Why should I remain Catholic vs. become a Buddhist or a Hindu?

[Peaceable]

A lack of specific rules doesn’t mean you can assert yourself as God—that’s a non sequitur.

Your first sentence about the separation between man and God is a good description of the dualistic Hindu tradition, with many religious poems emphasizing this distance.

Hindus broadly feel that the goal is to attain the presence of God/ be with God (my best attempt at a translation). This can be done via good works/work dedicated to God, worship and love of God, or the study of theology/reason/philosophy with the goal of attaining the knowledge of God.

Simply because there are many valid paths in Hindus, doesn’t mean “anything goes.

The reason there are many scriptures that appear contradictory is that Hinduism like “Abrahamic religions” is an umbrella term for multiple different but related sects. Blaming Hinduism for multiple scriptures that are contradictory and thus inconsistent is like blaming Christian texts for not being fully consistent with Islamic or Jewish texts, for instance. Internally each tradition/sect is quite consistent. Most follow the scriptures of one tradition and consider that one “their faith.”

As a practical matter, many commonly recited Hindu prayers can be on the longish side. You’re getting off easy with the rosary! (joke)

Hindus aren’t typically into assertions of a religion as “better than”, fwiw.

 

[Peaceable]

Thanks for this—I disagree, though, with the idea that Hindu organizations are not charitable—quite the opposite! Lots of temple and faith based Hindu charities out there. Centuries of poverty may have put a damper on the extent but this is making a comeback as India becomes more prosperous.

 

[De_Maria]

I have already provided the evidence…

No, you haven’t. I want to see the wording in each document. I want to see where you claim they contradict each other. So far, all you’re doing is providing your opinion based upon your empty claims.

 

[Frankie65]

Which is synonymous with true Christianity. There aren’t a bunch of different Christians scattered through time and space. There are only Catholics and dissenters.
All the dissenters had ancestors who were Catholic.
All the Catholics who dissent from Catholic teaching aren’t Catholic…they’re dissenters

 

[Frankie65]

Re torture, heretics, the papal bull and the inquisition
The medieval church knew well the horrors that awaited heretics after their deaths (current moderns are quiet on these horrors).
Having a nice cosy chat didn’t work (it still doesn’t …see the prominent modern heretics).
It was true faith and true charity behind the papal bull to try to pull back the heretic from his path to damnation AND also to prevent him encouraging other Christians down the same damnable path

 

[rossum]

I believe nirvana in Buddhism (or moksha in Hinduism) is permanent.

It is. Nirvana is not one of the heavens. The Buddha attained nirvana at age 35; he died age 80. For 45 years he was living in the world while at the same time being in nirvana.

You have to die to go to one of the heavens; you have to become enlightened to attain nirvana.

Nirvana is here and now, it is just that most of us do not realise it.

 

[AlNg]

…all you’re doing is providing your opinion…

I don’t know what you are talking about since the quote given was not mine, but comes directly from an article written by Father Brian Harrison on CAF.
Do you accept what Father Brian Harrison has written on 12/1/2006?
" Innocent IV, had mandated for the newly established Inquisition the use of confession-extracting torture (with a severity only stopping short of danger to life and limb) for those accused of heresy."
Do you accept what Pope Francis has said?
“torture is a mortal sin”?
BTW, where is your proof and citations that the history of Hindus and Buddhists is of disparate groups all teaching contradicting ideas? What are all the disparate groups you are talking about and what are the contradicting ideas taught by all of them?

 

[Magnanimity]

Why is Catholicism superior to Hinduism and Buddhism???

I’m guessing that the question above might have been worded, “What makes Catholicism superior…”. It would seem that this question could be asked from within any religion looking outside of itself—what makes Islam superior, etc.

Wouldn’t we need to first establish criteria for determining what would (even in theory) make any given religion superior to any other?

For example, does religion X possess within it more truth and deep wisdom than religion Y?

Or, does religion X produce more good people in the world than religion Y?

Maybe even, does religion X produce more beauty within the world than religion Y?

Also, religion X produces deep spirituality within its participants, more-so than religion Y.

Maybe one would want to say that all these criteria and more besides would apply, leading one to say that “my religion possesses more truth, goodness and beauty than any other and is thereby superior to all the rest.” Or something like that…

I’m just saying, we’d first need to establish criteria by which to assess such superiority, right?

 

[De_Maria]

Re torture, heretics, the papal bull and the inquisition
The medieval church knew well the horrors that awaited heretics after their deaths (current moderns are quiet on these horrors).
Having a nice cosy chat didn’t work (it still doesn’t …see the prominent modern heretics).
It was true faith and true charity behind the papal bull to try to pull back the heretic from his path to damnation AND also to prevent him encouraging other Christians down the same damnable path

That’s exactly right. There’s a difference between discipline and torture. Today, people are calling a “spanking”, torture.

###
Corporal punishment - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Corporal_punishment

Corporal punishment or physical punishment is a punishment intended to cause physical pain … 1996: Committee Against Torture , overseeing its implementation, condemns corporal punishment . 1966: International Covenant on Economic, …

But these forms of punishment were meant to induce people to do the right thing before God. It was not the causing of pain for the enjoyment of the person inflicting the pain, as in the case of a cartel assassin who tortures his victims before killing them simply to watch them writhe in pain (at least, that’s what they depict in the movies).

 

[TMC]

I’ve read that more people have written about Jesus than have written about Julius Caesar.

Maybe Julius didn’t exist

I would say its more accurate to say that the historical evidence of Jesus’ existence is similar to the evidence of other ancient people. One good example is Socrates. Socrates left no writings, and we only know of him through the writings of his students, which is a close parallel to what we know of Jesus.

 

[De_Maria]

Hindus and Buddhists

…all you’re doing is providing your opinion…

I don’t know what you are talking about since the quote given was not mine, but comes directly from an article written by Father Brian Harrison on CAF.
Do you accept what Father Brian Harrison has written on 12/1/2006?

1. Father Brian Harrison is not a member of the Magisterium, as far as I know.
2. CAF is not an official branch of the Catholic Church.

You need to prove that the Church said whatever you claim they have said.

BTW, where is your proof and citations that the history of Hindus and Buddhists is of disparate groups all teaching contradicting ideas? What are all the disparate groups you are talking about …

There is no official Hindu or Buddhist organization which teaches doctrines to which all Hindus or Buddhists must submit. If you claim that there is one, prove it.

and what are the contradicting ideas taught by all of them?

|“I put Samadhi foremost and wisdom afterwards.” Master Wanshi (cited in ZCLA [Zen Center of Los Angeles] Journal<>, p. 4)

“I put wisdom foremost and samadhi afterwards.” Master Engo (cited in ZCLA Journal, p. 4).

|“Without it [satori] there is no Zen, for the life of Zen begins with the ‘opening of satori’.” Dr. Suzuki (Sohl and Carr, The Gospel According to Zen: Beyond the Death of God, p. 33)

|“It’s not that Satori is unimportant, but it’s not that part of Zen that needs to be stressed.” (Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, p. 9)

|“The achievement of the aim of Zen, as Suzuki has made very clear… implies overcoming the narcissistic self-glorification and the illusion of omnipotence.” (Ross, World of Zen: An East-West Anthology, p. 199)

|“I AM the Absolute.” The man who has realized Satori… being intensely aware of the infinite riches of his nature.” (Ross, World of Zen, pp. 67, 221)

That’s just a taste.

Contradictory Teachings in Zen Buddhism - JA Show Articles

Zen believers should be challenged to ask themselves how is it possible to know that Zen is true when the philosophy is riddled with contradictions? D. T.

jashow.org

I studied both of those religions before I came back to the Catholic Church. I could not find a central authority and depository of their beliefs. Only gurus and masters here and there and they all contradict each other.

 

[Frankie65]

would say its more accurate to say that the historical evidence of Jesus’ existence is similar to the evidence of other ancient people. One good example is Socrates. Socrates left no writings, and we only know of him through the writings of his students, which is a close parallel to what we know of Jesus.

True, TMC. Don’t you find it annoying though, I know I do, that the Washington Post et al don’t labour on about the possibility of mythology of Socrates or Plato
Of course they existed, as did Julius Caesar. I guess it’s because people hate Jesus and not any of the others because it’s only Jesus who could thwart Satan’s plans.

 

[openmind77]

Hindus and Buddhists

I believe nirvana in Buddhism (or moksha in Hinduism) is permanent.

It is. Nirvana is not one of the heavens. The Buddha attained nirvana at age 35; he died age 80. For 45 years he was living in the world while at the same time being in nirvana.

You have to die to go to one of the heavens; you have to become enlightened to attain nirvana.

Nirvana is here and now, it is just that most of us do not realise it.

But I guess state of Nirvana does persist after death and is eternal - so heaven and hell are no longer relevant.

 

[TMC]

True, TMC. Don’t you find it annoying though, I know I do, that the Washington Post et al don’t labour on about the possibility of mythology of Socrates or Plato
Of course they existed, as did Julius Caesar. I guess it’s because people hate Jesus and not any of the others because it’s only Jesus who could thwart Satan’s plans.

I think that when religion is involved, as when politics are involved, people look at things differently. I don’t think its because they hate God or love Satan - its just a point of view.

All that said, I think that most historians agree that Jesus existed, just as they agree that Socrates existed. They may not agree that there is good evidence of what either of them actually did or said, but their existence is reasonably well established.

 

[rossum]

But I guess state of Nirvana does persist after death and is eternal - so heaven and hell are no longer relevant.

Be very careful: “All descriptions of nirvana are false.” At best they are fingers pointing at the moon; do not confuse the finger for the moon.

Nirvana cannot be eternal, because the eternal does not change. Nirvana has to change from nirvana-without-rossum to nirvana-with-rossum, otherwise Buddhism is pointless.

Nirvana is not what you think it is:

Some people come to Zen expecting that Enlightenment will be the Ultimate Peak Experience. The Mother of All Peak Experiences. But real enlightenment is the most ordinary of the ordinary. Once I had an amazing vision. I saw myself transported through time and space. Millions, no, billions, trillions, Godzillions of years passed. Not figuratively, but literally. Whizzed by. I found myself at the very rim of time and space, a vast giant being composed of the living minds and bodies of every thing that ever was. It was an incredibly moving experience. Exhilarating. I was high for weeks. Finally I told Nishijima Sensei about it. He said it was nonsense. Just my imagination. I can’t tell you how that made me feel. Imagination? This was as real an experience as any I’ve ever had. I just about cried. Later on that day I was eating a tangerine. I noticed how incredibly lovely a thing it was. So delicate. So amazingly orange. So very tasty. So I told Nishijima about that. That experience, he said, was enlightenment.

Source: Zen is Boring.

 

[TMC]

At best they are fingers pointing at the moon; do not confuse the finger for the moon.

One of my favorite sayings, BTW. I often tell people that all religions are fingers pointing at the moon (or trying to), and that mistaking one for the other is a sadly common mistake among members of virtually all religions.

 

[rossum]

One of my favorite sayings, BTW. I often tell people that all religions are fingers pointing at the moon (or trying to), and that the mistaking one for the other is a sadly common mistake among members of virtually all religions.

The nun Wu Jin-cang asked the Sixth Patriach Hui-neng, “I have studied the Mahaparinirvana sutra for many years, yet there are many areas I do not quite understand. Please enlighten me.”

The patriach responded, “I am illiterate. Please read out the characters to me and perhaps I will be able to explain the meaning.”

Said the nun, “You cannot even recognize the characters. How are you able then to understand the meaning?”

“Truth has nothing to do with words. Truth can be likened to the bright moon in the sky. Words, in this case, can be likened to a finger. The finger can point to the moon’s location. However, the finger is not the moon. To look at the moon, it is necessary to gaze beyond the finger, right?”

 

[Susansdec]

Ok…my issue is this. I have listened to alot of lectures by the late philosopher Alan Watts about Christianity and Buddhism and Hinduism…and I consider myself to be a Seeker…

 

[Susansdec]

I was raised Protestant-baptist…then was non-denominational then I converted to Catholicism…but now I’m having 2nd thoughts about Catholicism because of all of the division that I see in the church today…

 

[meltzerboy2]

What about Judaism? There is no variance there, nor even heresy. And Hinduism is older than Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism.