Buddism V Christianity

[Boatabike]

I feel i must just say that in the name of my God you are all wrong and therefore i have no choice but to declare a Jihad, crusade, and what ever else may be named in the same manner and take up my holy sword and commit murder, massacre and blood letting in the name of my God to prove my point! Of course i would like to add that love and peace are top of my Gods list of things to be.

Scamp christianity over the years has commited more crimes against humanity then any other form of organisation. The Catholic church are in my view about the biggest bunch of evil dudes outside of the yanky Government. (not flaming but my personal religious view)

Religion is a personal thing between you and your God, and should remain so, no 2 people will percieve God in the same manner and if people would just let you find your own way, there might just be a few less conflicts going on in the world. Jees it's to early for this sh1t, one more coffee, one more ciggy then maybe.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I feel i must just say that in the name of my God you are all wrong and therefore i have no choice but to declare a Jihad, crusade, and what ever else may be named in the same manner and take up my holy sword and commit murder, massacre and blood letting in the name of my God to prove my point! Of course i would like to add that love and peace are top of my Gods list of things to be.

Scamp christianity over the years has commited more crimes against humanity then any other form of organisation. The Catholic church are in my view about the biggest bunch of evil dudes outside of the yanky Government. (not flaming but my personal religious view)

Religion is a personal thing between you and your God, and should remain so, no 2 people will percieve God in the same manner and if people would just let you find your own way, there might just be a few less conflicts going on in the world. Jees it's to early for this sh1t, one more coffee, one more ciggy then maybe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well said, especially the bit that I thought justified bold and red which is another point I had forgotten.

Why does it have to be such a communal thing?

Why can't it be private?

I was told once that it was sad that my mother wasn't a christian for she will not have gone to heaven.

I said I didn't believe that, and who the &lt;deleted&gt; did they think they were assuming that was the case as that is what they believed?

I believe she is up there having a great time driving Cadilacs into lakes and drinking lots of sherry with God, Dudley Moore and Omar Shariff and that belief gives me comfort.

I dare anyone to tell me that isn't true.

Edited June 29, 2005 by The Gentleman Scamp

[cobra]

Religion is used all over the world as a political tool to control the lives and minds of people - that is any religions greatest crime.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you , you are absolutely correct.

Nothing is more responsible for misery, pain and poverty than organized religion.

Christian crusades ..,

The Grand Inquisition ... ,

Televangelist bilking millions from the elderly declaring Jesus said everyone has to send $ or they risk going to h ...,

Edited June 29, 2005 by cobra

[Oleg_Rus]

Scamp christianity over the years has commited more crimes against humanity then any other form of organisation. The Catholic church are in my view about the biggest bunch of evil dudes outside of the yanky Government. (not flaming but my personal religious view)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right, even at this moment "new born christian prophet" Bush is giving blessings around on behalf of his "Martha Stewart-style pocket size god". At least buddists are less annoying, and dress funny.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

At least buddists are less annoying, and dress funny.

[Boatabike]

I think the mormons have a pretty funny dress sense too. I like orange far better.

[chownah]

Why so many crazy religions? You must remember that half of the poeple in theworld have below average intelligence....half of the people in the world have below average kindness...half of the people in the world have below average common sense....

Because of the above you will find in life that whatever you feel is the most heinous and vile thing...there will be people who think that it is the greatest most wonderful thing.

[Oleg_Rus]

Polish-born Pope J.Paul gave great speech in Santiago Chili with blessings over mass slauter or communists and left wing opposition - Torcemada style.

Drunk Christian Orthodox priest - sucks big time.

Stoned monks rule!

[Thomas_Merton]

Thomas_Merton

I note that you compare religion with Marx (and Freud) in a negative sense. Interestingly there may be more in common with some of Marx's philosophical works and Buddhism than with theistic religions. See for instance:

http://www.uq.net.au/slsoc/bsq/marxbud.htm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I didn't. I said that some people's attitude to their religion was no different to other's (non religious) attitude to e.g. Sigmund Frued or Carl Marx - intellectuals who supported one's point of view.

No.wrong. this is MOST INTOLERANT religion.

btw, instead of reading books from german guy with his opinion on JC adventures, why not read the BOOK intead ?

Christianity is, in your experience a MOST INTOLERANT religion.

Sometimes when we look at people or philosophies very close to ourselves, our perceptions reflect our own inadequacies.

If you read my previous posts in this thread you will see I have suggested the BOOK, plus The Gnostics, The Koran, The Bagvaghita and The Dahmapada.

Whatever this is, it will most certainly destroy your relationship.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, definately wrong. Finding common ground in relationship with bring it to higher level, much purer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have completely ignored the preceding sentence when you have quoted me.

I stated: "If she is unable to accommodate these essentials with her professed Christian views then there is something very radically wrong with her picture of the world." It is this that will destroy their relationship.

Religion is used all over the world as a political tool to control the lives and minds of people - that is any religions greatest crime.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you , you are absolutely correct.

Nothing is more responsible for misery, pain and poverty than organized religion.

Christian crusades ..,

The Grand Inquisition ... ,

Televangelist bilking millions from the elderly declaring Jesus said everyone has to send $ or they risk going to h ...,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The anti-religious flamers have reduced this thread to their usual nonsense, demonstrating, yet again, their inability to separate the acts of man from the the Truth these men by their actions debase. So this will be my final posting in this thread.

But before ending I will remind the posters of three of the Lord Buddahs Noble truths:

1. The first truth is that life is suffering i.e., life includes pain, getting old, disease, and ultimately death. We also endure psychological suffering like loneliness frustration, fear, embarrassment, disappointment and anger. This is an irrefutable fact that cannot be denied. It is realistic rather than pessimistic because pessimism is expecting things to be bad. Instead, Buddhism explains how suffering can be avoided and how we can be truly happy.

2. The second truth is that suffering is caused by craving and aversion. We will suffer if we expect other people to conform to our expectation, if we want others to like us, if we do not get something we want, etc. In other words, getting what you want does not guarantee happiness. Rather than constantly struggling to get what you want, try to modify your wanting. Wanting deprives us of contentment and happiness. A lifetime of wanting and craving and especially the craving to continue to exist, creates a powerful energy which causes the individual to be born. So craving leads to physical suffering because it causes us to be reborn.

3. The third truth is that suffering can be overcome and happiness can be attained; that true happiness and contentment are possible. lf we give up useless craving and learn to live each day at a time (not dwelling in the past or the imagined future) then we can become happy and free. We then have more time and energy to help others. This is Nirvana.

[TokyoT]

Why do so many of us need religion?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know it’s a movie line, and from a pretty bad movie at that but there is truth to it:

“People don’t so much believe in God as they choose not to believe in nothing”

IMHO most people are simply not capable a dealing with a scenario where there is no God and no after life. Too many people seem to think life has no meaning if there is no God, and no afterlife, and they are unwilling to accept that there is no more profound meaning to their life then simple existence.

At times I actually envy people of faith. As having faith or a belief in something beyond physical reality can allow people to obtain a certain level of peace. While religion has wreaked a considerable level of havoc over the centuries it has also had its benefits. Without the existence of some form of religion what would have held the masses together – people need a purpose. In addition there are some pretty profound and advantageous teachings that have come from religion “Do un to others as….”

History proves that in general people need something to hold on to, something to believe in – some higher power. Pagans, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Scientologists time and again societies throughout human history have developed believe systems to try and define moralities, and to define/justify their own existence.

Difficult for people to fathom/accept the possibility that there is no reason for human existence – we simply exist.

[TokyoT]

Please do not allow the views of some to dissuade you from continued posting. You obviously have a high level of knowledge in regard to this subject matter and even those “anti-religion flamers” can pick up a morsel or two in reading your posts. I think this is even part of the problem the OP is attempting to address. It is sometimes difficult for those without a high level of faith to find people of faith we can have open and honest discussions with that do not lead to harsh feelings.

The anti-religious flamers have reduced this thread to their usual nonsense, demonstrating, yet again, their inability to separate the acts of man from the the Truth these men by their actions debase. So this will be my final posting in this thread.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The above statement is quite profound, and missed my many (including myself) when discussing religion. But you must admit that acts preformed in the name of religion are one of the major problems those “anti-religion flamers” have with religion. The problem many of us have is attempting to separate the actions from what you call the Truth. The negative actions we see give us a bad taste for the religions these people claim to represent.

In closing I want to repeat that you appear to have valuable knowledge on this subject matter and therefore please continue to contribute to this thread.

[cobra]

Why do so many of us need religion?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...“People don’t so much believe in God as they choose not to believe in nothing” .... IMHO most people are simply not capable a dealing with a scenario where there is no God and no after life. Too many people seem to think life has no meaning if there is no God, and no afterlife, and they are unwilling to accept that there is no more profound meaning to their life then simple existence ...

Difficult for people to fathom/accept the possibility that there is no reason for human existence – we simply exist.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well put indeed,

Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, in one of her rare coherent moments was quoted as saying ... man is the only creature who is aware of his ultimate demise and created God to keep him from going crazy ... ~circa 1969 ..

[camerata]

Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, in one of her rare coherent moments was quoted as saying ... man is the only creature who is aware of his ultimate demise and created God to keep him from going crazy ...      ~circa 1969 ..

Or, as Walpola Rahula put it (more coherently and from a Buddhist perspective):

"Two ideas are psycologically deep-rooted in man: self-protection and self-preservation. For self-protection man has created God, on whom he depends for his own protection, safety and security, just as a child depends on its parent. For self-preservation man has conceived the idea of an immortal Soul or Atman, which will live eternally. In his ignorance, weakness, fear, and desire, man needs these two things to console himself. Hence he clings to them deeply and fanatically."

[chonabot]

If you question the need for religion on a worldwide basis I would recommend first reading about Hinduism , and then travelling through India for a few months.

Everything they ( hindu's) do is based on religion , they have different life views to us, everything has a different value. You may have travelled the sub-continent before , but I guarantee after reading a few decent books on Hinduism and it's various forms of deities , you will enjoy this vast country.

[chownah]

The Gentleman Scamp,

Could it be that your friend has reached the age in her life that she wants to bear a child? Could it be that she is looking for a secure nest in which to do this and have a good christian mate (mate = someone who provides genetic material for the production of an offspring) is what she imagines subconsciously when she thinks of this nest?

If she dropped the christian requirement for this mate, would you be willing to fulfill this mission? Say next year or sooner?

Chownah

[sendbaht]

"Religion is used all over the world as a political tool to control the lives and minds of people - that is any religions greatest crime. "

AMEN to this, this is so true!!!!!!!!!!

[sabaijai]

topic going nowhere, mostly off topic, offensive to buddhists and christians alike, hereby closed.