Is it ok for Catholics to follow Confucianism?

  • Thread starter Thread starter adawgj
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Darryl_B said:
All religions have philosophies attached to them, not just a point of worship. Confucianism though not a religion in itself is usually annexed to a religion. As is yoga.
Click to expand...
“Annexed” would be an improper view of the relationship.

Many people in the west simply don’t understand the east. They see an interrelationship between all things, that is simply a part of the culture, that doesn’t have an equivalent in the west. People in the west cling on the religion aspect, but that is wrong. One could just as easily show a relationship between the balance of flavors in food and the balancing of herbs in Chinese medicine.

The “annexing” is due to error in the foreigner’s POV of the culture.
 
Darryl_B said:
Philosophies can contradict, the Christian philosophy of love, the Buddhist philosophy that love is a hindrance to self enlightenment for instance.
Click to expand...
Really?

The Buddha said, “Love others as you love yourself.” - Bhadramayakaravyakarana sutra 91.

Xuan
 
=Skadi;11769787]Every one on this thread dosnt seam to understand what Confucianism is. Have any of you eve read his works?
Click to expand...
Confucianism is a moral code and philosophy geared mostly towards the benefits of education and just government. Confucianism is found across the Far East, but noone worships Confucius, infact most Confucians are actualy Budhists.
Click to expand...
While Confucius did profes strong religious beliefs in Chinese folk religion his main purpose in terms of that was to stop moral collapse which he saw in his society, one could easily replace the Chinese diety Heaven with Christ and it would sound like much of what christians claim about modern society.
Click to expand...
I see no reason why you could not dedicate yourself to he principals of Confucius and sill be Christian.
Click to expand...
And someone earlier said something about Confucian converts? Again its not a religion, in the Far East again most followers of Confucius are Budhist.
Click to expand...
Ultimately Confucianism isn’t a religion it’s a philosophical position abot order and fighting government corruption. Proper society laid out step by step, like the “Art of War” for beauracracy and social order.
Click to expand...
OK BUT:shrug:

Its not the SINGULAR TRUTH given to us by God through His Catholic Church.👍
:o
 
PJM said:
OK BUT:shrug:

Its not the SINGULAR TRUTH given to us by God through His Catholic Church.👍
:o
Click to expand...
So you only read books commissioned by the church? No philosophy? Plato? Socrates? How about the Illiad? Or the tales of King Arther and his wizard friend?

I don’t see how Confucius not writing the bible means a catholic couldn’t apreciate his work. I don’t know if there’s a single moral position in his books the church would disagree with.
 
Xuan said:
Really?

The Buddha said, “Love others as you love yourself.” - Bhadramayakaravyakarana sutra 91.

Xuan
Click to expand...
Actually he taught love without attachment (whatever that is). Is there such a thing? No. Love requires attachment. It is not Christian love that lead Buddha to leave his wife and newborn child when he was 29, but this is an example he gave of his practical love.

Christian love is attachment, Buddhist love is … I can’t even describe it.
 
Xuan said:
Really?

The Buddha said, “Love others as you love yourself.” - Bhadramayakaravyakarana sutra 91.

Xuan
Click to expand...
I would also like to add that I know of many 20 something males who have left their wife and new born child in search of personal enlightenment because of fear of attachment.:mad:
 
Are people REALY attacking the Buddha?

I find that strange when their religions own founder was constantly accused of being a drunk and spending to much time around prostitutes.

And don’t forget the apostles and many other Christians just got up and walked off following Jesus, how many broken homes there?
 
Skadi said:
Are people REALY attacking the Buddha?

I find that strange when their religions own founder was constantly accused of being a drunk and spending to much time around prostitutes.

And don’t forget the apostles and many other Christians just got up and walked off following Jesus, how many broken homes there?
Click to expand...
REALLY. I will answer your questions. 1. No, his actions speak for themselves. 2. None.

And what people are accused of and what they do are two separate things. You are really trying to tell me Buddha was innocent for walking away from his wife and new born child.

It’s a nice argument you present, it’s just that its basis is flawed.
 
Skadi said:
Are people REALY attacking the Buddha?

I find that strange when their religions own founder was constantly accused of being a drunk and spending to much time around prostitutes.

And don’t forget the apostles and many other Christians just got up and walked off following Jesus, how many broken homes there?
Click to expand...
I will explain how your basis is flawed, in case you dont quite see it. Jesus Christ out of love attached himself to sinners, it was out of Christian love which has attachment. As a consequence of association he was accused of those very things of the people he compassionately attached himself to by those of unattachment. He was prepared to have that attachment, even under accusation. Christian love.

The argument you present could only be valid to Buddha if he associated himself with males in their 20s who had split from their responsibilities. He didn’t associate with them, he was that very one. Buddhist love.
 
Darryl B,
Interesting exchange here…

I’ve seen much written in Christian works on detachment…could you clarify a bit what you mean when you say that Christianity is about attachment?

Thanks

Peace
James
 
Darryl_B said:
I will explain how your basis is flawed, in case you dont quite see it. Jesus Christ out of love attached himself to sinners, it was out of Christian love which has attachment. As a consequence of association he was accused of those very things of the people he compassionately attached himself to by those of unattachment. He was prepared to have that attachment, even under accusation. Christian love.

The argument you present could only be valid to Buddha if he associated himself with males in their 20s who had split from their responsibilities. He didn’t associate with them, he was that very one. Buddhist love.
Click to expand...
All we have to go on with Jesus is second hand sccounts given by his close friends. As a person who does not believe he is god it seams totaly possible to me that he, like many religious figures, fell into drink and other moraly reprehensible activitys. Its certainly possible of he was accused of it.

And what of the apostles and other close followers? Did none of them have wives? Children?
 
Some people keep bringing up Buddhism. The thread is about Confucianism. Don’t conflate the two, because they are not the same.
 
=Skadi;11772554]So you only read books commissioned by the church? No philosophy? Plato? Socrates? How about the Illiad? Or the tales of King Arther and his wizard friend?
Click to expand...
I don’t see how Confucius not writing the bible means a catholic couldn’t apreciate his work. I don’t know if there’s a single moral position in his books the church would disagree with.
Click to expand...
Actually I have.

I seem to recall in the APOLOGY, Socrates holding to a single truth:rolleyes:

God Bless you
Patrick
 
JRKH said:
Darryl B,
Interesting exchange here…

I’ve seen much written in Christian works on detachment…could you clarify a bit what you mean when you say that Christianity is about attachment?

Thanks

Peace
James
Click to expand...
In a nutshell Communion of the saints.
 
Darryl_B said:
All things are interrelated?😉
Click to expand...
Interrelated; not interchangeable.

I doubt many people would substitute Protestantism for Catholicism in discussions specifically about Catholicism. Yet Protestantism and Catholicism have far more in common with each other than Confucianism and Buddhism.
 
TheWarriorMonk said:
Interrelated; not interchangeable.

I doubt many people would substitute Protestantism for Catholicism in discussions specifically about Catholicism. Yet Protestantism and Catholicism have far more in common with each other than Confucianism and Buddhism.
Click to expand...
True. But I have been approaching the subject from neither Protestantism nor Catholicism (according to your parallel) but from the point of view of Christianity (according to your parallel).

But also just to bump this thread because sometimes threads disappear off the planet without being sufficiently answered. (I don’t consider the religion vs philosophy to be an answer so I am waiting).
 
PJM said:
Actually I have.

I seem to recall in the APOLOGY, Socrates holding to a single truth:rolleyes:

God Bless you
Patrick
Click to expand...
Indeed, but he was not talking about Christ, but the Greek gods. So how is this different from Confucius? If you believe the philosophy of Aplogy and Crito, you probably beleave them in a Christian rather than pagan way.
 
Confusious say: One can not have two master as one will love one and hate the other!

Oh wait that was Jesus!👍
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top