What are your views on Buddhism?

[RATTER15]

As an Atheist i find it a little difficult to accept Buddhism, whilst they accept a God, their "God" is an actual person, and not seen as a God as we would normally associate it in the western world. Buddha was more of a philosopher not an invisible man in the sky.

How do you view Buddhism?

I like the whole idea but Im generally not well informed on the subject at this moment in time but I have dipped my toe in the water.

[erin-x]

Fair enough. x

[sandyRoe]

What Christ taught and what Christians made of his teachings are very different.
Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, that you resist not evil: but whosoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other also to him.
Pacifism, pure and simple.

[naomi24]

//Pacifism, pure and simple.//

...unless you read this bit:

Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

[sandyRoe]

The devil can cite scripture for his own purpose..

[naomi24]

No, I don't think it was the devil speaking - well at least not according to the bible. If one bit's right, then surely the rest must be right too? No?

[sandyRoe]

Context is everything. While holy scripture is God's great gift to all that will accept him, it can be used by satanic forces to further their vile aims.

[RATTER15]

sandyRoe, You wouldnt be just another cherry picker would you: or am I just taking this out of context?

.the Lord will smite with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts."
..........Isaiah 3:17

"I will strew your flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with your carcass. I will drench the land even to the mountains with your flowing blood..."
..........Ezekiel 32:5

"I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rend them."
..........Hosea 13:8

"Behold, I will corrupt your seed and spread dung upon your faces..."
..........Malachi 2:3

"'Pass through the city after him, and smite; your eye shall not spare and you shall show no pity; slay old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women...'"
..........Ezekiel 9:5
"Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger...Whoever is found will be thrust through and whoever is caught will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes, their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished."
..........Isaiah 13:9, 13:15

"Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in the midst of you and sons shall eat their fathers...I will send famine and wild beasts against you and they shall rob you of your children; pestilence and blood shall pass through you; and I will bring a sword upon you. I, the Lord, have spoken."
..........Ezekiel 5:10, 5:17

"And I will fill your mountains with the slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those slain with the sword shall fall...Then you shall know that I am the Lord."
..........Ezekiel 35:8

"...I make weal and create woe, I am the Lord, who do all these things."
..........Isaiah 45:7



JESUS"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother- in-law...."
..........Matthew 10:34

"'But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.'"
..........Luke 19:27

(parable) "If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned."
..........John 15:6

"The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."
..........Matthew 13:49

"And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one."
..........Luke 22:36
"Do you think I have to come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother- in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in- law.
..........Luke 12:51

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god rests upon him."
.........John 3:36

"And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating."
..........Luke 12:47

"If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."
..........Luke 14:26




SLAVERY"When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money."
..........Exodus 21:20
"Let all who are under the yoke slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be defamed. Those who ha

[RATTER15]

This certainly isn't a God I want to follow.!!

[piggynose]

looks like some people have too much time on their hands

[RATTER15]

Piggynose Maybe some people just care and some dont!

[jake-the-peg]

I have a lot of time for the philosophy of buddhism - Ideas like the inevitability of change and how all suffering has it's roots in desire.

I think there's a lot of insight in that.

However when we get to reincarnation, chanting for things, kharma, dharma and all of the mystical mumbo jumbo that's where we part company

[RATTER15]

Jake, I have to agree with you on that, I cant be doing with all that stuff either. Im a bit to realistic for all that, not that I was ever going to be getting into it big time.

I do like the idea and can still learn a lot from it, we will still be surrounded by our Buddha's and will still love their company.

as for the chanting, Kharma and Dharma bit, I will skip that. I have no idea what "Dharma" is anyway! I still aint doing it!!

[LoftyLottie]

I feel much the same as Jake and yourself ^. However, I am fascinated by Buddhism as it comes very close to my own ideas on life. Like you, Ratter, I would like to learn more about it - perhaps some in depth reading for the cold winter months.

[LoftyLottie]

And it's really nice to see Naomi!!

[naomi24]

The fundamental principles of Buddhism, as a concept, are good, inasmuch as the Buddhist takes responsibility for himself and his perceived future. I don't know about reincarnation - no one does - but I agree with Jake that ritual is surplus to requirements.

Sandy, //Context is everything. While holy scripture is God's great gift to all that will accept him, it can be used by satanic forces to further their vile aims.//

What do you think their vile aims are exactly?

Lottie, hiya! Nice to see you too. :o)

[LoftyLottie]

Hope you are well Naomi. Have missed you! Stay around :o)

[Khandro]

Jake, Karma and Dharma isn't really "mystical mumbo-jumbo"; the Dharma simply means, 'the teachings', one of the three corner stones of Buddhism; Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the latter meaning 'the spiritual community'. Karma is the law that what you reap, so you shall sow. One of the first 20th Century converts to Buddhism in a prominent position, was Christmas Humphreys(1901-1983), who founded the Buddhist Society in London which is still very active. He became Senior prosecuting Councel at the Old Bailey. With reference to Karma, he used to say to people that he was about to convict 'I want you to be absolutely clear on this; you are not being punished FOR your actions but BY them'.

[jno]

Buddha's more like a prophet, a Jesus or Mohammad, than a God. Follow his teachings or not as you wish. Some Buddhists are against violence, some not; the same for Chrstiams, Muslims and even atheists. Buddhists do rate tolerance quite high, though, and it seems you don't; so perhaps it's not the teaching for you.

[Khandro]

@jno, 'Some Buddhists are against violence, some not'. Which ones are not against violence?

[RATTER15]

jno, im no expert on Buddhism but im fairy sure that violence would never be condoned by any Buddhist!