I'm thinking about going back to christianity, but I have a problem.

[TaraMaiden]

A true spiritual teacher empowers students to be more than they can be.

 

Does this statement empower me to become more than I am or just belittling me to be less than who I am?

 

Blessings.

 

No, it's calling a spade a damn shovel and telling it like it is.

[happydate]

True teachings of Christianity differs a lot with Orthodox Christianity. Therefore, if one base its comparison between Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity, then the Christians are correct. There is a difference and it is made that way by man.

 

Having said that, Buddhism can help Christians see life of oneness for what it truly is, but the opposite is true especially teaching buddhists the beam of their own eye -- judgement calls.

 

Buddhists who do not clearly see this way are only clouded by their own internal attachments to the beam of their own eye; their baggages that make them believe that their own authority and intellect are the most superior and sound and the others who do not act, talk, share and behave in the same ways are wrong.

 

This is the reason why we have spiritual wars; one group of people who vehemently believe that they are the most enlightened and everyone else are either dumb or evil, and the other group of people think the same.

 

If only all of you know that all of you are one and the same and all this is just an illusion, and is what is behind the teaching of Buddha and to a certain extend Christ as well.

 

Blessings.

[happydate]

No, it's calling a spade a damn shovel and telling it like it is.

 

Why the hate and anger from a person purportedly calling thyself a devoted buddhist?

 

Blessings..

[TaraMaiden]

If you see hate and anger, then YOU see hate and anger.

I've never implied or directed or insinuated either.

 

Whys so sensitive?

[TaraMaiden]

True teachings of Christianity differs a lot with Orthodox Christianity. Therefore, if one base its comparison between Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity, then the Christians are correct. There is a difference and it is made that way by man.

 

Having said that, Buddhism can help Christians see life of oneness for what it truly is, but the opposite is true especially teaching buddhists the beam of their own eye -- judgement calls.

 

Buddhists who do not clearly see this way are only clouded by their own internal attachments to the beam of their own eye; their baggages that make them believe that their own authority and intellect are the most superior and sound and the others who do not act, talk, share and behave in the same ways are wrong.

 

This is the reason why we have spiritual wars; one group of people who vehemently believe that they are the most enlightened and everyone else are either dumb or evil, and the other group of people think the same.

 

If only all of you know that all of you are one and the same and all this is just an illusion, and is what is behind the teaching of Buddha and to a certain extend Christ as well.

 

Blessings.

 

Frankly, I really don't care one way or the other.

Such musings are trivial and inconsequential, because it's not a question of who's right or wrong.

Comparing Buddhism to Christianity is the classic 'Apples and Oranges' scenario.

There can be no comparison, because one speaks from a focal point of a creator, and the other does not acknowledge this creator as being existent.

 

Having lived for 40+ years as a devout, church-going R.Catholic, I can see the arguments and discussions put forward by Christians, but I also have the benefit of 'insider knowledge' when it comes to discussing Buddhism.

However, there's no point.

It's not important to me, whether I believe God exists or not.

Frankly, as far as I'm concerned, the discussion is pointless, as there's no proof one way or the other.

So actually, I simply don't care, and find the discussion valueless and a waste of time.

 

Just to clarify.

 

Metta.

[MyEvilTwin]

To be honest the main reason I want to go back to Christianity is the fear of hell, sometimes I think it was created to scare people and control, but what if it's not?

 

 

And what if it's not? Let's go with worst case scenario. Christians are right, there is heaven and hell beyond. You don't embrace Christ before you die. Hence you are forever barred from heaven, right? sent to hell, right?

 

 

Meh! I don't think so! If there's any deity up there at all, that deity has to have enough big stuff on its plate that it doesn't need to go torturing little people with unbelieving minds.

Really.

That's what's amusing to me about the going to hell prospect. I really think any such deity (which I don't embrace the belief in) would look at me and say--Hey little person. It's ok you didn't embrace me in your lifetime. Onward you go with your growth. Get to it.

There's another facet to my thinking that way too. That is, if there's such a all empowered deity up there--is it really so narcissistic that it must have my belief in it prior to meeting it for the first time else I shall burn in hell? The all powerful deity is that unforgiving and egotistic? Really? The all powerful is that upset and pissed off that a little gal like me didn't embrace it that it's going to torture me forever?

Come on now...such a deity would have better things to get that upset about, nor would it relish in the torture of such a smaller humble creature.

 

 

I don't think an all powerful deity would need to damn for its own ego. But I do think men--men who want to create membership into a religion with the use of fear--would indeed create and write down such a scenario of heaven and hell. Why? Why because those men foolishly believed that people can't think outside the box, can't think for themselves, and can't believe that even if there were an all great and powerful one, it certainly would have better things to do than punish little unpowerful people.

I think it's sad actually. Guilt and fear are no reason to create a religion, nor try to scare people into joining it. And I truly believe the men who created such rules of Christianity suffered horribly themselves from guilt and fear, hence why they wrote such versions of heaven and hell.

 

 

And so--

with my own death, should I meet any deity at all, I will say glad to meet you. Chances of it being the exact version that is in the bible are imho extremely slim, but if even that were to occur, I would say--Yep, it's true, I didn't believe in you, but now I see you and you are indeed real. Sorry about that!

I believe such a deity as the purportedly all loving Christ would at that point have no reason to send me into flames.

Edited February 12, 2014 by MyEvilTwin