Buddhism and Christianity - Coexist?

digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Buddhism and Christianity - Coexist?

I got thrown for a loop today.

I met a guy from Puerto Rico who is a Christian/Catholic but practice Buddhism. At first I thought he was 100% Buddhist but he said that he still believes in Jesus as his savior and that the god of Abraham created all things.

I quizzed him for a bit and found out that he uses Buddhism just like some people use yoga.

Has any one else ever met some one like this?


Vastet
atheistBloggerSuperfan
Vastet's picture
Posts: 13234
Joined: 2006-12-25
User is offlineOffline
Never encountered it myself,

Never encountered it myself, but it doesn't surprise me. Religions do tend to mix when there's some distance from the centre of the religion.

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.


iwbiek
atheistSuperfan
iwbiek's picture
Posts: 4298
Joined: 2008-03-23
User is offlineOffline
religions have always mixed

religions have always mixed and morphed. the idea that there is a "pure" or "true" form of a religion that gets "corrupted" is nothing more than enlightenment essentialism. in south asia, for example, you can see muslims going to the temple of laxmi all the time. allah may be great but he doesn't specifically promise money. in sri lanka, the villagers say that buddhism is mostly for weddings and funerals, unless you're a monk. otherwise, the native gods are for everything else.

"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
If I did yoga, it doesn't

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
Watched a

digitalbeachbum wrote:

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.

recent documentary on PBS. My take is/was (I'm going to watch it again when it comes on) simular to Christianity in it

s result. I'm not refering to the worlds idea/understanding of Christianity but our understanding of it--or what it's supposed to be. The result is peace of mind. According to what I can see from the doc. is --enlightenment, but I can't determine "of what". It looks like for Budhism to have an effect one would have to be a Monk, and it seemed useless for the lay person.

OK. there's a young fellow who's a prince of sorts and in time becomes grieved on accounts of the suffering he sees all around, which he was protected from within his prince ship. He tries several different understandings of the day at his time and none suffice. He then becomes enlightened by observations made, and in turn accepts that there's nothing he can do about it and simply learns to live with it.

What it seems like is nothing more then he discovers that all the Gurus of his day have no answer to the misery of the masses. But as I find--he doesn't either. I can't figure out (this is why I'll have to watch again) what he's enlightened of. But, the out come isas I see it would be the same as our understanding of Chrisitamity. Budhism apparently offers no solutions other then ---there's noting that can be done about it, so live with it. What he's into is trying to understand the difference of good and evil and why it is. His enlightenment seems to evolve around--he sees something different then all the Gurus. Apparently it's--accept your fate and be happy.

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Old Seer wrote:recent

Old Seer wrote:

recent documentary on PBS. My take is/was (I'm going to watch it again when it comes on) simular to Christianity in it

s result. I'm not refering to the worlds idea/understanding of Christianity but our understanding of it--or what it's supposed to be. The result is peace of mind. According to what I can see from the doc. is --enlightenment, but I can't determine "of what". It looks like for Budhism to have an effect one would have to be a Monk, and it seemed useless for the lay person.

OK. there's a young fellow who's a prince of sorts and in time becomes grieved on accounts of the suffering he sees all around, which he was protected from within his prince ship. He tries several different understandings of the day at his time and none suffice. He then becomes enlightened by observations made, and in turn accepts that there's nothing he can do about it and simply learns to live with it.

What it seems like is nothing more then he discovers that all the Gurus of his day have no answer to the misery of the masses. But as I find--he doesn't either. I can't figure out (this is why I'll have to watch again) what he's enlightened of. But, the out come isas I see it would be the same as our understanding of Chrisitamity. Budhism apparently offers no solutions other then ---there's noting that can be done about it, so live with it. What he's into is trying to understand the difference of good and evil and why it is. His enlightenment seems to evolve around--he sees something different then all the Gurus. Apparently it's--accept your fate and be happy.

Well, your idea of Buddhism is not valid. Buddhism has a lot more to do with learning a path of non-suffering by not allowing your ego to control you through your emotions.

What you are saying is that a person needs to say "oh well, shit happens" but that isn't correct at all.

If I suffer it is because I allow myself to suffer because I'm not controlling my emotions.


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
Well

digitalbeachbum wrote:

Old Seer wrote:

recent documentary on PBS. My take is/was (I'm going to watch it again when it comes on) simular to Christianity in it

s result. I'm not refering to the worlds idea/understanding of Christianity but our understanding of it--or what it's supposed to be. The result is peace of mind. According to what I can see from the doc. is --enlightenment, but I can't determine "of what". It looks like for Budhism to have an effect one would have to be a Monk, and it seemed useless for the lay person.

OK. there's a young fellow who's a prince of sorts and in time becomes grieved on accounts of the suffering he sees all around, which he was protected from within his prince ship. He tries several different understandings of the day at his time and none suffice. He then becomes enlightened by observations made, and in turn accepts that there's nothing he can do about it and simply learns to live with it.

What it seems like is nothing more then he discovers that all the Gurus of his day have no answer to the misery of the masses. But as I find--he doesn't either. I can't figure out (this is why I'll have to watch again) what he's enlightened of. But, the out come isas I see it would be the same as our understanding of Chrisitamity. Budhism apparently offers no solutions other then ---there's noting that can be done about it, so live with it. What he's into is trying to understand the difference of good and evil and why it is. His enlightenment seems to evolve around--he sees something different then all the Gurus. Apparently it's--accept your fate and be happy.

Well, your idea of Buddhism is not valid. Buddhism has a lot more to do with learning a path of non-suffering by not allowing your ego to control you through your emotions.

What you are saying is that a person needs to say "oh well, shit happens" but that isn't correct at all.

If I suffer it is because I allow myself to suffer because I'm not controlling my emotions.

true enough. But I'm not understanding what good Budhism does any more then any religion other then create attachments to others. That's why I have to watch the documentary again. But, to your compatability to Chrsitianity I would say that they are compatable. But in the worlds idea of Christianity they aren't. In ours they are. I'm not intending to be negativly critical of Budhism, it's more like, I can't see what it's for. From what I can make of it so far is---the founder disagrees with the Gurus of his time. Then again as any religion (I don't know if Budhism is a religion) it didn't change anything. The intent of Christianity is to change the world/person , while Budhism is about contentment, as I take it.

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


iwbiek
atheistSuperfan
iwbiek's picture
Posts: 4298
Joined: 2008-03-23
User is offlineOffline
digitalbeachbum wrote:If I

digitalbeachbum wrote:

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.




there are more than a few scholars who will tell you that the only "religion" is christianity, and that western christians have throughout the centuries "found" religions in other cultures, according to their own criteria of what a "religion" is. i don't actually hold such an extreme position, but it does make one stop and think about the thesis that the world is religiously divided.

"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
I looked this all up and

iwbiek wrote:
digitalbeachbum wrote:

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.


there are more than a few scholars who will tell you that the only "religion" is christianity, and that western christians have throughout the centuries "found" religions in other cultures, according to their own criteria of what a "religion" is. i don't actually hold such an extreme position, but it does make one stop and think about the thesis that the world is religiously divided.
it don't make sense. From what the Psycho Smurfs came to understand--if I worry about someoneelse's suffering I then suffer alon with them--and I find that to be true. The only way I won't suffer on their accounts is if I don't know they're suffering or don't care if they are. That's why we all complain about the hardships in the world--it's becasue we are all collectively suffering. There's no way out of it so what does Buddhism accomplish. I can't firnd where or how it accomplishes anything. If I was to be  Buddist monk All I do then is meditate and have a bowl that I go around asking for food. That means that everyone would have to be a monk to be a sucsessful at being a Budda--so then who's going to come up with the food that I'm begging for. Ooorrr what.

The Beach Bums analysis seems correct. Buddhism and Catholisism aren't compatable. I see that becasue to me Caholisism isn't Christianity, and neither is any other religion. Some info on the web says Buddhism isn't a religion, another syas it is, and another says it's somewhere in between. Shug. I can see where Buddhism and our understanding of Christianity can co-exist, but not any other that claims to be Christianity. As I seeit, the same thing happened to Buddhism that happened to Christianity. There's all different version of it which negates that neither is Buddhism, and there is no Christianity as both have become comtaminated with all sorts of ideas that don't apply to an original. I'm thinking I just should have left this be and stayed out of it. As with all religions I find them hypocritical.

 

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Old Seer wrote:true enough.

Old Seer wrote:
true enough. But I'm not understanding what good Budhism does any more then any religion other then create attachments to others. That's why I have to watch the documentary again. But, to your compatability to Chrsitianity I would say that they are compatable. But in the worlds idea of Christianity they aren't. In ours they are. I'm not intending to be negativly critical of Budhism, it's more like, I can't see what it's for. From what I can make of it so far is---the founder disagrees with the Gurus of his time. Then again as any religion (I don't know if Budhism is a religion) it didn't change anything. The intent of Christianity is to change the world/person , while Budhism is about contentment, as I take it.

 

I'm not sure you understand Buddhism.

 


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Old Seer wrote: The Beach

Old Seer wrote:

The Beach Bums analysis seems correct. Buddhism and Catholisism aren't compatable. I see that becasue to me Caholisism isn't Christianity, and neither is any other religion. Some info on the web says Buddhism isn't a religion, another syas it is, and another says it's somewhere in between. Shug. I can see where Buddhism and our understanding of Christianity can co-exist, but not any other that claims to be Christianity. As I seeit, the same thing happened to Buddhism that happened to Christianity. There's all different version of it which negates that neither is Buddhism, and there is no Christianity as both have become comtaminated with all sorts of ideas that don't apply to an original. I'm thinking I just should have left this be and stayed out of it. As with all religions I find them hypocritical.

I agree that Buddhism and Catholicism doesn't seem compatible but it depends on the practitioner. If I do yoga, I can be a Buddhist but not be Hindu.

This guy wasn't using Buddhism as a religion, but as a form of meditation practice. Jesus was first.

I just do not understand how one can be called a Catholic. Given my background he would be ridiculed by others for his practice.


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
I'd say

digitalbeachbum wrote:

Old Seer wrote:
true enough. But I'm not understanding what good Budhism does any more then any religion other then create attachments to others. That's why I have to watch the documentary again. But, to your compatability to Chrsitianity I would say that they are compatable. But in the worlds idea of Christianity they aren't. In ours they are. I'm not intending to be negativly critical of Budhism, it's more like, I can't see what it's for. From what I can make of it so far is---the founder disagrees with the Gurus of his time. Then again as any religion (I don't know if Budhism is a religion) it didn't change anything. The intent of Christianity is to change the world/person , while Budhism is about contentment, as I take it.

 

I'm not sure you understand Buddhism.

 

you're right. I was going with what was on PBS. It seemed to me that Buddhism was about inner peace, but I can't see how that's achievable by meditation. I find i can have inner peace if I want it, and don't need to meditate. It's a matter of will. All I have to do is --don't think--which isn't hard for me. Smiling

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


EXC
atheist
EXC's picture
Posts: 4111
Joined: 2008-01-17
User is offlineOffline
 If you're examine thiests

 If you're examine thiests enough, you'll see they all worship the same god and all paths lead to the same god.

That god is convenience.

Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
That's an

EXC wrote:

 If you're examine thiests enough, you'll see they all worship the same god and all paths lead to the same god.

That god is convenience.

observation of ours also. If all the floks on the planet are the same basically then they all have the same God. Today it's "the money". Even the Pygmys want money.

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Old Seer wrote:EXC

Old Seer wrote:

EXC wrote:

 If you're examine thiests enough, you'll see they all worship the same god and all paths lead to the same god.

That god is convenience.

observation of ours also. If all the floks on the planet are the same basically then they all have the same God. Today it's "the money". Even the Pygmys want money.

 

Quite the observation. Money is the new god.


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
I just

digitalbeachbum wrote:

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.

go for my one mile walk everyday. I'm on the family property with field roads and the NW corner has 1800 feet around. Three time around = one mile. Some days I do more. If I did yoga I can't see what the difference would be. Exercie 1 is yoga, (let's say) excersie 2 isn't. What makes one yoga and the other not when they're both physical movement. I don't get it. One is yoga because someone says so and the other isn't.  I'll just keep going for my one mile walk. I won't do squat jumps because my spinal column would disintegrate. Smiling

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Old Seer

Old Seer wrote:

digitalbeachbum wrote:

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.

go for my one mile walk everyday. I'm on the family property with field roads and the NW corner has 1800 feet around. Three time around = one mile. Some days I do more. If I did yoga I can't see what the difference would be. Exercie 1 is yoga, (let's say) excersie 2 isn't. What makes one yoga and the other not when they're both physical movement. I don't get it. One is yoga because someone says so and the other isn't.  I'll just keep going for my one mile walk. I won't do squat jumps because my spinal column would disintegrate. Smiling

I wonder about you some times. Are you smoking weed?


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
I'm comparing

digitalbeachbum wrote:

Old Seer wrote:

digitalbeachbum wrote:

If I did yoga, it doesn't make me a Hindu. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.

To call yourself a Buddhist and a Catholic in the same sentence...  Very odd sounding.

go for my one mile walk everyday. I'm on the family property with field roads and the NW corner has 1800 feet around. Three time around = one mile. Some days I do more. If I did yoga I can't see what the difference would be. Exercie 1 is yoga, (let's say) excersie 2 isn't. What makes one yoga and the other not when they're both physical movement. I don't get it. One is yoga because someone says so and the other isn't.  I'll just keep going for my one mile walk. I won't do squat jumps because my spinal column would disintegrate. Smiling

I wonder about you some times. Are you smoking weed?

Physical action with physical action. I couldn't be a Buddhist becasue I can't come up with any reason to become one, that is if I was interested. If Yoga is physical action and my walking is also---why would I take on Yoga. It looks to me as though Yoga is another excersise the same as any other. I'm being analytical. What is Yoga supposed to do anything for me more so then squat jumps. The Holy Rollers rolled on the floor for religious purposes, and the Shaker ---shoook--for religious purposes, and, what did this accomplish for them that my walking for me wouldn't. I don't walk for religious purposes (at least as religion is understood commonly), and what would be the difference if I did. Well Hey, that's an Old Seer for ya, we have to analys everything. Smiling

 

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
Old Seer wrote:Physical

Old Seer wrote:
Physical action with physical action. I couldn't be a Buddhist becasue I can't come up with any reason to become one, that is if I was interested. If Yoga is physical action and my walking is also---why would I take on Yoga. It looks to me as though Yoga is another excersise the same as any other. I'm being analytical. What is Yoga supposed to do anything for me more so then squat jumps. The Holy Rollers rolled on the floor for religious purposes, and the Shaker ---shoook--for religious purposes, and, what did this accomplish for them that my walking for me wouldn't. I don't walk for religious purposes (at least as religion is understood commonly), and what would be the difference if I did. Well Hey, that's an Old Seer for ya, we have to analys everything. Smiling

You aren't a Buddhist because you weren't meant to be one.

Your yoga is your walking.

Holy Rollers don't roll on the floor for exercise even if it might be a form of one.

 


Old Seer
Theist
Posts: 1529
Joined: 2011-11-12
User is offlineOffline
Some would

fall on the floor and roll around but it wasn't a mandatory religious practice. Lets see now if I can come up with a scientific term. How about "volutary self induced religiomania". Smiling

The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.

https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers

Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist

Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth


ProzacDeathWish
atheist
ProzacDeathWish's picture
Posts: 4147
Joined: 2007-12-02
User is offlineOffline
 Quote: If I suffer it is

 

Quote:
If I suffer it is because I allow myself to suffer because I'm not controlling my emotions.

 

  ....controlling your emotions a problem ?

Have you thought about Xanax or maybe a few sessions of ECT ?