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Similarities can also occur without "copying". Why is it important to you to point that out?
It's probably just part of the fad of discrediting Christianity that is so prevalent on this forum. Might as well be titled the "Religion, Philosophy, and Atheism" forum.
Similarities can also occur without "copying". Why is it important to you to point that out?
Why is it important to avoid? Someone copied someone, so what. Is that bad? It's still happening unless you think the Mormons didn't copy the idea of Jesus from anyone else, just happened on the similarity without prior knowledge. Why does it matter? Do you think Lutherans didn't copy anything from the Catholics? Added their own version, like a kid writing a school paper after reading someone else's on the same topic. It happens.
buddism and christianity in their primative roots have much in common and may even have common origin. however christianity in its current american form has mutated as has buddism.
hedonism has crept into both, a far cry from their monastic and ascetic origins.
I'm not sure Buddhism really even teaches the concept of forgiveness of sins...does it? I think it's kind of a self-help, self-improvement type thing.
Perhaps, as a Buddhist, I can clarify your understanding of our philosophy.
The concept of "sin" is not a part of Buddhism. We have an ethical code of good and bad, right and wrong ... but a thing called "sin" is foreign to us.
We do not believe in "forgiveness" ... noone or nothing outside of yourself can "forgive" you. You can forgive yourself, I suppose.
Yes, Buddhism does look favorably upon "self help" ... if you are able to help yourself, that is. If not, help can come from somewhere else. If you understand The Four Noble Truths, the way to overcome "Dukkha" (imperfection, unsatisfactoriness, "suffering") is through the application of The Noble Eightfold Path.
“All major religious traditions, although they differ in theological interpretations, carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness.â€
I agree with him ... but the message has gotten distorted by "tradition" to the point where it's nearly unrecognizable.
It's not just tradition, but deliberate distortions by manipulative and power hungry "leaders".
I don't believe that is true, actually. Islam teaches submission to allah...either willingly, or they will make you submit through Shariah Law. There is no love or tolerance there. I'm not sure Buddhism really even teaches the concept of forgiveness of sins...does it? I think it's kind of a self-help, self-improvement type thing.
For that matter, only Christianity teaches that you do not have to better yourself in order to make yourself worthy to the deity. Only Christianity teaches that God took the punishment to save wretched sinners in spite of the fact that they hate him.
That is because there is no such thing as sin. I have heard Sin described most accurately as "An imaginary disease for which there is an imaginary cure"
Islam's submission to Allah is on a very personal level, although many externalize that as well.
Christianity is flawed, from the concept and definitions of God to the concept of divine redemption. No one needs to clutter their minds with such garbage.
Many Christian monks maintain a very similar lifestyle to Buddhist Monks. Perhaps that is to what the Dalai Lama was referring?
I have explored both faiths, and Buddhism is hands down above and beyond anything Christianity has to offer. The goal of life, Self actualization, is attainable in Buddhism, and while it is demonstrated in the Christ Concept as well, outside of a few new age religions, the concept is absent and described as unattainable. Many Buddhists and Christians alike focus on humanitarianism and charitable works though, and this is one of the few good by-products of religions.
I think similarities can also point to a universal truth.
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