at various religions with some balance between similarities and differences.
The issue is probably my security with some other branches and hang ups.
Dakini,
So what buddhist teachings or ways did you find helpul in gaining undersanding of christian faith and ways?
but of course, they would have different approaches to life and therefore, they may change the way you view the world around you. as a result of a bad situation, a christian might say things like, "i'm just going to put my faith in god because i know he has a plan for me" whereas a buddhist would be more likely to take personal responsibility, and therefore this belief is going to change the way they react.
even now, i sometimes hear christians say things like this and i know that practicing buddhism has changed my world view because i don't see the world through christian eyes anymore. i don't believe anyone else controls my life and i don't believe that anyone else will swoop down and save me either. although i might not agree with christians anymore, i do feel that my world view is more helpful at the cessation of suffering, and therefore, i feel like i am better equipped to help others who suffer as well. the ideas might be different, but buddhism teaches compassion on a very fundamental level, so the differences matter less. don't be afraid to study buddhism because it might have this effect on you. i wouldn't trade this feeling for the world.
and on a side note, it sounds like you grew up in a very similar area as i did... it wouldn't happen to be western michigan, would it? lol
How did you know that zombie girl? I grew up in west michigan most of my life. I have done a few metta meditations with Pema Chodron. thanks I wish I were more gnostic, but thats what is nice about these supports is that they help to get unstuck.
I write this as one who has deep respect and love for both Buddhism and Christianity, and has spent many years studying both - although my knowledge of Christianity is, I will admit, deeper than my knowledge of the sutras (which is one reason why I value this site so much).
If you are interested in learning about Christianity, there are lots of good books BUT you must understand that the Christian churches are currently in a state of turmoil and flux unknown since the early Reformation. The result is that there are some extreme and extremely divisive views being expressed.
Not being sure how deep your own knowledge is, I would suggest that, at a primary level, there is a particularly good book by HHDL (The Good Heart) which examines Christian teachings from the pov of a well-instructed Buddhist.
My own favourite book is not an easy one but has meant a great deal to me over the years: Cobb/Ives The Emptying God in which the fine Japanese Buddhist scholar, Masao Abe, writes a fascinating comparison between the Buddhist notion of Sunyatta and the Christian kenosis.
As an aid to personal development and deepening of insight, I have used the Gospels of John and of Thomas alongside Mother Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love.
I would add this personal reminiscence. At the conclusion of a White Tara Initiation, I was chatting (through his interpreter) with the Geshe. He was asking me about my Christian beliefs and my meeting with HHDL. As we parted, he thanked me, said that I was the first Christian he had met who hadn't seemed to want to 'convert' him and added, "If I wanted to become a Christian, I would have to learn a whole new language." We do need to understand that each belief family, just like an y other family or group, develops its own set of meanings for common words and invents new ones to describe new concepts. This 'jargon' becomes common currency. We see it here and take some meanings for granted when we know the context of the writer or speaker. If you have ever spent long among doctors and nurses, you will have heard vast numbers of terms and acronyms that they all recognise but which could just as well be Mandarin to you. It's just the same with Christianity and Buddhism.
The study of beliefs is not a short or easy one - just look at how many books Joseph Campbell wrote! I have found it rewarding whilst also recognising that the more I learn, the stranger some of the different beliefs appear.
If you really want to read some of the Bible, may I suggest that you read a few of the Psalms - great religious poetry, the Song of Solomon (wow!) and the Book of Ruth from the Tanakh (the Old Testament) and Mark's Gospel (short and coherent) in the New Testament. Leave the rest. Avoid the last book (Revelation) and don't get into Saint Paul without reading Elaine Pagels on him.
Good luck.
if you want to learn about jesus as a buddhist, get a red letter bible were the actual supposed words of jesus are in red ink and all the rest is in black, then ignore 99.9% of the black ink words, my preference of the gospels is luke, he was perhaps the most intellectual of the disciples and was according to scripture a physician or medicine man. luke is the gospel were jesus gives his 6 commandments which are almost identical to the buddha, and also were he says, i think, "you are judged by your works"(judged by what you do not what you say, or your faith)
The crucifixion happened, but Jesus survived it. (Otherwise, how could he have ingested food at the Last Supper, if he were in spirit form?) He went east with the caravans to India and Kashmir. A Harvard graduate with a PhD in Oriental Languages found a text at Hemis Monastery in the 1920's or 30's, that detailed Jesus' life in the east. He sent articles about it back to the US, where it made headlines. These articles can be read in the Nicholas Roerich Museum in Manhattan. It was N. Roerich's son, George, who translated the text from Tibetan into English.)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Urusvati_base.jpg/240px-Urusvati_base.jpg