the buddha and never straining

[GADARENE]

rumors fly, but who knows? he did have a fascination with the morbid and deprivation was essential to his world view. but what do we really know for sure about him? having spent his youth in luxury and never lifting a finger to do anything that required work, is it any wonder that his crazed fans never accomplish much? look at india.

[Divine Insight]

All the more reason to ignore his posts. You have the Buddhist tag, just let him know that holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

This is certainly true. And I most certainly have no need to "defend" either the Buddha, Buddhism, or India.

Just the same, I think it's worth pointing out that those people aren't condemning anyone for not believing in the things they believe.

So why cast stones at them?

It just makes no sense.

[Danmark]

My question would be to ask why bother?

The answer is you shouldn't bother.

From my perspective this just goes to show how the hatred of Christianity can so easily get totally out of control.

All the more reason to ignore his posts. You have the Buddhist tag, just let him know that holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

T TRUTH and GADARENE SWINE, a perfect combination. Leaving them alone to work out their demons is perfect.

[TheTruth101]

My question would be to ask why bother?

The answer is you shouldn't bother.

From my perspective this just goes to show how the hatred of Christianity can so easily get totally out of control.

All the more reason to ignore his posts. You have the Buddhist tag, just let him know that holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

T TRUTH and GADARENE SWINE, a perfect combination. Leaving them alone to work out their demons is perfect.

Why am I mentioned here, this is what you call "teamwork".

Other than that, your welcome for the insights I gave once again to the members of this forum.

[Mr.Badham]

rumors fly, but who knows? he did have a fascination with the morbid and deprivation was essential to his world view. but what do we really know for sure about him? having spent his youth in luxury and never lifting a finger to do anything that required work, is it any wonder that his crazed fans never accomplish much? look at india.

Let us look at the alternatives... or rather the outcomes of the alternatives. Poverty, crime, greed, corruption, waste, pollution...

Maybe accomplisment is not the goal. Perhaps he was a little more introspective than you are.

Do I sound negative? Hmmm, I know, why don't you just tell us some of your wonderful personal accomplishments. Regale us with your wondrous feats. What is it that you are so proud to have "Accomplished", that the Buddha did not?

[otseng]

GADARENE SWINE

Moderator Comment

Please avoid derogatory use of another's username.

Please review the Rules.


______________

Moderator comments do not count as a strike against any posters. They only serve as an acknowledgment that a post report has been received, but has not been judged to warrant a moderator warning against a particular poster. Any challenges or replies to moderator postings should be made via Private Message to avoid derailing topics.

[GADARENE]

rumors fly, but who knows? he did have a fascination with the morbid and deprivation was essential to his world view. but what do we really know for sure about him? having spent his youth in luxury and never lifting a finger to do anything that required work, is it any wonder that his crazed fans never accomplish much? look at india.

Seems you do not know to much about the Buddha, or his worldview...that is not surprising. What do we know about him, primarily legend and myth in my estimation.

And

What about India? What do you know about India, have you ever been there?

Just so happens that I am there at the moment, about half way through a four week sadhana (intensive spiritual practice). Had quite the ceremony last night, a fire ritual, a Sudarshana homa, that is more about human weakness and struggle than the divinities it was addressed to.

what did Buddha say about heaven? did he believe in the coming messiah? do you think he would have followed jesus immediately, or would it have been a few days before he turned his life over to him? did the big guy suspect that mankind had a bent for screwing up? his remedy?

Not sure the Buddha said anything about heaven though he did have a lot in common with Jesus as he was radical not in agreement with the established priesthood and viewed the divine as accessible to all. Not sure if he would have followed Jesus but Jesus would have no doubt recognised the influence Buddhist and Vedantic thought had upon his own worldview. Doesn't take much to see that mankind struggles with mistaken ideas that give rise to suffering. Whether the Buddha's remedy is correct or suitable is a personal decision not a corporate one.

The Buddha himself, it is said, had something to say on this issue.

Believe nothing on the faith of traditions,
even though they have been held in honor
for many generations and in diverse places.
Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it.
Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past.
Do not believe what you yourself have imagined,
persuading yourself that a God inspires you.
Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests.
After examination, believe what you yourself have tested
and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto.


May you be happy, wise, loving and peaceful.

"Not sure the Buddha said anything about heaven though he did have a lot in common with Jesus as he was radical not in agreement with the established priesthood and viewed the divine as accessible to all." mb

this mb knows that Christ lived, despite what atheists and agnostics believe. knows he was a radical. how? based on what? he disagreed with the religious leaders of his day. you know this how? based on what?

[otseng]

Moderator Action

Moving to Non-Christian Religions.

Also, in the future, avoid flamebait remarks of asking if someone is a pervert.


______________

Moderator actions indicate that a thread/post has been locked, moved, merged, or split.

[Mithrae]

Just listen to the horrible accusation a very famous Christian (an author of 75% of the New Testament no less) has to say about those who refuse to believe in his God.

Romans 1

I have previously called you out on this falsehood. Paul wrote less than a quarter of the NT canon. You directly responded to the post in which I pointed this out, though you did not acknowledge your error then either. Since you are repeating it now I can't see how it can be considered anything but a blatant lie.

[bernee51]

rumors fly, but who knows? he did have a fascination with the morbid and deprivation was essential to his world view. but what do we really know for sure about him? having spent his youth in luxury and never lifting a finger to do anything that required work, is it any wonder that his crazed fans never accomplish much? look at india.

Seems you do not know to much about the Buddha, or his worldview...that is not surprising. What do we know about him, primarily legend and myth in my estimation.

And

What about India? What do you know about India, have you ever been there?

Just so happens that I am there at the moment, about half way through a four week sadhana (intensive spiritual practice). Had quite the ceremony last night, a fire ritual, a Sudarshana homa, that is more about human weakness and struggle than the divinities it was addressed to.

what did Buddha say about heaven? did he believe in the coming messiah? do you think he would have followed jesus immediately, or would it have been a few days before he turned his life over to him? did the big guy suspect that mankind had a bent for screwing up? his remedy?

Not sure the Buddha said anything about heaven though he did have a lot in common with Jesus as he was radical not in agreement with the established priesthood and viewed the divine as accessible to all. Not sure if he would have followed Jesus but Jesus would have no doubt recognised the influence Buddhist and Vedantic thought had upon his own worldview. Doesn't take much to see that mankind struggles with mistaken ideas that give rise to suffering. Whether the Buddha's remedy is correct or suitable is a personal decision not a corporate one.

The Buddha himself, it is said, had something to say on this issue.

Believe nothing on the faith of traditions,
even though they have been held in honor
for many generations and in diverse places.
Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it.
Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past.
Do not believe what you yourself have imagined,
persuading yourself that a God inspires you.
Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests.
After examination, believe what you yourself have tested
and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto.


May you be happy, wise, loving and peaceful.

"Not sure the Buddha said anything about heaven though he did have a lot in common with Jesus as he was radical not in agreement with the established priesthood and viewed the divine as accessible to all." mb

this mb knows that Christ lived, despite what atheists and agnostics believe. knows he was a radical. how? based on what? he disagreed with the religious leaders of his day. you know this how? based on what?

Actually no, I do not know that Christ lived. I based my comments on the stories about him in the gospels. Whether or not those stories, or the one's about the Buddha reflect reality is moot.

BTW...You m.o. Is quite boring.

[Public]

I'm glad there is something itchy about your Christianity that is pushing you to investigate other options.

Here are possible answers to questions/issues raised:

Did Buddha say you get reincarnated eternally?
Nope. Way off. Finitude, and reaching it, is the whole point.

Is meditation the attempt to free oneself from sin?
Nope. It's to abandon illusions. Supposedly this leads to objective truth.

Have his crazed fans accomplished much?
You point to India (i.e. the fact that there aren't Buddhists there, I assume). You ignore Tibet, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, etc... Clearly you don't like what the Buddha taught, and depending on your definition of 'accomplishment' you could be right, but if you are just counting heads (which you seem to be) Buddhism is clearly an important religion in the world.

How do we know the Buddha disagreed with religious leaders of his day?
Buddhism is clearly a spin-off of Hinduism whose main innovation is to deny the atman. See abc's of Hinduism/Buddhism. Not sure why this point is threatening to you? Clearly you think that his innovation is just as false and corrupt as the leaders he rebelled against? He was revolutionary regarding gender equality etc... but that seems besides the point because it wouldn't show Buddhism is true and it certainly doesn't shake your faith in Christ... so... a non-sequitor... then again... I am not sure what WOULD be on topic... bringing me to my next point...

Would Buddha turn his life over to Jesus immediately or in a few days?
I assume you are hoping that a Buddhist will read this and get mad? You want to crash into an argument, I guess? You are plainly trying to design provocative sentences, it seems to me. This is a merely rhetorical question, in other words, but it seems that the whole thread is rhetorical... am I wrong?

For instance... lets suppose Buddha was a pervert... he had sex with everything that moved and most things that didn't. Okay... what's your point? The disjointed and confusing questions crowding around your introduction don't drive at anything coherent, as far as I can tell. Please spell it out for us earthlings who don't speak jarble. I will be fascinated to see how this is rescued from itself and lands somewhere clever...

To be honest... I assume this is an ironic hyperbolic extremism... and at any rate that's how I read it, and it is entertaining... I'm just not totally sure if I was in on a joke or observing the wreck of several random points crashing?