Yesterday, I received a copy of the Catholic News( 27 May 2007 edition). There is an interesting article on Buddhism. I capture the salient points below:
1) Buddhism does not believe in a personal god.
2) Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, often described as a way of life or a practical philosophy. Dharmic religions are a family of religions based on the concept of dharma, a term for "fixed decree, law, or duty".
3) The core of Buddha's teaching is found in the 4 Noble Truths which include the Noble Eightfold Path.
4) Today, Buddhism is divided primarily into 3 traditions: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
5) Most Buddhists in Singapore belong to the Mahayana tradition. In Singapore, Chinese religion is a mix of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
6) There is confusion even among Buddhists on the topic of deities and prayer. Because of their non-belief in the existence of a God or a supreme being, adherents of Buddhism in its original form take Buddhism to be more a philosophy than a religion.
7) The goal of Buddha's teachings is to break through delusion and achieve enlightenment which is obtained at 3 levels: Arhat, Bodhisattva and Buddha (analogously comparable to Graduate, Master or Doctorate in educational degrees)
8) In pure form, the many variety of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues do not represent polytheism (the worship of more than one god). Rather, each statue serves to inspire wisdom and awakening. Bowing to a statue is an expression of gratitude for the teaching.
9) Guan Yin Bodhisattva is popular in Singapore, represents great compassion and kindness.
10) However, there are "Buddhists" who worship images of Buddha and Guan Yin Bodhisattva as deities and pray for the relief of suffering, and even to ask for favours. This is regarded by Buddhist purists as a misconception and even superstition because the statues are merely expressions of concepts in Buddhism.
11) Orthodox Buddhists say that they do not pray. They chant. When they chant, they chant the Buddha's sacred workds of love, wisdom and compassion.
This is just a short lesson in Buddhism.
Christianity is about Christ, the Trinity God. Buddhism is dharmic and non-theistic. The two religions are completely different.
I would choose a personal relationship with God over another non-theistic, non-personal religion, no matter how logical or philosophical that religion may be.
I would choose a God who "walks with me and talks with me", who "listens to me and guides me". A God who is a brother, a friend, a mentor, a lord and a loving Father - the Trinity God.
Really, the choice is simple.
Showing posts with label Divisive Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Divisive Christianity. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 May 2007
Friday, 18 May 2007
Christianity Will Always Be Divisive
One of the Bible passages which I much regret having to obey is Matt 10:35 "...I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother...and a man's enemies will be the members of his household...".
There is no hidden meaning in this passage. It clearly means that christianity is divisive; and we will be living in a very divisive christian world.
I had told myself to accept this passage first, painful as it was, before I could truly accept Christ. The moment I accepted Christ years ago, I great gulf separated me from my family. I was no longer 'one of them' who followed the family religion. I no longer worshipped the family gods. During festivals when all members of the family gathered to pray and to burn incense, I stepped aside and stood alone. I am a part of the family, yet I am not.
When Jesus commissioned Peter "upon this rock I will build My church,..." Matt16:18, Jesus must already know that His church will be divided and fragmented. After the apostolic church came the papal church and the fragmentation accelerated down the centuries. The Catholic church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Anglican church, the protestant churches, the denominational churches, the independent churches and the many christian sects and semi-churches.
Some may argue that the many christian church groups provide different flavours, and different flavours appeal to people of different taste. However, there are just too many flavours, and this situation confuses and sows distrust, instead of harmonises our beliefs.
As I look at the Catholic Church, and the Methodist Church, the New-Age Churches and other charismatic christian groups, I hope they will all be united in the Apostles Creed which I recite every week. I love the Apostles Creed. All Christians must wholeheartedly believe and be faithful to the Apostle Creed. In it, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God - "born of the virgin Mary, died and was buried, on the third day he rose again from the dead, and seated at the right hand of God...". In the Apostles Creed, christians are united in Christ.
Christianity is not just about God. A few other religions also believe in the same God we christians believe in, even though they address Him using other names.
More importantly, christianity is about Jesus Christ. We are divided in christianity, yet we are united in Christ. Christ lives. Believe in Him.
These are my thoughts. I welcome your comments.
There is no hidden meaning in this passage. It clearly means that christianity is divisive; and we will be living in a very divisive christian world.
I had told myself to accept this passage first, painful as it was, before I could truly accept Christ. The moment I accepted Christ years ago, I great gulf separated me from my family. I was no longer 'one of them' who followed the family religion. I no longer worshipped the family gods. During festivals when all members of the family gathered to pray and to burn incense, I stepped aside and stood alone. I am a part of the family, yet I am not.
When Jesus commissioned Peter "upon this rock I will build My church,..." Matt16:18, Jesus must already know that His church will be divided and fragmented. After the apostolic church came the papal church and the fragmentation accelerated down the centuries. The Catholic church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Anglican church, the protestant churches, the denominational churches, the independent churches and the many christian sects and semi-churches.
Some may argue that the many christian church groups provide different flavours, and different flavours appeal to people of different taste. However, there are just too many flavours, and this situation confuses and sows distrust, instead of harmonises our beliefs.
As I look at the Catholic Church, and the Methodist Church, the New-Age Churches and other charismatic christian groups, I hope they will all be united in the Apostles Creed which I recite every week. I love the Apostles Creed. All Christians must wholeheartedly believe and be faithful to the Apostle Creed. In it, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God - "born of the virgin Mary, died and was buried, on the third day he rose again from the dead, and seated at the right hand of God...". In the Apostles Creed, christians are united in Christ.
Christianity is not just about God. A few other religions also believe in the same God we christians believe in, even though they address Him using other names.
More importantly, christianity is about Jesus Christ. We are divided in christianity, yet we are united in Christ. Christ lives. Believe in Him.
These are my thoughts. I welcome your comments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
