Buddhism: A Dangerous Wave From the East?

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CherryBomb said:
It’s sad how much ignorance there is regarding Buddhism. Pretty much everything you’ve stated is false. Spreading lies does nothing to bring people to the Truth of God.

…you’re doing a poor job, because your ignorance means you lack any credibility. My faith is not so weak that I can’t understand another belief system without falling out of the Church.
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All of my lies came from Catholic sources as I noted above, and if you would have read the entire thread, the issues you have stated have already been discussed. God bless you and have a wonderful day.
 
If Paul in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit could stand in the Greek agora of Athens and speak respectfully about Christ, surely Christians with the help of the same Holy Spirit can speak respectfully when trying to explain how Buddha’s way points actually to Christ.
 
Rocky said:
If Paul in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit could stand in the Greek agora of Athens and speak respectfully about Christ, surely Christians with the help of the same Holy Spirit can speak respectfully when trying to explain how Buddha’s way points actually to Christ.
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Certainly.👍 And how is it that Buddha’s way points to Christ?
 
From what I can gather, Buddhists hope for peace by accepting each moment in life as it is.
Who lived a more peaceful life than Christ?
Who was more willing to accept each moment for what it was than Christ?
 
Originally Posted by Rocky
If Paul in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit could stand in the Greek agora of Athens and speak respectfully about Christ, surely Christians with the help of the same Holy Spirit can speak respectfully when trying to explain how Buddha’s way points actually to Christ.
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Certainly. And how is it that Buddha’s way points to Christ
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AMEN 👍
Rocky
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From what I can gather, Buddhists hope for peace by accepting each moment in life as it is.
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Who lived a more peaceful life than Christ?
Who was more willing to accept each moment for what it was than Christ?
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His Holiness the Deli Lama is in my view second only to His Holiness Pope Benedict.

Zen is also practised around the world by both Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. It is a marvelous philosophy or recipe in ‘how to live’.

Like Catholicism, Buddhism is very PRO-LIFE 🙂
 
Rocky:
From what I can gather, Buddhists hope for peace by accepting each moment in life as it is.
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Who lived a more peaceful life than Christ?
Who was more willing to accept each moment for what it was than Christ?
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His Holiness the Deli Lama is in my view second only and equal in eminance to His Holiness Pope Benedict.

Zen is also practised around the world by both Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. It is a marvelous philosophy or recipe in ‘how to live’.

Like Catholicism, Buddhism is very PRO-LIFE 🙂
 
Rocky said:
From what I can gather, Buddhists hope for peace by accepting each moment in life as it is.
Who lived a more peaceful life than Christ?
Who was more willing to accept each moment for what it was than Christ?
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Christ was peaceful and accepting, that is for absolute certain. Did He come to us as Messiah to instill peace and acceptance or was there not much more to Him than that? If we are peaceful, are we assured a place in Heaven? And as Christians, isn’t our goal to live forever and to never have the ‘flame’ extinguished?
 
I would ask anyone who has ever seen his Holiness the Dalli Lama if they have not been moved by his great peaceful demenour which radiates from his persona.

Every Thursday [Priests day] we pray for all known clergy including our Deasons, Priests,Canon’s Monsignors, Bishop, Arch-bishops and Cardinal, then we finish with his Holiness Pope Benedict and his Holiness the Dalli Lama 🙂
 
Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity. He is the fullness of truth and the only one who can save us. This I believe with all my heart.

However, Buddhism is not a “dangerous” religion. It holds much truth. And that truth is of God. It is for us to help others to see the fullness of Truth that is Christ----not to denigrate the partial truth that God has already provided to those who practice Buddhism (or any other religion).
 
not to denigrate the partial truth that God has already provided to those who practice Buddhism (or any other religion).
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AMEN 👍

Zen is practiced the world over by Buddhists, Christians including Catholic Priests and laity and non Christians.

At its heart is PEACE LOVE and PRO-LIFE, Doesn’t sound too far way 👍
 
And other Eastern religions, such as hinduism through the practice of yoga? Do you find this compatible with Catholicism or other Christian denominations as well? Better, worse or equal to the various forms of buddhism?
 
Genesis315 said:
Buddhism and Catholicism are totally incompatible–especially Buddhist prayer and meditation practices. This chapter from John Paul II’s “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” discusses:

catholic.net/RCC/POPE/HopeBook/chap14.html
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So the alleged lies that I posted about Buddhism were based on what our late Holy Father JPII wrote in his book. Interesting.:ehh:

From the book:
The “enlightenment” experienced by Buddha comes down to the conviction that the world is bad, that it is the source of evil and of suffering for man. To liberate oneself from this evil, one must free oneself from this world, necessitating a break with the ties that join us to external reality-ties existing in our human nature, in our psyche, in our bodies. The more we are liberated from these ties, the more we become indifferent to what is in the world, and the more we are freed from suffering, from the evil that has its source in the world.
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Nevertheless, it needs to be said right away that the doctrines of salvation in Buddhism and Christianity are opposed.
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Yes, the doctrines of salvation in Buddhism and Christianity are opposed. Just as the doctrines of salvation in Hinduism, Islam or any other non-Christian religion are opposed to salvation through the Paschal Mystery of Christ.

I agree with Pope John Paul II that meditation on denying external reality will not save anyone.

But there is such a thing as Christian meditation. And to use Buddhist techniques to meditate is not necessarily wrong. As Christians we know that in trying to liberate our selfish desires we are trying to bring ourselves closer to Christ. And that bringing ourselves closer to Christ we are actually finding our true selves.

My point is that the good (truth) that is in Buddhist thought and practice can be used hopefully as an evangelistic starting point when trying to explain/bring Christ to those who are Buddhist.

Also, I do not see anywhere in Pope John Paul II’s writing about Buddha that he called the religion “dangerous.”
 
I once discussed with a Jesuit the ‘expected’ final end state of the human soul after it has been resurrected in the body.

He said that ultimately all spirit shall return to the Spirit and God will take to Himself every spirit He ever created and God will be the totality of God and the totality of all creation.

That end state is identical to the Buddhist conception of the final end state.

I have no idea whether that is mere speculation or fanciful thinking. I merely report what I was told.

Either way, in our neighbouring parish, the Priest uses Zen concepts and thinking in his homilies. Folk come from far and wide to hear his homilies. They are absolutely profound yet so ‘human’. I am very impressed by what I have seen of Zen spirituality: ‘live and and let live’,

Zen fish with a fishing rod weights but no hook on the end!!😛
 
kell0618 said:
So the alleged lies that I posted about Buddhism were based on what our late Holy Father JPII wrote in his book. Interesting.:ehh:

From the book:
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First of all, I don’t recall anyone using the word “lies.” It certainly wasn’t me. You presented a somewhat caricatured view–ideas that had some truth to them but were not treated with nuance or understanding.

In the second place, JPII’s characterization was not as harsh as yours. (And your statements surely were not based on what he wrote, or you wouldn’t be surprised that his views were so relatively close to yours.) He did not make the same sweeping statements you did.

Finally, not only was *Crossing the Threshold of Hope *JPII’s private opinions and in no way a magisterial work, but the Pope’s magisterium (as I understand it) in no way covers characterizations of non-Catholic ideas (as opposed to theological evaluations of them). Both you and the late Pope are relying on traditional Western stereotypes of Buddhism. Both of you ignore the differences between Theravada and Mahayana, for instance–that’s like characterizing all Christians as if they were Eastern Orthodox.

JPII was an authority on St. John of the Cross. He was not an authority on Buddhism.

Edwin
 
CherryBomb said:
It’s sad how much ignorance there is regarding Buddhism. Pretty much everything you’ve stated is false. Spreading lies does nothing to bring people to the Truth of God.
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Contarini said:
First of all, I don’t recall anyone using the word “lies.” It certainly wasn’t me. You presented a somewhat caricatured view–ideas that had some truth to them but were not treated with nuance or understanding. See above quote by CherryBomb

…

Finally, not only was *Crossing the Threshold of Hope *JPII’s private opinions and in no way a magisterial work, but the Pope’s magisterium (as I understand it) in no way covers characterizations of non-Catholic ideas (as opposed to theological evaluations of them). And I never said that I was speaking on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church. I was summarizing, as indicated, a couple of articles written by Catholic sources. Catholics do have opinions of their own. We are not mere mouthpieces for the Church.

JPII was an authority on St. John of the Cross. He was not an authority on Buddhism. I appreciate his authority on Catholicism, and would hope that he was not an authority on Buddhism.

Edwin
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I pray that those who are offended by my commentary would defend Christianity as viciously as they have Buddhism.
 
Kell0618,
What do you mean by “defend Christianity as viciously as they have Buddhism?”

I do not think I have been vicious in my responses to your posts. I have simply been trying to explain what I believe would be a good starting point for evangelization.
 
Rocky said:
Kell0618,
What do you mean by “defend Christianity as viciously as they have Buddhism?”

I do not think I have been vicious in my responses to your posts. I have simply been trying to explain what I believe would be a good starting point for evangelization.
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I agree. You have not been one bit vicious and I appreciate your (name removed by moderator)ut. Thank you.👍
 
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