by I AM ME » 4/5/2006, 12:17 am
I'm a bit tired to get into a good discussion on it right now, but I can take a stab at starting one.
First of all I'd like to say that I'm NOT a Buddhist. For most of the same reason's I'll never be a part of ANY organised religion. And I am intrested in the Monastatic versions of the faith's, not the common people's faith.
The thing that most endears me to eastern thought is emphasis on personal experience, and personal contemplation of things. In all three main faith's scripture is of very little real importance, but rather advice along the way. Because of this eastern religion is open to change and interpretation. When Tibetan's learned of molecular structure they changed their views on composition, because to deny proven truth is to to deny the true divinity in the world. When Confucist's learned more about Homosexuals being of nature, they believe they have no place to deny what is created by nature, to do so is to ruin balance.
Buddhism (and most eastern religion) teaches the very same golden rules as Abrahamic religions, but they are compacted in the 7 Precepts. The thing is Eastern Religion, in my view, motivates morals with hope, rather then threats and fear. Eastern religion is also extremely unjudgemental, because everyone is expeted to realize their own truth. An example of this is shown in the fact that many Buddhist monks consider all relgions to be diffrent fingers on the same hand, or diffrent pathes to the same destination. For this reason a Buddhist can be a Christian. It teaches balance, and respecting the world. As opposed to that world is ours, or that we are the highest forms of existance on earth.
Eastern Religion aknowledges the possiblity of supernatural events, and deities, but does not obsess over what cannot be proven. Instead it teaches one to live a good life, as the best guarantee of ones future. Eastern religion's never promote violence under ANY terms.
I love how they put so much importance on contemplation. Which is what meditation really is, not some supernatural/calming/leaving your body event. They see great importance in simply sitting and thinking. Contemplatiing ones own faults, strengths, and negative emotions. Aswell as wishing good things upon ones enemies to learn compasion and forgivness.
Every year in Japan thosands of Buddhist scriptures are burned to drive home the point of not blindly following, religious faith is weakness to Zen's. Founder's are drawn in comical fashion to discourage idolization, somewhat similar to why Muslim's do not allow the Prophet to be dipicted.
Sorry there's just way to much to cover in a post about Buddhism and Eastern Religion. But what I found truly amazing is howmuch it actually has in common with the essense of Christianity. And it even practices many things that Jews, Muslims, and Christian's once did, but forgot over the years.
"How can we justify spending so much on destruction and so little on life?" Matthew Good
"The white dove is gone, the one world has come down hard, so why not share the pain of our problems, when all around are wrong ways, when all around is hurt, i'll roll up in an odd shape and wait, untill the tide has turned.....with anger, i'm dead weight, i'm anchored"- IME, God Rocket (Into the Heart of Las Vegas) ^ Some say this song is about a terrorists thoughts before 911
"Pray for the sheep" Matt Good
"But it's alright, take the world and make it yours again" Matt Good
I felt it in the wind, and i saw it in the sky, i thought it was the end, i thought it was the 4th of July.
"Hold on, hold on children, your mother and father are leaving, hold on, hold on children your best freind's parents are leaving, leaving,.......*AHHH*! " - Death From Above - Black History Month