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The thing I hate the most about organized religion is that it is used to further classify and divide human beings. Humans have spent history trying to make Dieties work for them.
Why do Siddhartha Guatama and Jesus Christ preach similiar messages?? Could it be that we are all praying to the same God?? Wouldn't an all powerful God be able to bring his message to all of his people??
I think the Eightfold Path seems like something Jesus studied, and brought it's message back to his Disciples.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddhism's Eightfold Path
Right Views means to keep ourselves free from prejudice, superstition and delusion... and to see aright the true nature of life.
Right Thoughts means to turn away from the hypocrisies of this world and to direct our minds toward Truth and Positive Attitudes and Action.
Right Speech means to refrain from pointless and harmful talk... to speak kindly and courteously to all.
Right Conduct means to see that our deeds are peaceable, benevolent, compassionate and pure... and to live the Teachings daily.
Right Livelihood means to earn our living in such a way as to entail no evil consequences. To seek that employment to which can give our complete enthusiasm and devotion.
Right Effort means to direct our efforts continually to the overcoming of ignorance and craving desires.
Right Mindfulness means to cherish good and pure thoughts, for all that we say and do arises from our thoughts.
Right Meditation means to concentrate on the Oneness of all life and the Buddhahood that exists within all beings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesus' Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land.
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I think that Jesus Christ is the Saint Issa that is written about in Hindu and Buddhist scrolls. People get really upset when you suggest Jesus spent the Lost Years studying in India......and the Church has tried to cover it up....but why?? I think it is exciting....it shows that we are truly intertwined in the creator, and we should be working on Uniting, not further divisions.
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I think that Jesus Christ is the Saint Issa that is written about in Hindu and Buddhist scrolls. People get really upset when you suggest Jesus spent the Lost Years studying in India......and the Church has tried to cover it up....but why?? I think it is exciting....it shows that we are truly intertwined in the creator, and we should be working on Uniting, not further divisions.
evidence?
shawn
__________________
"Arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics... Even if
you win, you are still retarded..."
"I can't trust a woman who would marry me." ~ AzCards21
"I don't care what you believe, keep your religion out of my peanut butter!" ~ Assface
I first heard about it at ASU, in a religions of the world class. We learned about a Saint from the West, named Issa. I didn't put that much more thought into it until I watched a documentary on Discovery called "Jesus in the Himalayas." From there, I have a friend at work whom is Muslim, but he actually believes that Jesus visited Pakistan and Kashmir.
The idea isn't my own....I can't claim that. Nicolas Notovitch wrote a book about "the lost years" in the 1890s. I haven't read it, yet.
I can give you a link to a site that has a bunch of Research Links. From there you can do as much or little reading on the subject as you like.
The thing I hate the most about organized religion is that it is used to further classify and divide human beings. Humans have spent history trying to make Dieties work for them.
Why do Siddhartha Guatama and Jesus Christ preach similiar messages?? Could it be that we are all praying to the same God?? Wouldn't an all powerful God be able to bring his message to all of his people??
The short answer is no, we can't be. If I believe in a God who created us and sent his only begotten son to save us from sin as the only means of reaching him, and you believe in a god who wouldn't dream of ever being so exclusive, then we believe in different gods.
That quote "the Lord your God" was a reference to the God of the Old Testament, who was decidedly jealous and non-inclusive. And I didn't see anything quite like that in the Eightfold Path.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NEZCardsfan
I think the Eightfold Path seems like something Jesus studied, and brought it's message back to his Disciples.
I think that Jesus Christ is the Saint Issa that is written about in Hindu and Buddhist scrolls. People get really upset when you suggest Jesus spent the Lost Years studying in India......and the Church has tried to cover it up....but why?? I think it is exciting....it shows that we are truly intertwined in the creator, and we should be working on Uniting, not further divisions.
If we all worshiped the same God, why did Jesus rip the Pharisees a new one?
One would presume that if anyone stood a chance of making it to God, it would be people who professed to worship the same God Jesus did, but Jesus set the bar even higher than that.
Thinking that we all are going to make it there no matter what god we worship is a nice thought for the not-so-tough minded, but it's really just an attempt to avoid dealing with truth claims. As long as you can tapdance around Jesus' claim that "No one comes to the Father except through me", you can pretend that all religions are basically equal and worship basically the same god.
IMO, you've fallen into the distinctly American mind trap of refusing to say someone can be wrong (except for people like me) when it comes to religion. What's good for me is good for me and what's good for you is good for you... I don't deny anyone in this country the right to believe whatever they want, but it's sheer schizophrenia to say that diametrically opposed, mutually exclusive religions can all be true.
Could it be that we are all praying to the same God?
Since Buddhism does not recognize the existence of a God, and especially not a personal God, nor of an individual or eternal soul, the answer from this side is also: No.
The Noble Eightfold Path is simply a means to live an ethical life and minimize both personal suffering, and the chance of causing suffering to others.
Now from a Buddhist perspective, it doesn't matter if you pray to Allah, Christ, Shiva, or don't pray at all.
Bottom line Buddhism: you can't escape living in this reality, and you can't cheat death. If you live your life according to these ethical principles, it's irrelevant what kind of metaphysical and supernatural stuff you clog your mental arteries with.
Of course, Buddha discouraged such prayer and deistic beliefs, because he felt it made people irresponsible and unrealistic about life and death, and gave them the feeling like they could put off living ethically (in his time, as in many, you could buy 'merit' or 'forgiveness' and you also could, as a good Hindu, say 'Oh well, royally screwed the karmic pooch this lifetime, may as well write it off...I have like... forever to get it right. I'll do better next time.)
You also have a pretty light-weight Westernized version of the Eightfold Path here, and what it really refers to.
__________________
oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Since Buddhism does not recognize the existence of a God, and especially not a personal God, nor of an individual or eternal soul, the answer from this side is also: No.
The Noble Eightfold Path is simply a means to live an ethical life and minimize both personal suffering, and the chance of causing suffering to others.
Now from a Buddhist perspective, it doesn't matter if you pray to Allah, Christ, Shiva, or don't pray at all.
Bottom line Buddhism: you can't escape living in this reality, and you can't cheat death. If you live your life according to these ethical principles, it's irrelevant what kind of metaphysical and supernatural stuff you clog your mental arteries with.
Of course, Buddha discouraged such prayer and deistic beliefs, because he felt it made people irresponsible and unrealistic about life and death, and gave them the feeling like they could put off living ethically (in his time, as in many, you could buy 'merit' or 'forgiveness' and you also could, as a good Hindu, say 'Oh well, royally screwed the karmic pooch this lifetime, may as well write it off...I have like... forever to get it right. I'll do better next time.)
You also have a pretty light-weight Westernized version of the Eightfold Path here, and what it really refers to.
a lot of people live with it, but that's not the real issue. the issue is about what is true or not.
shawn
From the standpoint of living your life and not trying to influence others that your lifestyle is the best. We can never know for sure about the existance of God without dying, but we can realize that people should be able to do as they please as long as it doesn't harm anyone else. That seems to be the basic premise of the Hindu religion (from my perspective) and the way I try to live my life. And as they say, truth is in the eye of the beholder.
From the standpoint of living your life and not trying to influence others that your lifestyle is the best. We can never know for sure about the existance of God without dying, but we can realize that people should be able to do as they please as long as it doesn't harm anyone else. That seems to be the basic premise of the Hindu religion (from my perspective) and the way I try to live my life. And as they say, truth is in the eye of the beholder.
but to do so would require one to be God. how can you be certain that the way you or i live our lives doesn't hurt anyone unless we had unlimited knowledge or all our actions and their consequences?
shawn
__________________
"Arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics... Even if
you win, you are still retarded..."
"I can't trust a woman who would marry me." ~ AzCards21
"I don't care what you believe, keep your religion out of my peanut butter!" ~ Assface
but to do so would require one to be God. how can you be certain that the way you or i live our lives doesn't hurt anyone unless we had unlimited knowledge or all our actions and their consequences?
shawn
Naturally we will hurt others both intentionally and not, it is the intentional which is wrong.
Well, another nice thing about Buddhism is that even though I believe it, nobody has to go to hell for believing otherwise. We're very flexible that way. It doesn't matter if you believe or not, it just keeps on keeping on -- and there's no punitive God to be insulted or pissed off by what you do or don't believe.
__________________
oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
It's more of a philosophy than a religion, that's why I like it.
__________________
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
Well, another nice thing about Buddhism is that even though I believe it, nobody has to go to hell for believing otherwise. We're very flexible that way. It doesn't matter if you believe or not, it just keeps on keeping on -- and there's no punitive God to be insulted or pissed off by what you do or don't believe.
really! so how and why does reincarnation work?
shawn
__________________
"Arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics... Even if
you win, you are still retarded..."
"I can't trust a woman who would marry me." ~ AzCards21
"I don't care what you believe, keep your religion out of my peanut butter!" ~ Assface
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