Can a Thai be a Christian and a Buddhist

[benalibina]

I am content i dont have or need a religion in my life......i am my own religion. I set my own rules of engagement in life. These harboured by own life experiences and behaviour of what i have witnessed from people during my life, from myself and others.

People are brought up by their parents/caretakers. They lay the foundation for later on in life at childhood. To push a child into a religion has fortunately never happened with me. It has given me the foundation to use my own religion, if i would have desired that ofcourse. So being free from innercircle religious manipulation i opted to question the existence of God during my adolescant years with others. A belief is only a belief......nowadays, being in a sort of need, i gave thought about going to church but again.....its my problem and i need to solve it in reality.....no god can help me with that...furthermore i would consider it as hypocritical that in time of need i would have to turn to a religion in order to help me. I can see though that many people would, in time of need, turn to a religion. Whether forced, read manipulated, or by free will.

In my FIL there are a number of people who are Christian Buddhists, well there behaviour and actions surely dont convince me to adopt any religion, on the contrary. Never met a more shambolic lot then them. Had even contact, via fb, with the minister of the church they go to, about the familysituation. I thought that he must have some authority and i believed bij aively, as his english in writing was good, that he was not an insular thinking man. Well.....whatever i hoped he was, he was not.

Trying to good in life by learning from others and by own mistakes does not need religion. It needs character.

[Bucko]

I know a Thai lady who converted to Christianity--- early one Sunday morning in her village--there was about 2 hrs of "chatter " coming from loudspeakers somewhere -when asked what was all that about--she said -- and I quote---

That's the Temple telling everyone -- who - and how many baht they give to Temple this time---now you know why I want Christian

anyone else heard these " announcements" ?

This poor understanding of what is going on through these loudspeakers is pure falang-understanding.... nothing else...... This is NOT a thai person

saying these words- NO WAY....

Glegolo

Not sure what you are saying Glegolo--either that there is a Falang Monk speaking Thai- sitting in a village Temple in Essan on the microphone--OR you are saying that the Thai Lady could not have said those words --

I respectfully reply-that you are wrong in both these cases -- but concede that there are some Falangs in Temples to study Buddhism

Edited April 3, 2014 by Bucko

[Bkungbank]

Christian more on power control by one God the only God creator of human and Universal. But when we enter to gate of heaven many people don't understand why he cannot enter because he talk bad on other religions that's why.

Buddhist more self practice to enlightenment path, example one day son of the decease asking Buddha for help his father enter to heaven as he believed in Buddha power but Buddha ask him to take two vase on fill with butter and other with stone and seal the cover with cloth , place both into water . He follow as he though BUddha have magic ceremony and Buddha ask him to uncover the seal the butter vase will float on top of water and the stone sank into water.

Buddha says nobody will lifted souls to heaven unless ourselves we sink or flow up to the deeds that we have done. It's not BUddha or Jesus don't want to save all souls in hell but it's their own sins that bring them.

Both have same teaching if you do good heaven is waiting for you and bad the door of hell, so why do we want to make difference which is which?

[JSPS]

There are people in my American Wat who are both Christians and Buddhists. They are also Thai and American.

One of them was talking to me about Buddhists he had met while visiting a temple in Europe. He told me that the European Buddhists got angry with him, "Like I had stolen something from them." I know from traveling around with the monks from our wat that American Christians will go out of their way to meet and talk to the monks. I frequently have to peel the monks away because we have to leave.

I have never encountered the hostility that some people attribute to Christians. I don't doubt that it exists but it is not nearly as common as it is often portrayed.

[wym]

There are people in my American Wat who are both Christians and Buddhists. They are also Thai and American.

One of them was talking to me about Buddhists he had met while visiting a temple in Europe. He told me that the European Buddhists got angry with him, "Like I had stolen something from them." I know from traveling around with the monks from our wat that American Christians will go out of their way to meet and talk to the monks. I frequently have to peel the monks away because we have to leave.

I have never encountered the hostility that some people attribute to Christians. I don't doubt that it exists but it is not nearly as common as it is often portrayed.

I've met lots of Christians who see the devil or at least lesser demons in any "pagan" beliefs, including completely secular yoga practices.

Try telling them the Church co-opted holidays like Christmas and most old saints from pre-Christian beliefs, built the cathedrals on pagan sites etc and they get very indignant.

Yes many see Buddhism as a competing "religion". . .

[DekDaeng]

mispost

Edited April 4, 2014 by DekDaeng

[JO1973]

Make no mistake about it -- Buddhism is a religion and the Buddha is prayed to as a god (along with a whole pantheon of Hindu gods and animist spirits). Westerns have deluded themselves into believing this fallacious 'Buddhism is an ideology and not a religion' mantra that they can't see the forest for the trees (ALL religions are ideologies).

Many Buddhists who 'convert' to Christianity in reality just add Christ and the Christian god to their established belief system. You should ask yourself whether you mind the idea of your fiancé just adding Jesus Christ to that pantheon of deities and beliefs, and if her placing Jesus below the Buddha (who is generally prayed to as the God) bothers you.

Buddhism is often referred to as a synchronistic religion because its practitioners have no problem adding other beliefs and practices to their established worldview. This is a holdover from the various Hindu and Brahmanic beliefs which Buddhism is derived from.

By the way, Jesus Christ was also a man and a philosopher.

[arminbkk]

My Thai boss is a Catholic, and probably also practises Buddhism, because, well, he is a Thai in Thailand.

I think a Thai can hardly escape Buddhist ceremonies. Peer pressure probably plays a role.

[kimbathewhitelion]

Make no mistake about it -- Buddhism is a religion and the Buddha is prayed to as a god (along with a whole pantheon of Hindu gods and animist spirits). Westerns have deluded themselves into believing this fallacious 'Buddhism is an ideology and not a religion' mantra that they can't see the forest for the trees (ALL religions are ideologies).

Many Buddhists who 'convert' to Christianity in reality just add Christ and the Christian god to their established belief system. You should ask yourself whether you mind the idea of your fiancé just adding Jesus Christ to that pantheon of deities and beliefs, and if her placing Jesus below the Buddha (who is generally prayed to as the God) bothers you.

Buddhism is often referred to as a synchronistic religion because its practitioners have no problem adding other beliefs and practices to their established worldview. This is a holdover from the various Hindu and Brahmanic beliefs which Buddhism is derived from.

By the way, Jesus Christ was also a man and a philosopher.

Sorry, once again failed to read the entire post.

Retract to the point that there is no God, religion was created by the more educated of them as a means of controlling the populace below him. The people of the time (all males) who became Gods in literature were just simple folk & philosophers.

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[wym]

Make no mistake about it -- Buddhism is a religion and the Buddha is prayed to as a god (along with a whole pantheon of Hindu gods and animist spirits). Westerns have deluded themselves into believing this fallacious 'Buddhism is an ideology and not a religion' mantra that they can't see the forest for the trees (ALL religions are ideologies).

That may be true as it's usually practiced, but true "pure" Buddhism specifically states it is not about worship, only self-examination and improvement through practice.

Of course it's an ideology.

By the way, Jesus Christ was also a man and a philosopher.

But that is ALL the Buddha claimed to be.

[cup-O-coffee]

Buddhism is not a Religion.

So the answer is Yes.

Disagree!

DO... or you are not = religion (a.k.a. performance-based acceptance)

BE... and you are = spirituality (a.k.a. faith-based acceptance)

My son may not DO, but he still IS my son. I am the one who hand a direct hand in creating him, and I accept the responsibility of BEING his father forever, and loving him enough to never <deleted> him regardless, and to be there for him as long as I animate this body.

Now, as a divine being, I either accept the responsibility of having a direct hand in creating trillions of people throughout time (fearfully and wonderfully made) and considering them as my children from the get go, or I prove myself a figment of another man's mind and cut them all loose as soon as I get done having a direct hand in creating them, and retreat into hiding in a cowardly fashion to become a dead beat dad.

Then I haunt the imaginations of other people's minds, and get them to self-appoint themselves as my mouth pieces, and to go out and hunt down each other and convince and persuade each other to repent for the crap life I had a hand in putting them all into, and then expect all of them them to come back to me (after it were I who left them after creating them) and apologize; and a few trinkets certainly won't do any harm for the effort and certainly get my Fatherly love stirred up.

Religion takes the blueprint of a father's love for his children, and turns it into the sort of mindless, stinking pap that any intelligent individual, who has ever had a child and loved him or her as I love mine, can see a mile away.

Leave the lady be. Let her be who she is and enjoy it, or have one of those (how did the poster in the other thread put it?) have one of those walk away moments.

That's just a smattering of the many ways I see this. And please don't reply with what Harvey says. Either send Harvey my way, or leave my opinion be.

please, atheists are supposed to be thinkers. You are giving us a bad name.

You are giving your peers a bad name to assume I am an atheist. What else do you assume, I wonder?

[Scarpolo]

OP

are you going to light incense with her in the morning, and get on the floor with her and pray with her, or is this a one way highway with only one exit lane, yours?

And, does she has parents, that are alive and any sisters and brothers, aunts uncles?

Do you intend to isolate her if they do not agree with her decisions?

Edited April 5, 2014 by Scarpolo

[kimbathewhitelion]

Make no mistake about it -- Buddhism is a religion and the Buddha is prayed to as a god (along with a whole pantheon of Hindu gods and animist spirits). Westerns have deluded themselves into believing this fallacious 'Buddhism is an ideology and not a religion' mantra that they can't see the forest for the trees (ALL religions are ideologies).

That may be true as it's usually practiced, but true "pure" Buddhism specifically states it is not about worship, only self-examination and improvement through practice.

Of course it's an ideology.

By the way, Jesus Christ was also a man and a philosopher.

But that is ALL the Buddha claimed to be.

But as much as you say...how many sentences, paragraphs, in the end you say nothing at all. Will continue to try to make sense.

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[Scarpolo]

For those of you who don't know.

Atheistism is a non prophet organisation!

that, is good!

[ABCer]

Yes.

But not the other way around:

No true Christian or Buddhist can become a Thai.

Donnievino, try to dilute the other half. Too much isn't good. Makes you ask questions.

[baneko]

Religion is a joke. Causes wars, fighting and resentment.

When god comes down from heaven sits in my house for a coffee I will beleive all this guff.

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[benalibina]

Religion is a joke. Causes wars, fighting and resentment.

When god comes down from heaven sits in my house for a coffee I will beleive all this guff.

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Wrong.....religion in itself is not a joke. Its the people who claim to represent it. Monks, priests, immans etc.

[kimbathewhitelion]

Religion is a joke. Causes wars, fighting and resentment.

When god comes down from heaven sits in my house for a coffee I will beleive all this guff.

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Wrong.....religion in itself is not a joke. Its the people who claim to represent it. Monks, priests, immans etc.

But isn't that all the same, without representation religion is a myth. The institutions are of the same in all regards. Get rid of religion & finally, there is world peace.

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[wym]

It is the institutions that turn religion into a pernicious myth.

Without them we can practice true spirituality.

[benalibina]

Religion is a joke. Causes wars, fighting and resentment.

When god comes down from heaven sits in my house for a coffee I will beleive all this guff.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Wrong.....religion in itself is not a joke. Its the people who claim to represent it. Monks, priests, immans etc.

But isn't that all the same, without representation religion is a myth. The institutions are of the same in all regards. Get rid of religion & finally, there is world peace.

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World peace....human nature does not change. Wars will be fought still but for other reasons. Edited April 5, 2014 by benalibina

[kimbathewhitelion]

Myths are tell tales or hear say, religious institutions are the compilation of decades of greed & slaughter. Spirituality is quite or very different from religion.

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[kimbathewhitelion]

Or better put, "religion" is just a word, nothing more.

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[Bucko]

The great western religions Judaism and Christianity also have a code of conduct, The Ten Commandments. The commandments are:

1. I am the Lord thy God.

2. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5. Honor thy father and thy mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

Appendix to Number 7

7/1 Thou shalt not Get Caught

[kriswillems]

I am an atheist/scientist. I hate the idea of an imaginary super-being or human philosopher/son of God with super-natural gifts.

My wife is a very religious Buddhist. Her religion (by itself) was never a problem for me.

But I really don't like all the superstition that goes with it.

As long as she doesn't spend enormous amounts of money on them she can do whatever she wants.

I would never try to convert someone to my way of thinking or my world view.

If religion is used to separate groups or people (one religion is good, others are bad or less good) there's something really wrong with it.

Edited April 6, 2014 by kriswillems

[sdanielmcev]

A Catholic priest ( who had studied many religions) once told me that " there are many roads that lead to Rome, choose whatever path suits you, and you will still arrive at the same destination"

Sounds like good sense to me.

Even the path of Lucifer ?

Obviously you've never read the book. Lucifer is mentioned once, as the "bringer of light."

[Jerno]

Being a good person needs no religion.

A very simplistic view of religion.

Some of us have secured our passage to the next life and it didn't come about by denying the higher authority.

[ABCer]

The great western religions Judaism and Christianity also have a code of conduct, The Ten Commandments. The commandments are:

1. I am the Lord thy God.

2. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5. Honor thy father and thy mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

Appendix to Number 7

7/1 Thou shalt not Get Caught

Hey, Bucko, why limit this 11th Commandment by applying it to 7th only? It is universal, right across the board.

Pity Moses dropped the tablet when coming off the hill.

Edited April 6, 2014 by ABCer

[ABCer]

So many good posts yet totally contradictory in their best intentions.

All Religions have useful component - philosophical.

All Religions have dangerous component - faith.

All Religions are man made for the purpose of control.

All Religions instigated wars ever since their creation.

Before All Religions there were wars.

Atheism is also a kind of Religion with its own Prophets.

The roots of All Evil and Good is not any Religion - it is us, people.

When our Creator returns - it will be the Last Day of 'Humanity'.

I know that I would do it. Pity they will spill my morning cuppa.

And no, I am not a people hater. I am just one of them.

[Bucko]

The great western religions Judaism and Christianity also have a code of conduct, The Ten Commandments. The commandments are:

1. I am the Lord thy God.

2. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5. Honor thy father and thy mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

Appendix to Number 7

7/1 Thou shalt not Get Caught

Hey, Bucko, why limit this 11th Commandment by applying it to 7th only? It is universal, right across the board.

Pity Moses dropped the tablet when coming off the hill.

There are some that would apply to me-- and I suggest -- most people -- i.e numbers 5-6-8--and part of number 10

--

Re-number 10--what happened to the bit I was brought up with ?? --->>>>>

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.-------phew !! that would keep a man " busy " for a day or two !!

O.K now you know --I admit to it --I'm a Catholic

Edited April 6, 2014 by Bucko

[kimbathewhitelion]

Hmmm...in the name of the Roman Catholic Church...aaa, number 6, thou shall not kill. And yet these holy greed mongrels, Rome...the Church, using just an empty name, "god", managed to butcher, slaughter, decimate thousands if not millions of women, children, whatever for hundreds of years...legally...under God.

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