Witnessing to Buddhists

[OzSpen]

Do any of you have experience in communicating Christ with Buddhists?

I have a friend working with a parachurch organisation in a predominantly Buddhist country. She wrote to me a couple of days ago and said that the people in that country don't care about the way they live and don't wish to change. Their religion proclaims that one should be non-judgmental of others, anything goes, peace to all , help yourself and good luck to others if they are poor. This is some of the essence of this religion that she is picking up while living in that society. And the people are content in living that way.

If you have lived in that kind of country or have experience in sharing Christ with Buddhists, what kinds of tips can you give for communicating the living Christ to those who practise the Buddhist religion?

I look forward to your response.

Oz

 

[ironmonk]

Why dance around the issue, just tell them that they will go to hell if they don't believe in jesus.

 

[OzSpen]

Why dance around the issue, just tell them that they will go to hell if they don't believe in jesus.

It is not a matter of dancing around the issue. I try to be a communicator and engage people in conversation and not be bombastic in blasting them with opinionated dogmatism.

If I have a dogmatic approach as you are suggesting, I would not be surprised if they came back with: 'There's no hell according to my religious book, the Tipitaka. I have no reason to believe your Christian religious book'. I want to engage in 2-way conversation and not 1-way monologue.

By the way, do you believe that hell will be experienced after death by all unbelievers?

 

[ironmonk]

Well whatever we think hell is, we must tell them they are going there if they don't believe in our jesus. Also if unbelievers can be saved without knowing jesus, then we must make sure we do everything to tell them about jesus.

 

[OzSpen]

Well whatever we think hell is, we must tell them they are going there if they don't believe in our jesus. Also if unbelievers can be saved without knowing jesus, then we must make sure we do everything to tell them about jesus.

By what you have written, you have not indicated any ways of enhancing communication with Buddhists.

Are you convinced by what the Bible says about hell?

 

[ironmonk]

Are we not to trust the bible? if the bible says there is a place called hell and the unsaved must go there I accept it, even if we don't know everything about this place.

 

[OzSpen]

Are we not to trust the bible? if the bible says there is a place called hell and the unsaved must go there I accept it, even if we don't know everything about this place.

I am convinced the Bible is a trustworthy document, but your avatar states that you are not a Christian. Does that mean that you accept the Bible as a trustworthy and reliable document?

The Bible teaches:
Jesus’ language is of those who are “thrown into eternal fire” (Matt 18:8). Paul’s was of being “punished with everlasting destruction” (2 Thess. 1:9). Jude warned of “the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7) and of those “for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 13). Of the sinful, condemned humanity, John’s vision was that “the smoke from her goes up forever and ever” (Rev. 19:3).

As far back as 1744, Matthew Horbery wrote, “It is hard to say how any doctrine can be taught so plainly than the eternity of future punishment…. how could he have done it in plainer words or in a more emphatical manner” (Horbery 1744:61-62).

 

[ironmonk]

I trust it as much as my faith allows.

 

[for_his_glory]

If we trust in the Lord then we trust also in His word and it is by the Holy Spirit that we speak truth to others as the Holy Spirit gives us utterance of what to speak and the compassion of Christ to speak with. No one can truly tell your friend what to say as he/she needs to pray first and allow the Holy Spirit to speak through him/her as it will be in Gods timing to do so. It also will help to learn why they believe how they do as in the origins of their religion and then go from there.

 

[OzSpen]

If we trust in the Lord then we trust also in His word and it is by the Holy Spirit that we speak truth to others as the Holy Spirit gives us utterance of what to speak and the compassion of Christ to speak with. No one can truly tell your friend what to say as he/she needs to pray first and allow the Holy Spirit to speak through him/her as it will be in Gods timing to do so. It also will help to learn why they believe how they do as in the origins of their religion and then go from there.

Is this meant to convey that you don't have much experience in communicating the Christian faith with Buddhists?

 

[agua.]

Do any of you have experience in communicating Christ with Buddhists?

I have a friend working with a parachurch organisation in a predominantly Buddhist country. She wrote to me a couple of days ago and said that the people in that country don't care about the way they live and don't wish to change. Their religion proclaims that one should be non-judgmental of others, anything goes, peace to all , help yourself and good luck to others if they are poor. This is some of the essence of this religion that she is picking up while living in that society. And the people are content in living that way.

If you have lived in that kind of country or have experience in sharing Christ with Buddhists, what kinds of tips can you give for communicating the living Christ to those who practise the Buddhist religion?

I look forward to your response.

Oz

I work with a Hare Krishna named Vishnu :D but haven't had much contact with a real Buddhist. I say real because there's a growing number of people who claim to be Buddhist here but they are only vegetarians who believe in karma and have lil fat Buddha statues around. I've never really understood who the fat Buddha is I thought Buddha was Siddhartha Gautama.

I think Hare Krishna and Buddhism have some similarities and I've found Vishnu to be a nice young bloke. I speak to him about the difference of Christianity in that Yahweh is the one True God and there will be a one time renewal/resurrection into eternal life for people who follow Him and punishment and destruction for those who don't. We've had a few great chats I pray for him regularly.

 

[OzSpen]

I work with a Hare Krishna named Vishnu :biggrin but haven't had much contact with a real Buddhist. I say real because there's a growing number of people who claim to be Buddhist here but they are only vegetarians who believe in karma and have lil fat Buddha statues around. I've never really understood who the fat Buddha is I thought Buddha was Siddhartha Gautama.

I think Hare Krishna and Buddhism have some similarities and I've found Vishnu to be a nice young bloke. I speak to him about the difference of Christianity in that Yahweh is the one True God and there will be a one time renewal/resurrection into eternal life for people who follow Him and punishment and destruction for those who don't. We've had a few great chats I pray for him regularly.

Agua,

Thanks so much for your response. Hare Krishna is a more recent phenomenon, originating in 1966, but it does have roots in the Hindu scripture, the Vedas. So it has much affinity with the Hindus. But when we compare Hinduism with Buddhism there is an overlap of thinking in some areas. See HERE.

I'm old enough to remember the hippie movement and the Hare Krishnas on the streets of Brisbane back in the 1960s and 1970s. I was a radio DJ at the time, playing contemporary rock music. I interacted with some Hare Krishna but found the philosophy to be poles apart from Christ. I found some helpful common ground around discussions of 'Enlightenment' and what that means.

Oz

 

[agua.]

Agua,

Thanks so much for your response. Hare Krishna is a more recent phenomenon, originating in 1966, but it does have roots in the Hindu scripture, the Vedas. So it has much affinity with the Hindus. But when we compare Hinduism with Buddhism there is an overlap of thinking in some areas. See HERE.

I'm old enough to remember the hippie movement and the Hare Krishnas on the streets of Brisbane back in the 1960s and 1970s. I was a radio DJ at the time, playing contemporary rock music. I interacted with some Hare Krishna but found the philosophy to be poles apart from Christ. I found some helpful common ground around discussions of 'Enlightenment' and what that means.

Oz

Cool which radio station were you jocking ? Yeah there's no reconciling Christianity with any other religion and yet Hare Krishna allows for many gods so Vishnu ( my work mate ) allows my Christianity :D He's good like that.

 

[OzSpen]

Cool which radio station were you jocking ? Yeah there's no reconciling Christianity with any other religion and yet Hare Krishna allows for many gods so Vishnu ( my work mate ) allows my Christianity :biggrin He's good like that.

I started out at 4MB, Maryborough and later became its programme manager. Then I moved to breakfast announcer at 4BU Bundaberg (my hometown - I'm the son of a sugar cane farmer). I did a small shift for 4BK, Brisbane, when I was at theological college. When I studied in British Columbia, Canada, I worked for CJVB, Vancouver, and then for a college station, KCNC in Kirkland, WA (Seattle). I also was a TV news reader and journo for GMV6 (now WIN) in Shepparton, Vic. In fact, when I was programme manager at 4MB, I offered Bruce Paige his first job in the mass media. He moved on to become chief newsreader for Channel 9 here in Brisbane. He recently retired.

 

[OzSpen]

Cool which radio station were you jocking ? Yeah there's no reconciling Christianity with any other religion and yet Hare Krishna allows for many gods so Vishnu ( my work mate ) allows my Christianity :biggrin He's good like that.

But wouldn't you say that Hare Krishna is very much into syncretism. It does matter which religion you follow. It will not judge any other religion harshly. That has been my experience on the streets with Hare Krishna.

 

[agua.]

I started out at 4MB, Maryborough and later became its programme manager. Then I moved to breakfast announcer at 4BU Bundaberg (my hometown - I'm the son of a sugar cane farmer). I did a small shift for 4BK, Brisbane, when I was at theological college. When I studied in British Columbia, Canada, I worked for CJVB, Vancouver, and then for a college station, KCNC in Kirkland, WA (Seattle). I also was a TV news reader and journo for GMV6 (now WIN) in Shepparton, Vic. In fact, when I was programme manager at 4MB, I offered Bruce Paige his first job in the mass media. He moved on to become chief newsreader for Channel 9 here in Brisbane. He recently retired.

Bruce is still live on Nine Gold Coast he works in 50 Cav ave doing the night news. He's still very good. Interesting carreer you've had well done !

But wouldn't you say that Hare Krishna is very much into syncretism. It does matter which religion you follow. It will not judge any other religion harshly. That has been my experience on the streets with Hare Krishna.

Yeah that sounds about right I'll ask Vishy. This syncretism also sounds very masonic like eh.

 

[OzSpen]

Bruce is still live on Nine Gold Coast he works in 50 Cav ave doing the night news. He's still very good. Interesting carreer you've had well done !

Yeah that sounds about right I'll ask Vishy. This syncretism also sounds very masonic like eh.

So Bruce has retired to the Gold Coast and still can't get off the TV news. When Bruce came to his first radio job at 4MB, he had come straight out of lots of training with elocution. I had to work many hours in the practice studio in helping him get the plumb out of his mouth (I hope you understand what I mean). He was playing Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Cliff Richard, Col Joye, etc and sounded like he was an announcer for one of the musicals at the Opera House. But he had the great advantage that he was fluent behind the microphone and not a stumbling, bumbling novice DJ - I had a few of those.

We must now get back on topic.

 

[agua.]

Yeah he's still very good and does a live feed for 107.3 juice radio here in the 5pm slot I think. Juice is a mostly christian station. I like him he's very gracious and humble from what I can tell he must have been a pleasure to teach eh.

 

[OzSpen]

Yeah he's still very good and does a live feed for 107.3 juice radio here in the 5pm slot I think. Juice is a mostly christian station. I like him he's very gracious and humble from what I can tell he must have been a pleasure to teach eh.

He was a delightful and cooperative man to work with. Both of us were quite young at the time - in our 20s. He wanted to be on the improve in his on-air presentation. And his long-term media work has demonstrated his competence.

 

[for_his_glory]

Is this meant to convey that you don't have much experience in communicating the Christian faith with Buddhists?

I have never witnessed Christ to a Buddhist before, but have done so with other religions. In all whom we witness Christ to, no matter what religion or belief, it is not we that speak, but that of the Holy Spirit that speaks through us. None of us can save anyone, but only Christ through us brings in the harvest.