We Are All Buddhist.

[rics21]

Most farangs I know of converted to be Buddhist as they spend more time of their life in Thailand.

What do u think?

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[MrRealDeal]

I think you are finding what you want to find and seeing what you want to see to verify what you think you already know or hope to be true.

[h90]

I am Atheist, which is pretty close to be Buddhist.

[maxme]

Well Tibet is kinda off limits so Thailand will due although there are not many buddhists around

[smokie36]

I am not Buddhist.

[geriatrickid]

I am Atheist, which is pretty close to be Buddhist.

Rubbish.

Buddhism is very far away from atheism. Please read up on the religion.

[maxme]

I am Atheist, which is pretty close to be Buddhist.

Rubbish.

Buddhism is very far away from atheism. Please read up on the religion.

I thought it was more like a life philosophy than a religion.

[mjj]

Agnostic. All concepts seem ridiculous to me, but I wouldn't rule any out.

[h90]

I am Atheist, which is pretty close to be Buddhist.

Rubbish.

Buddhism is very far away from atheism. Please read up on the religion.

I thought it was more like a life philosophy than a religion.

and it has no god.

[h90]

Agnostic. All concepts seem ridiculous to me, but I wouldn't rule any out.

That was always something I couldn't understand. How someone can see the concepts as ridiculous but wouldn't rule them out.

My countries president tells he is Agnostic so I thought a lot of it.

My two most reasonable explanations were: "He just does not care about that topic" or "He is an Atheist, but doesn't want to make the Catholics complete upset".

[Colonel_Mustard]

When I first came here, I would have classed myself as agnostic but would now class myself as a Christian.

[StreetCowboy]

I am not Buddhist.

I'm not Buddhist

[Pseudolus]

I'm a dyslexic, agnostic insomniac. I lie awake at night wondering if there is a dog.

And,,,,, no. I don't think they do at all all become Buddhist. Religion is a very personal think (except to those yankies who walk about trying to force it down your throat). I would say that most farang living here that you might confuse with being Buddhist are playing a part to keep their GFs happy and if offered the slightest chance to not go and build a wall at a temple will find a way not to.

[mjj]

Agnostic. All concepts seem ridiculous to me, but I wouldn't rule any out.

That was always something I couldn't understand. How someone can see the concepts as ridiculous but wouldn't rule them out.

My countries president tells he is Agnostic so I thought a lot of it.

My two most reasonable explanations were: "He just does not care about that topic" or "He is an Atheist, but doesn't want to make the Catholics complete upset".

Ok, science. Big bang theory and evolution. In my mind kind of possible, but evolution is about survival of the fittest for survivals sake. So where does consciousness come in to it. If we had no 'soul' as such we would be much more adaptable and better suited to survival. What is the point of 'I think therefore I am' in an evolutionary sense? Was is just an evolutionary glitch?

Regarding the big bang. Why was there a big bang? Where did the elements come from? What was there before? Don't say nothing, how can that be? Nothing into something doesn't work either, like all energies are transferred, so what where they transferred from?

Religions in general with a guy in the clouds. Well where does he come from? Who made him? Why would he/she want to make the world? What's the point?

Did a God make the big bang so science and a God can go hand in hand? I dunno. If a God is so clever why just 'speak' to some people, knowing full well that we are a sceptical lot? Why not speak to everyone. Then again, do we explain ourselves to beetles.

Back to the survival thing. Why do we care? We are all going to die. Your (not you specifically) lovely new born child is just going to be dust in 150 years, so what's the point!

I'm certainly not atheist because I can't rule anything out. But don't you think they are all equally absurd?

[StreetCowboy]

Agnostic. All concepts seem ridiculous to me, but I wouldn't rule any out.

That was always something I couldn't understand. How someone can see the concepts as ridiculous but wouldn't rule them out.

My countries president tells he is Agnostic so I thought a lot of it.

My two most reasonable explanations were: "He just does not care about that topic" or "He is an Atheist, but doesn't want to make the Catholics complete upset".

Ok, science. Big bang theory and evolution. In my mind kind of possible, but evolution is about survival of the fittest for survivals sake. So where does consciousness come in to it. If we had no 'soul' as such we would be much more adaptable and better suited to survival. What is the point of 'I think therefore I am' in an evolutionary sense? Was is just an evolutionary glitch?

Regarding the big bang. Why was there a big bang? Where did the elements come from? What was there before? Don't say nothing, how can that be? Nothing into something doesn't work either, like all energies are transferred, so what where they transferred from?

Religions in general with a guy in the clouds. Well where does he come from? Who made him? Why would he/she want to make the world? What's the point?

Did a God make the big bang so science and a God can go hand in hand? I dunno. If a God is so clever why just 'speak' to some people, knowing full well that we are a sceptical lot? Why not speak to everyone. Then again, do we explain ourselves to beetles.

Back to the survival thing. Why do we care? We are all going to die. Your (not you specifically) lovely new born child is just going to be dust in 150 years, so what's the point!

I'm certainly not atheist because I can't rule anything out. But don't you think they are all equally absurd?

I suggest you take your musings herehttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/576258-religiosity-declining-worldwide-survey/

SC

[payak]

became buddhist when i was 12,before I even thought of heading to Thailand.

so Thailand had no part in it.

[MrRealDeal]

MJJ ..... The big bang theory says matter has always existed because as you said you cant get something from nothing , It doesn't even try to explain where it came from before the singularity of the bang because thats impossible.

The one similarity Science and Religion have is that both matter and "God" have always existed, and while the Science folks seem to think it's ok for matter but not for God , the God folks seems to think it's ok for God but not for matter ! ........ Some of them anyhow obviously not all.

The reality is that neither Science or Religion have really been able to figure out how either matter or God came into existance if not for the incomplete cavemanish explanation of ..... don't worry about it, it's always been here. Which could very well be true but doesn't sit very well with me.

Edited August 30, 2012 by MrRealDeal

[camerata]

The topic is whether Westerners convert to Buddhism because they've spent a lot of time in Thailand or not. Any more stuff about science, God and atheism will be deleted.

Thanks.

[StreetCowboy]

The topic is whether Westerners convert to Buddhism because they've spent a lot of time in Thailand or not. Any more stuff about science, God and atheism will be deleted.

Thanks.

Maybe it'll be a Creation thread in a future life. We should ask someone like ThailandMysteries, who might be an expert in reincarnation

SC

[uptheos]

"Most farangs I know of converted to be Buddhist as they spend more time of their life in Thailand.

What do u think?"

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I think anyone converting to Buddhism wouldn't be posting from an XT910.......in fact they wouldn't be posting.

[notmyself]

I suggest you take your musings herehttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/576258-religiosity-declining-worldwide-survey/

SC

The poster can't yet SC

I'm not a Buddhist either..

Edited August 30, 2012 by notmyself

[rics21]

"Most farangs I know of converted to be Buddhist as they spend more time of their life in Thailand.

What do u think?"

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I think anyone converting to Buddhism wouldn't be posting from an XT910.......in fact they wouldn't be posting.

I m a Buddhist. Whats wrong with a XT910?

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[rics21]

"Most farangs I know of converted to be Buddhist as they spend more time of their life in Thailand.

What do u think?"

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I think anyone converting to Buddhism wouldn't be posting from an XT910.......in fact they wouldn't be posting.

I m a Buddhist. What's wrong using a RAZR maxx.

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[Bagwan]

Most of the farangs that I know are too busy having the time of their lives to even think think about something so arcane as Buddhism. I don't consider Buddhism to be a religion so how can anybody be converted to it? I do recognise however that many have changed their attitudes towards life and other people since coming to live here. I know that I certainly have.

[Jawnie]

I am Atheist, which is pretty close to be Buddhist.

Depends. Buddhism doesn't include a God like the Christian God. But, that doesn't mean atheism and Buddhism are similar. Buddhism has a fairly expansive cosmology which includes dieties.....just not like Christianity. Does atheism have this? What is atheism's general philosophy of the universe?

[travelmann]

I am Atheist, which is pretty close to be Buddhist.

Depends. Buddhism doesn't include a God like the Christian God. But, that doesn't mean atheism and Buddhism are similar. Buddhism has a fairly expansive cosmology which includes dieties.....just not like Christianity. Does atheism have this? What is atheism's general philosophy of the universe?

post 18 will sort u out

No Im not going to be come a buddhist and Thailand wont be changing my cynical view of the world in general

[nidieunimaitre]

_{Living in Thailand has cured me of all the sympathies I used to have for buddhism.}

[rockyysdt]

_{Living in Thailand has cured me of all the sympathies I used to have for buddhism.}

If you were ever motivated to investigate/practice Buddhism you need to be careful N.

Witnessing anti Buddhist behavior by aledged Buddhists can be an excuse to save oneself a lot of effort.

I saw these Buddhists do these things.

How could they?

After seeing these things, I can never associate myself with Buddhism and can see how much of a farce it is.

The problem is, everyone in "samsara" is subject to greed, aversion, and delusion.

This includes Monks, Presidents, Priests, Mothers, Abbots, Doctors.

Everyone.

A Buddhist practices to escape from these things.

Until one escapes, no one is free from unskillfull action.

The best we can hope for is to minimise unskillfull action/behavior by working towards keeping the precepts, and building on our concentration, awareness and wisdom, through regular practice.

Eventually delusion, aversion and greed will loosen its grip.

Isn't turning ones back on a legitimate path/practice, due to observed unskillfull action or poor progress of purported Buddhists, a personal excuse.

A work colleague proclaimed that Buddhism was superstitious crap.

He pointed to me and said: "Look at you. What has it done for you?"

He wouldn't accept that we all struggle with our conditioning.

By the way, this morning he had a large 'vanilla slice".

(Custard filling with a vanilla flavor sandwiched between pastry and topped with vanilla icing.)

He struggles with his weight with a massive 40kg over.

He said to me the he doesn't know anyone who died from eating vanilla slices and apple tarts.

He weezes for breath in a sitting postion and struggles when active.

I witnessed an autopsy of an obese man whose lungs had been pushed into a small area (25%) due to the large amounts of fatty tissue occupying the chest cavity.

The surgeon indicated that the deceased would have struggle to breathe as the lungs could only inflate to a fraction of their potential.

I tried to explain to my colleague that it wasn't one vanilla slice, but a habitual lifestyle of over indulgence of over processed/refined hollow foods, smoking, and inactivity over long periods which causes the damage.

He sat back and puffed on his cigarette and said he was enjoying his life, unlike myself.

It's a shame that many have a negative mental picture of Buddhism and miss out on a practice which has the potential at the very least to unlock ones negative conditioning, and lead to improvement at many levels.

Edited August 31, 2012 by rockyysdt

[fabianfred]

It's a shame that many have a negative mental picture of Buddhism and miss out on a practice which has the potential at the very least to unlock ones negative conditioning, and lead to improvement at many levels.

Insufficient paramis to get the message....... like casting pearls before swine..... to be pitied.

[StreetCowboy]

It's a shame that many have a negative mental picture of Buddhism and miss out on a practice which has the potential at the very least to unlock ones negative conditioning, and lead to improvement at many levels.

Insufficient paramis to get the message....... like casting pearls before swine..... to be pitied.

I suppose we'll get a different audience in this forum than in the General forum

SC