Buddhism / Christianity ; are they compatible ?

[SpagLard]

Well , besides the Bible and the housing listings websites,2
i've been reading quite a lot on Buddhism lately
and listening to audio books from a philosopher named Alan Watts.

I was wondering, if people here think that Buddhism is
at all compatible with the Christian faith,
taken that i think Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion
for someone who is not culturally brought up in a Buddhist country. (the average westerner)

what do you think ?
Buddhism / Christianity ; are they compatible ?

 

[handy]

Not when one gets down to the real basic issues. Frankly, if I didn't believe 100% in Jesus...

If all we had to go on is differeing philosophies... I'd probably be a Buddhist as the philosophy carries much of the morality of Christianity without the muddy waters of that the Church created.

But...

One is either on board with what Jesus says or not. And, going by what Jesus says, His way is the only way to the Father.

The way of Buddhism might bring earthly morality and peace... but not eternal life.

 

[Down Yokel]

Acts 4v 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved

If words mean anything then christanity is compatble with nothing

 

[SpagLard]

If words mean anything then christanity is compatble with nothing

with nothing ? that's not a lot :biglol
i suppose words can't mean much then..
If Christianity and philosophy can coincide,
and Christianity and Altruism can coincide...
i don't see much of a problem with finding a paralel between Christianity and Buddhism.

One is either on board with what Jesus says or not. And, going by what Jesus says, His way is the only way to the Father.

The way of Buddhism might bring earthly morality and peace... but not eternal life.

That depends, ..for instance,.. might an eternal life envolve reincarnation(s) ?
The hope for Jesus's return in the flesh (re-in-carne) makes me comfortable to see these correlations.

 

[jasoncran]

buddhism a philosophy and thus if one is do that properly then one cant be a christian. reincarnation isnt compatible with what jesus says as that implies he lied about the ressurection.

 

[Down Yokel]

with nothing ? that's not a lot :biglol
i suppose words can't mean much then..
If Christianity and philosophy can coincide,
and Christianity and Altruism can coincide...
i don't see much of a problem with finding a paralel between Christianity and Buddhism.



That depends, ..for instance,.. might an eternal life envolve reincarnation(s) ?
The hope for Jesus's return in the flesh (re-in-carne) makes me comfortable to see these correlations.

If you read the account in acts of paul in mars hill, he is thje one who said beware less anyone dispoil you through philosiphy. Altruism is just a way of life. but insofar as Christianity being compatable with other religions there is nothing compatable with Christianity. Buddhism ius a a false religion. It is possible to be nice, kind, honest ,sincere, have good morald and be lost.

The gospel describes the only way to get to heaven, if any way of life has as its focus another way then it is not compatable.

 

[reba]

Unto salvation? no


Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

[SpagLard]

Buddhism ius a a false religion

To me it is no religion at all, there is no "belief" involved,
except when one lives in a culturally Buddhist setting,
and takes ancestor worship and such into consideration.
Buddhism calls for critical thinking and contemplation, to me ; it's philosophy.

Just like Western philosophy can coincide with Christian thought,
so can Eastern philosophy. that's my point.
Buddha is not a god nor does he (or his followers) ever ask to be worshipped.
The tenets of Buddhism really don't contradict Christianity as far as i know .

 

[Mike]

Buddhism is an evil path, IMO. Not only does it conflict with the basic tenets of the one True faith, but I don't believe there's any earthly morality in it either.

The lie of reincarnation has developed a caste system that runs counter to our Call to help the needy. Buddhists generally are not to meet the needs of the down and out, because if they do, they will interrupt their payment for having led a bad previous life. Buddhists are to suffer in a lower caste in order to pay for their previous lives in order to earn a higher caste in the next.

Who built the hospitals in India? Christians did. Who built the schools and social centers in India? Christians did. The lie of reincarnation has established a system that traps its believers in a cycle of unbiblical prison after prison where the poor get no relief.

 

[SpagLard]

Buddhism is an evil path, IMO.

you are entitled to your opinion,.
but what makes it "evil" ?

Not only does it conflict with the basic tenets of the one True faith, but I don't believe there's any earthly morality in it either.

really now ? no earthly morality ?
did you ever read the moral precepts of zen buddhism for instance ?

1. I will be mindful and reverential with all life,
I will not be violent nor will I kill.

2. I will respect the property of others, I will not steal.

3. I will be conscious and loving in my relationships,
I will not give way to lust.

4. I will honor honesty and truth, I will not deceive.​

5. I will exercise proper care of my body and mind,
I will not be gluttonous nor abuse intoxicants.​

I don't see any disagreement with what Christ our Lord taught in these precepts.

 

[Mike]

I'll give you that much, but you skipped over the greater problem with this path that trumps anything you've cited. It contradicts the very heart of the Gospel and in the process promotes a system that purposely ignores the needs of the lowly. There is nothing moral about that and nothing biblical.

Christ came to testify to the Truth, and Buddhism rejects His Sacrifice and Atonement of our sins. In the end, what could be more evil and incompatible with our faith than that?

 

[jasoncran]

spag. move to thailand and then tell me that buddhism isnt evil. in that country they have caste systems. by that logic then i can be a christian jew? after the torah and the tanach is the exact same. yet look at what the jews say and do.

 

[SpagLard]

It contradicts the very heart of the Gospel and in the process promotes a system that purposely ignores the needs of the lowly. There is nothing moral about that and nothing biblical.

I've been to Thailand and Laos,.
what you say is in general : not true.
Buddhists are generally very concerned with the poor and the monks
feed everyone who can not provide themselves with food at the temples.

Christ came to testify to the Truth, and Buddhism rejects His Sacrifice and Atonement of our sins.

Buddhism does not REJECT Christ.
Christianity is not mentioned in Budhism,
just like Buddhism is not mentioned in Christian scripture.

in that country they have caste systems

Which has nothing to do with what buddha taught !
the caste system is a remnant from Brahmanism.

Brahmanism, the predominant religion in India during the Buddha's time, divided all humans into four castes (attu vanna), priests, warriors, traders and labourers. Social contact between each caste was minimal and the lower one's position in the system the less opportunities, the less freedom and the less rights one had. Outside the caste system were the outcasts (sudra) people considered so impure that they hardly counted as humans. The caste system was later absorbed into Hinduism, given religious sanction and legitimacy and has continued to function right up till the present. The Buddha, himself born into the warrior caste, was a severe critic of the caste system. He ridiculed the priests claims to be superior, he criticised the theological basis of the system and he welcomed into the Sangha people of all castes, including outcasts.

 

[Tri Unity]

I loved the book by Hermann Hesse called Siddhartha. I was really disappointed to find that most Christians were not as "spiritual" as Buddhists. Buddhism has a lot to teach us about how devoted we could be if we weren't such narcissists.

 

[SpagLard]

Buddhism has a lot to teach us about how devoted we could be if we weren't such narcissists.

yes i can wholeheartedly agree with that.
Western society places so much emphasis on the importance of the individual..

The human Ego is concerned with earthly things, not with spiritual endeavors..
What buddhism teaches is that the ego should take a back seat to the spirit always.. because it is illusory and leads one astray from the path.

Ego is astray, entangled , partial, in love with the world of material existence,
Spirit (the Soul) is one with God.

To me, that is very much the same as

James 4:4

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

 

[Gordon]

I hope you haven't started a meditative practice. I personally think it's Satanic from my experiences. If you mess around with trance states you invite spiritual oppression. You can also awaken your kundalini which causes all kinds of issues and I believe is demonic. Maybe Buddha was a nice guy but once you start meditating you become less attached to everything. You just don't care about stuff as much and that includes people and relationships. Nothing much moves me anymore after all the meditation I did. If Buddhists have compassion it's an intellectual decision as they don't identify with people and their suffering. A buddhist isn't going to cry over a dead person like Jesus. You see yourself as above people caught up in their emotional dramas. There's this grumpy guy at work caught up in his own ego and I pray for him but I also see him as foolish and overly attached. I can't help it. Meditation has moved me away from the emotional compassion of Jesus. A buddhist might act moral as a set of principals but they don't really care because they don't identify with the emotion. Finally if you meditate enough you start to "bliss out". It turns kind hedonistic I just meditated into bliss like 10 hours a day. Not very Christian as I doubt Jesus came here to escape suffering. It just goes against the whole spirit of Christianity.

 

[SpagLard]

I hope you haven't started a meditative practice.

I have meditated eversince i was quite young (11 years old_)
It has helped me much as i have ADHD and tend to get hyped up
(physically overtense) if i don't. i don't use medication for ADHD, i only meditate.

I personally think it's Satanic from my experiences. If you mess around with trance states you invite spiritual oppression.

I have not a clue what you mean by "satanic " ?
How is a breathing technique and the stilling of one's mind ; Satanic ?

As far as i've experienced, there is no "trance" to a meditative state,
there is merely : BEING . BREATH .

You can also awaken your kundalini which causes all kinds of issues and I believe is demonic.

believe whatever you like.
"demonic" does not mean anything to me.

Maybe Buddha was a nice guy but once you start meditating you become less attached to everything. You just don't care about stuff as much and that includes people and relationships. Nothing much moves me anymore after all the meditation I did. If Buddhists have compassion it's an intellectual decision as they don't identify with people and their suffering. A buddhist isn't going to cry over a dead person like Jesus. You see yourself as above people caught up in their emotional dramas.

WOW , if THAT were my personal experience, maybe i'd think the same as you do,
but i think you're simply wrong about what meditation does or can do for someone.
Compassion to a buddhist is not an empty intellectual ideal at all,
it is something to be practiced within everyday life, continuously.
The goal of meditation is not to grow numb and become insensitive towards
the suffering of people , in fact it is usually vary much the opposite,..

There's this grumpy guy at work caught up in his own ego and I pray for him but I also see him as foolish and overly attached. I can't help it. Meditation has moved me away from the emotional compassion of Jesus. A buddhist might act moral as a set of principals but they don't really care because they don't identify with the emotion.

Oh mi,.. i simply can't figure how you came to that conclusion.
They don't Identify with the emotion , because that is an EGO driven impulse.
but that does not mean they lack compassion in thought and deed,
THEY CARE for the people who have the emotions.

Finally if you meditate enough you start to "bliss out". It turns kind hedonistic I just meditated into bliss like 10 hours a day. Not very Christian as I doubt Jesus came here to escape suffering. It just goes against the whole spirit of Christianity.

Noted that that is how it seems to you,
I can't help but disagree strongly.

 

[Gordon]

Well you asked if it's compatible with Christianity so I'll stick to that.

Buddha did not deny the exsistence of "gods". As a christian what are the gods pagans talked about? If demons means nothing to you and gods means nothing I'm not sure if you are right about either.

Buddha taught that we are not seperate that all is one. This implies we are like God in that our true nature is a drop in an ocean. Not are you just a drop but you are merged with the ocean. I'd say to a Christian this is blasphemy. You are not trying to become God or any person you are trying to follow Jesus.

The theme is get rid of yourself so you can become an impersonal force. That just doesn't sound christian to me.

Everything is realitive in Buddhism as far as morals. You do not have commands but guidelines. After all there is no God and what is less Christian than that.

Meditation freed me from a bad case of social phobia. It's tempting to think Jesus just forget to mention meditation as experiencing beingness not Biblical meditation. It's just not what Jesus taught.

 

[Mike]

Buddhism does not REJECT Christ.
Christianity is not mentioned in Budhism,
just like Buddhism is not mentioned in Christian scripture.

Wow, SpagLard. That's what you're going to base your affinity for Buddhism on? I can't help a confessed Christian to see the red flags in Eastern mysticism if it's something that they do not see a conflict with. If achieving nirvana and becoming one with the universe is something that finds a nice resting place with the Gospel, then what we're told in scripture is of little value.

Reincarnation? Karma? These are lies that that are in direct conflict with the hope that comes only in Christ. You are wrong about the driving force of these lies in a system that perpetuates inhumane poverty and suffering. Working off bad karma runs counter to the sacrifice on the cross.

2 Timothy 1:10 "but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

I know I'm not going to convince you of the threat that Eastern religions pose to your walk. It might help to find a solid biblical pastor to shepherd you through this, but ultimately it will come through prayer and scripture.

 

[taikina]

The theme is get rid of yourself so you can become an impersonal force. That just doesn't sound christian to me.

i think this is a big chafe between the two. there are so many parallels in worldviews but christianity has the passion and buddhism is more stoic. christianity is also a very rigid system, it doesn't allow much anything to coexist if some principal cornerstones are in so much as remote danger of being sneezed at.

[i was gonna write something here about being spiritual casually and picking good parts from both but i think i'll just drop it since it would've been too false religion promoty]

If achieving nirvana and becoming one with the universe is something that finds a nice resting place with the Gospel, then what we're told in scripture is of little value.

Reincarnation? Karma? These are lies that that are in direct conflict with the hope that comes only in Christ.

as an agnostic i find talk of karma, reincarnation and nirvana pretty weird too.(for a thing that claims to be down to earth and earthly :/)