Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have to say that i came pretty late to Buddhism, but I am obliged to say that I got more wise advice out of it than ever i got from the Christianity that was dinned at me constantly: mindfulness, questioning, reverence for life, one-ness with nature, self -responsibility, wisdom through effort, not through childlike gullibility. Atheist though I am, i still keep a shrine in my house and meditate.
Anything good out of the gospels is what can be found in humanist ethics anyway, and the rest is not as good and wise as it is claimed to me. It is foolishly impractical, absurdly restrictive and often downright cultish.
Yes they do indeed.
But how many times can you re-read this book, and certain verses, and then gain anything more out of it?
It is obviously more of the new age Evangelical viewpoint, that reading the bible constantly and every day gives you wisdom.
...
I agree with you. In fact, as I just wrote in another thread, the daily behavior of most people -- including most christians -- is based not on their religion, but on their overall culture.
For over 3 years while living in Colorado I used to play cards/dominoes one evening a week at a local deli. Each week a few tables away from our fairly large group was one table of 4 men (the same men every single week for all 3 years) who did 3 hours of bible study. That's at least 150 three hour sessions of bible study. What is it they can't figure out?
I have to say that i came pretty late to Buddhism, but I am obliged to say that I got more wise advice out of it than ever i got from the Christianity that was dinned at me constantly: mindfulness, questioning, reverence for life, one-ness with nature, self -responsibility, wisdom through effort, not through childlike gullibility. Atheist though I am, i still keep a shrine in my house and meditate.
Anything good out of the gospels is what can be found in humanist ethics anyway, and the rest is not as good and wise as it is claimed to me. It is foolishly impractical, absurdly restrictive and often downright cultish.
Buddhism for me. No contest.
But I'm guessing that you treat Buddhism as a philosophical way of living, rather than a religion (as it should be).
I have to say that i came pretty late to Buddhism, but I am obliged to say that I got more wise advice out of it than ever i got from the Christianity that was dinned at me constantly: mindfulness, questioning, reverence for life, one-ness with nature, self -responsibility, wisdom through effort, not through childlike gullibility. Atheist though I am, i still keep a shrine in my house and meditate.
Anything good out of the gospels is what can be found in humanist ethics anyway, and the rest is not as good and wise as it is claimed to me. It is foolishly impractical, absurdly restrictive and often downright cultish.
Buddhism for me. No contest.
Yes. Same for me, but always that "fly in the ointment" with respect to Buddhist belief related to the hereafter...
I suppose to be expected given the fact we're all humans. Even the most enlightened Buddhist monks. We simply can't accept a "cycle of life" that doesn't involve some version of some hereafter. How close, however, that Buddhism as a religion deals with our human condition in the most unique and advanced manner of all religions by far. With a focus on "mindfulness, questioning, reverence for life, one-ness with nature, self -responsibility, wisdom through effort" all without most of the other nonsense.
But still not entirely without some nonsense a little contrary to most Buddhist manner of reason and logic. So close though!
I think your parenthetical expression is misleading: did you mean, "which is as it should be?"
I got the idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi
But I'm guessing that you treat Buddhism as a philosophical way of living, rather than a religion (as it should be).
I treat it more in the De Botton way - taking from it what's useful, the 'Good things in the Bible' way finding some useful thoughts, and in the 'Julian' way, with a fondness for the cultural aspects. Which is really what that shrine is.
But how many times can you re-read this book, and certain verses, and then gain anything more out of it?
It depends on how you read, and most people don't know how to read, because those reading skills haven't' been taught in schools since the 1980s thanks to Liberals.
Would you read a newspaper the same way you read a Tom Clancy novel? Really? Why?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Derek41
It is obviously more of the new age Evangelical viewpoint, that reading the bible constantly and every day gives you wisdom.
Not if you don't know how to read.
Genesis 2:10 Now a river flowed in Eden to water the orchard, and there it divided into four headstreams. 2:11 The name of the first was Pishon; it ran through the entire land of Havilah, where there was gold. 2:12 (The gold of that land was pure; pearls and lapis lazuli were also there). 2:13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it runs through the entire land of Khush. 2:14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it runs to the east in Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
What did you learn from that?
If you know how to read, and you read it correctly, then you should know where the writer lives, who his audience is and when he lived, meaning in what millennia or century did he live?
Exodus 3:3 So all the people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron. After he had worked on the gold with a tool, he made it into a statue of a calf. Then they said, "Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt." When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival in Yahweh’s honor." Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy. (21) Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to you that you encouraged them to commit such a serious sin?" "Don’t be angry, sir," Aaron answered. "You know that these people are evil. They said to me, 'We don’t know what’s happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt. Make gods for us. They will lead us.' So I told them to take off any gold they were wearing. They gave it to me. I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!" Aaron had let the people get out of control, and they became an object of ridicule to their enemies. When Moses saw this, he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "If you’re on Yahweh’s side, come over here to me!” Then all the Levites gathered around him. He said to them, "This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Each of you put on your sword. Go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other, and kill your relatives, friends, and neighbors." The Levites did what Moses told them, and that day about 3,000 people died. Moses said, "Today you are ordained as Yahweh’s priests. God gave you a blessing today because each of you fought with your own sons and brothers." (35) So Yahweh killed people because they had Aaron make the calf.
Why was that story written?
Several reasons. If you know how to read, you should be able to figure it out.
That's the problem with christians. They read, but they don't understand.
Yes they do indeed.
But how many times can you re-read this book, and certain verses, and then gain anything more out of it?
It is obviously more of the new age Evangelical viewpoint, that reading the bible constantly and every day gives you wisdom.
Not overly familiar with Buddhism, only been to a couple of temples in Thailand, and even one in Hawaii, but did not feel uncomfortable there at all and honored the 3 statues they had there.
Because the Bible is God’s word, it contains more wisdom than can be absorbed in one or two readings or even a lifetime. Passages can also speak to you differently, depending on your current circumstances.
It depends on how you read, and most people don't know how to read, because those reading skills haven't' been taught in schools since the 1980s thanks to Liberals.
George W Bush's speech on education. The full quote is, "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?"
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
