I want to continue to be faithfull to my belifes, but how?

Question

In an age when i find it hard to believe in my own government, how can i be expected to keep up my own personal beliefs. I am a buddhist, but i am finding it harder and harder to adhere to the eight fold path and to believe in the four noble truths. Any help?

Answer 1

Are there 2 things going on here?

1) You feel a lot of temptation in the world today that makes it difficult to act according to your beliefs.

2) Do you question your beliefs?

My response to #1: stop. look inside for strenght and determinaton. grab hold of it tightly. say a brief prayer.

My response to #2: only you can decide that. if it's difficult thinking about it, seek out someone who might be able to help you determine and strengthen your beliefs. pray frequently.

Answer 2

I do not have an answer for you. I follow a combat based faith, so we are not exactly on the same path. However, im going to offer my opinion.

I have no idea what the Eightfold path and the four noble truths are. However, I do understand what its like to be in conflict with religious choices and government rules. My form of prayer involves a form of combat. However, the government restricts all fighting to some degree where I live. I chose to adapt my forms and techniques to be within the law. Buddha among all gods understands change, he will not find your actions in distaste if you simply adopt new forms of practice.

To get around the law that limits my ability to fight another I choose to dance instead. There is a form of combat practiced by aboriginees (pardon the spelling im almost sure its wrong) that battle out tribe differences by dancing in a ritualized form that simulates combat. I do something similar.

Do not be afraid to change how your a buddhist, just do not change being buddhist.

Hails to the learned mind,
Silence

Answer 3

if it was easy, i could reach nirvana by listening to a self help tape. its not supposed to be easy. in fact it has never been easy. there have always been horror, corruption, evil, and above all distractions in the world. nothing new is going on here. and the point isnt to be successful. the point is to try. the truer something is, the harder it is. its not the four common everyday truths. like gravity. its noble because its hard, against our own self serving nature. the point is to try and be the best person you can be. be the best buddhist you can be. and you are the only one who knows what your best is. maybe you will never transcend into buddha like status. i imagine most people never make it. most people will never go through their whole lives without hurting someone they love. should this mean they stop even trying? just remember its not all or nothing. its merely all you have.

Answer 4

That's what faith is all about though. To continue to follow your beliefs during changing times. How would you feel if you stopped being a Buddhist? You would probably feel empty and lost. Keep on following your beliefs. Things will get harder and our government will get worse, but your soul will remain.

Answer 5

When the first Buddha taught, things were different than they are now. We have more understanding of some phenomena and more questions about others.
Epictetus taught stoic philosophy and his followers wrote the Enchiridion, a short handbook. It teaches that some things are within our power and some things are not within our power. The things that are within our power, like desire and aversion, are our business and we should attend to these things. Some things are not within our power such as whether others like us, whether our hair falls out, whether there is a hurricane. We cannot change some things and it should not occupy our thoughts.
PROBLEM: We are learning more and more how to control our environment and even whether people like us or we loose our hair. Some times life gets complex, things change.
You will be OK, treat people well, care for those who need your help. Have fun. Things will fall into place.

Answer 6

Just do your best, that's all anyone can ask of you. As a Buddhist I try to follow the right path but sometimes I deviate. I just do my best.

It is easy to become jaded when there is so much hipocracy and so many unscrupulous people but you don't have to follow them. Be yourself.

If you need to talk about it or need any support, email me.

Answer 7

If you let go of your beliefs, you will feel even more lost. Humans are not meant to understand it all - we just live our lives as best we can. Talk to your spiritual leader, meditate, and let go.

Answer 8

nope, sorry, Anglican here, I just take things one day at a time, and try to do the right thing for today.

Answer 9

Let it go man... you'll be a happier person for doing it.