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Ahimsa
Guest
Don’t Catholics venerate saints?
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SteveGC
Guest
As I have seen that you do have knowledge of the Catholic faith, I wouldn’t presume you would think there is a link between regarding with great respect (venerating) a follower, and discipleship (followership) of the One followed.
Or is that what you’re suggesting?
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Tomcmaj
Guest
The Buddha is a teacher, not a God. The Buddha is not worshipped.
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Ahimsa
Guest
To say that “God is who we should follow” raises lots of questions, the primary one of which is, How does one follow God? The Catholic tradition has an emphasis upon the saints as models that allow us to see how God should be followed. The Catholic tradition also recognizes that elements of Truth may be found in many different religions, including Buddhism.
So, rinnie’s question of How can one be inspired by more than one God?, misses the fact that a Christian may be inspired by the elements of Truth he or she finds in Buddhism, or in the behavior of the Buddha. From a Catholic perspective, the elements of Truth in Buddhism, in fact, come from the one God, not from some other “God”. And being inspired by the behavior of the, Buddha, should not be all that strange to those familiar with the lives of the saints, which also provide inspiration.
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SteveGC
Guest
I think the problem here is that, while the Church concedes that some elements of truth exist outside the Church, it implies that these truths can be defined as truths only insofar as they clearly align with the truth as deposited within the Church Herself. The implication is that teachings outside the Church are ultimately to be illumined with the light of the Church’s doctrine, else they cannot be verified as truths. So, one using a Buddhist path for spiritual growth is potentially treading spiritually dangerous ground if doing so without this illumination and correlative exercise and discipline.
For a Catholic, following God is following the Church, which brings God into human understanding in as full a way that God has made available to know Him. And obedience to the Church is obedience to Christ, and is not difficult to know how to do. Being able to do it is not so simple, of course.
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Ahimsa
Guest
Alright, lets say that Buddhism teaches “a”. A Catholic reads about “a”, and discovers that his understanding of “a” is illumined in light of the Church’s doctrine of “A”. Since “a” is now seen as an element of Truth, a Catholic may still be inspired by “a” while also acknowledging “A”, correct?
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Tomcmaj
Guest
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Ahimsa
Guest
Or a Buddhist Catholic.
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rinnie
Guest
We sure do. To venerate, Honor, respect.
But do we worship them? NO way, we only worship ONE GOD.
We are told to Honor our Mother and Father also. Its one of the ten commandments
SO if we are commanded by GOd to Honor our Mother and Father how can it not be the right thing to do?
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rinnie
Guest
But where does the word of God tell us to follow Buddha the teacher. The bible says the Church is the Pilar of all truth not Buddha.
Where did Buddha have the AUTHORITY to teach. From whom did he receive that authority.
The RCC has the Authority to teach from Jesus Christ himself. Why did he mention the Church and not mention Buddha?
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Ahimsa
Guest
Likewise, some Christians honor and respect the Buddha, insofar as elements of Truth are found in Buddhism: “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions.” – Nostra AetateWe sure do. To venerate, Honor, respect.
But do we worship them? NO way, we only worship ONE GOD.
We are told to Honor our Mother and Father also. Its one of the ten commandments
SO if we are commanded by GOd to Honor our Mother and Father how can it not be the right thing to do?
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Luigi_Daniele
Guest
1.Buddhists believe in a series of lives that a person experiences on the way to perfection.
2.Catholics believe that each soul is unique and that we have but one life here. Perfection is achieved in the Heaven, not here.
The 2 are absolutely incompatible, if lived faithly, ie, I can not be a believing Catholic and a believing Buddhist at the same time, because of 1 and 2.
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Ahimsa
Guest
A Buddhist would also say that we have but one life, in which the events we call “birth” and “death” periodically appear.
Also, in the Eastern Catholic tradition, Perfection (or theosis) starts on earth.
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Ahimsa
Guest
Michell is incorrect. I know at least one person who is a Catholic and a Buddhist, fully practicing in both cases. And by “Catholic” I mean a Catholic who has not been excommunicated and so forth; and by “Buddhist” I mean someone who has taken Refuge in the Triple Gem – but in a Christianized sort of way.
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Luigi_Daniele
Guest
In which case, he or she is no longer a Catholic, regardless of his or her outward appearance of beiing one.
Michelle is correct as, I will add, am I
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Luigi_Daniele
Guest
Responding to your addition:
the person has not been “officially” excommunicated, but he/she has excommunicated him or herself.
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Ahimsa
Guest
Not really. There are many ways to be Buddhist, some of them compatible with Catholicism, and some not.
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Luigi_Daniele
Guest
Disagree completely. Will let it go at that. Please return to the True Faith.
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jerry_joseph
Guest
Nature of human sufferings started from the original sin and not prior to that. Adam and eve where in paradise with God.
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