I like learning about other faiths! How about you?

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True, but God can use you as an instrument of His graces to convince people why and how Catholicism is the right religion for them. To do that, you may have to explain why specific beliefs of their religions are wrong.
 
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Catholicism and Buddhism may have some similarities, but there are also important differences. It seems contradictory to say that one can self-identify as both. For example, a Buddhist may believe in Reincarnation, but a Catholic is obliged to believe in the existence of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory (not all Catholics use the term, “Purgatory,” but all accept it as a dogma of the faith). So there are some concepts of the 2 religions that are incompatible.
 
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Belina said:
It seems contradictory to say that one can self-identify as both.
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Actually, less contradictory than you might think, especially when you get into the deeper levels of both religions, like Ignatian spirituality and Zen. Like I said, there are Catholic priests who are Zen roshis. Any apparent contradictions can be resolved with study, practice and deep insight.

And for both Jesuits and practitioners of Zen, religion would be lifeless if there were no contradictions. That’s where all the fun is.
 
Do pure Zen buddhists object these roshis practicing Catholic faith?
 
Not at all. Buddhists generally have a very tolerant approach to other religions. I have never heard of anyone saying anything disparaging about Catholicism to either of my boys. They have had a few misguided lay Catholics make remarks, but no priest or teacher has ever said anything disparaging about Buddhism to them, either, and they each went to sixteen years of Catholic schools.
 
I’m glad you pointed this out. Because there is a huge huge huge huge misunderstanding of what the I Ching is and is not.
The Catholic.com website looks like it has done its homework and has worded it very carefully.
Quote from your link
“And divination, such as using the I Ching as an oracle, is always forbidden.”
Which I absolutely agrees with without reservation.
What people don’t realise is that the I Ching is not originally intended as a divination oracle. It is actually the basis of the whole Chinese culture which influences chinese food, dress, customs, medicine, philosophy, etc etc which has nothing whatsoever to do with religion or divination.
St Thomas Aquinas used Greek philosophy to illuminate Catholicism so one day I hope the I Ching philosophy will be utilised in this way too.
 
That’s the official website of Catholic Answers, which is the same organization that is in charge of these forums. They have lots of great Catholic content, including books, magazine articles, digital media, blogs, Q & As, pamphlets, DVDs, MP3s, radio programming, and I think even TV. They also answer phone calls and e-mails from people with questions about Catholicism. They helped me learn a lot about Catholicism and convert. I highly recommend them. 🙂

Btw, since you brought up Chinese culture, I might as well mention that I am of Han Chinese descent. 🙂
 
Oh great!!!
I highly recommend you to study I Ching (if you can read Chinese) it is really good!!
A lot of Chinese themselves are not aware how important it is.
 
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The I Ching has been praised by Chinese philosophers over the centuries as the first amongst all the different philosophical texts (qun jing zhi shou) of which Tao te Ching is only one of them. This is how highly valued the I Ching is. In fact some are now saying (and I agree) that the I Ching is the root/source of all chinese philosophical texts (qun jing zhi shi). All other phisophical disciplines including Taoism (which heavily influenced zen) and Confucianism stems from the I Ching as the source.

Even the humble chopsticks reflect the yin yang principle of I Ching. Same with our bodies. Or even people on a train. All can be illustrated with the principle of yin yang.
 
In fact one of the chinese philosophers (Xun zi???) famously said “shan yi bu zhan” or “if you truly know I Ching then you won’t need to divinate”.
The I Ching is basically a description of how nature works and that we as humans should behave according to natural law.
From a Catholic point of view this is of course correct as God is the creator of nature and us. All I Ching is doing for us is decoding this natural law in a succinct and beautiful way.
In fact if people follow the I Ching on this forum then we won’t see all these arguments and the negativity too often seen here.
 
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I can only read a few Chinese characters. I was born and raised in Canada, so English is my primary language. I learned to speak Cantonese before English, but since I speak English to anyone who’s not one of my parents or older relatives, my English is way better than my spoken Cantonese.

A general observation I can make is that many Chinese people outside of China and even within China don’t really care for Chinese traditions. This is especially prevalent among non-elderly generations and people who aren’t from a low socio-economic background. A lot of people have become very "westernized, " for lack of a better word.
 
Oh yes of course that’s just natural and expected.
If that’s the case I don’t recommend you to read I Ching. It’s too hard to understand without a good grasp of the chinese language unfortunately.
 
Not really I am still learning about Catholic. I don’t really want non-catholic friends at the moment, but I am not really a social person to begin with.
 
For as fascinated I am by Catholicism, other faiths simply bore me. As I like to say, “Ecumenicism: it’s not that I’m apathetic, I just don’t care”.
 
I like learning about other faiths, in part because people interest me, but also because it makes me reevaluate my own spiritual practices.

An example: I found some of the Indian yoga practices physically enhancing contemplative praying. I learnt to improve my attitudes about liturgy and ritual space from Feng Shui. Considering an Ignatian retreat (too expensive and single parent 😔) bc that adds Catholic traditions to my own and the Zen type meditations.
It’s like learning painting techniques or architecture. It’s up to you what image you paint, what building you design with the knowledge.

People are people whatever their faiths. Our bodies and souls mostly work the same way. So much of the practices (not the teachings of the sacred) remain the same, like fasting, prayer/meditation and so on.
 
A very basic concept is that energy flows through places, like water or wind. They call it chi, I would say (holy) spirit. Depending on the position and size of opening (windows & doors) the energy flows fast or slow, changes directions. Which means in some places it slows down into a putrid pond, where a few changes would make that slowing a restful but fresh spot.
Looking at spaces with this perspective actually works.
The same way dirt, messes and clutter will affect the flow negatively.
Colours and symbols differ greatly, but the idea that we are affected by colour and that our surroundings carry meaning, affect us physically and spiritually.

Liturgically it has made me look at the altar differently, processions, the use of windows in the cathedral, thinking on how to mitiage the effect of a gruesome-but-antique pulpit, why I dislike our Maria sculpture (though it’s sound theologically). I have read up on the liturgical year and combined these concepts into how I change things in my own home, permanently and week from week to create ’ritual space’ even if it in practice just ends up as a peaceful breakfast table for morning tea, to watch the garden and contemplate God’s grace.

But I’m into art and architecture so it felt natural.
 
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