Can Christianity compare to the Intellectuality of Buddhism?

Question

Now Christians, if you haven't read Buddhism and put pointless posts, I guess the answer to the above question would be "No".

Answer 1

Both religions have an intellectual history. However, the two major differences, among others, is that 1) Buddhism placed most of their efforts into studying the nature of the mind and human psychology (popular ideas commonly associated with Buddhism, like reincarnation and karma, were not the principle topics of intellectual study in those traditions), while Christianity placed most of its efforts into theology. And 2) Christian intellectual pursuits were always limited by the fact that the Church had an official dogmatic position that if you strayed from could lead you to become labelled as a "heretic". Consequently, its intellectual pursuits were more or less limited. Buddhism, on the other hand, had nothing near this level of restriction placed upon their thinking minds.

Consequently, Buddhism came very close to the standards we expect from scientific pursuits today. It studied actual living phenomena, rather than remote theological ideas, and the standard set for the validity of their studies was not dogma, but rather peer validation. In otherwords, when something was argued to be true, other practitioners would take up the issue, argue it among themselves -- through a very rigorous system of debate and logic -- and pursue the meditative techniques provided in order to either validate or dispute the given issue.

This is why, among other reasons, Buddhism has a much larger, more extensive, intellectual tradition. Furthermore, the findings of much of Buddhist intellectualism largely don't stand in contrast to modern science, whereas the theology of Christianity often does, giving it more of an intellectual appeal to modern day Westerners than do most of the intellectual theological writings of Christianity.

Answer 2

Christianity did not come to the more "enlightened" countries because Christians did not conquer and take over their country. Christians obliterated the Mexicans and brought the poor pagan farmers their God by no choice of the Mexicans. Death was often the answer if you did not convert. Christians brought the word to the poor tribes of African. We gave our slaves our religion under threat of severe punishment. Our missionaries were not too successful in countries where Buddhism prevailed. The Christain goal was slaughter the less intellectual, conquer and convert. Intellectual is a loaded word here but in the Western sense of intellecutal, Christians targeted the less gifted, the poor, and usually under some form of punishment brought these people and these countries the "word." I think many religions are sound and can be compared but intellectual would not be part of the criteria.

Answer 3

NO WAY IN HELL.

Buddism is about accepting and tolerating others beliefs, and Christianity is the complete opposite.

Chrstians have been brainwashed by a book and a guy in a white suit, where as Buddists are dedicated to expanding thier knowledge and generally being nice, well from what I have heard anyway.

Honestly, I have done no research on Buddism, I'm only going off what I have been told.

As for the question, I believe that of the few Buddhist people that I know and of the many Christians I know, Buddhists are much the wiser and are as far from narrow minded as can be.

Answer 4

To the other posters: Say what you want about "Christians" and their actions but that does not mean that they are following the teachings. If you are going to "judge" on that basis then I suggest you widen your research group to include the 100s of 1000s of Christians who give their lives away in service everyday through out the world. Those are the real Christians.

I suggest reading Pascal's Pensees. A very intellectual book all based on logic from a famous scientist.

http://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/pensees/pensees.html

If you are looking for wisdom I would recommend Ecclesiastes, Job, and Proverbs in the Bible. These are the books that persuaded me to Christianity on an intellectual level.

'Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.' 1 Kings 4:30

I have great respect for the Buddha's teachings and there is truth in what he says, but in my 10+ years of studying Buddhism and Zen I never found the love for my fellow man and wisdom that I found and learned from the Bible. Through the years I have read many holy texts, Vedas, sutras, Tao Te Ching but the Bible is the last!

Answer 5

if anybody remembers the 1896 chicago religious convention whre Swami vivekananda won the hearts of all americans with the first very few lines of address to the audience. Eastern religions intellectual religions, where as western religions are prophetic religions. there were debates amongst hindus, budhist and jains for centuries. but the same is not heard of among christianity, judaism or islam.

my answer is that budhism is intellectually superior to all western religions, not just christianity. as a hindu i know very well about the budhists, their knowledge of many areas of religion, philosophy and metaphysics.

i've noticed a few disgusting notes from others here. kindly desist from insulting others, if you are not fully aware of the facts.

Answer 6

I am a Christian and i know Buddhism very well, i have a lot of respect fpr Buddha, but he is not remotely comparable to Jesus, just because there are a lot of people who are Christians it does not mean that they are Christians in the true sense of Christianity as taught by Christ....there are many Christians but very rarely will you find a true Christian.

True Christianity transcends understanding.

Answer 7

What no longer use your essay to "shed mild" and initiate off with the altar of atheism which says there is not any God. placed this altar in the decrease left edge of slightly paper and them place a niche and pass "up" to the three altars that have been laid down by utilising the seed of Abraham and initiate off with Islam this is the 1st "east" dealing with altar. Then pass "up" to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and them back pass "up" to the pass of Christ! this would teach that each and every physique faiths and altars are actually not on the comparable undeniable and you will guess or surmise from there that Buddhism is someplace between the altar of atheism and Islam because it "does not' descend from the seed of Abraham. wish this enables or supplies further techniques to artwork with.

Answer 8

Gaga, christianity is very similar to buddhism. both are 2 religions of great compassion.

like i said earlier, jesus and buddha are the 2 best examples any human being can follow

Answer 9

Having studied, both, I would say yes; however, you have to seek it out--it's not handed out at most Sunday services. C.S. Lewis is the first to spring to mind among those who took a good hard intellectual look at Christianity, and when you get back into the writings of the church fathers (Aquinas, Irenaeus, Augustine) it was necessary to help push the religion forward.

Answer 10

Intellectuality is the method to realize that al religion and gods are imaginary. Anyone with an open mind can come to this simple conclusion