Buddhist Belief around Christian?

Question

Is it wrong for Christians/Catholics to study Buddhist beliefs centering around love and getting rid of negative thoughts?

Answer 1

No. It is not wrong for anyone to seek enlightenment.

Answer 2

I personally think you can for the following reason. Suppose the most Biblically literalist, fundamentalist beliefs turn out to be true, i.e. that God really does send people who don't follow Christ to a place of unbearable torment forever. Just accept for a second that that is true. Then, as a Buddhist, you have succeeded in achieving complete serenity and detachment for the suffering which you would otherwise experience. That means Hell can't touch you. If that's so, it constitutes a kind of reductio ad absurdum proof that Christianity and Buddhism are compatible, because God is all-powerful but cannot send you to Hell if you're a Buddhist in any real sense. Since that's contradictory, it can't happen, so it follows that Buddhism is compatible with even the harshest, most disturbing possible version of Christian belief, which not only suggests strongly that it isn't so, because that kind of justice is impossible to serve otherwise, but also suggests, whatever exclusivists might claim, that the only logical, consistent position is that deep down the two faiths are one and the same. Buddhist and Christian mystics have been known to make positive claims of this kind about each others' faiths.

Answer 3

Here in Georgia we have a Trappist monastery (very conservative, very Catholic monastery). Recently the monastery invited a group of Buddhist monks to visit. The local news showed them in prayer together. When asked what was going on they only said that they were learning from eachother. So there is nothing wrong with learning prayer, love, ridding of negative thoughts. All these things are consistent with your faith as a Catholic. The Bible and the Catholic faith wants you to seek truth, practice love, relish live and treasure everything that is beautiful. The Catholics Church also teaches us that it and the Bible are treasures of truth.

Answer 4

To say Christian/Catholic is the same as saying Buddhist/Hinayana. I do not think it is wrong for Christians to study Buddhist beliefs. In fact, I know of many that do just that.

Answer 5

Nothing wrong with studying them as long as one realizes that they are incompatible with Christian belief. For example, Buddhism teaches that evil is just an illusion and thus there is no difference between, say, cruelty and non-cruelty.

Answer 6

It is never wrong for you to do anything that will help you progress internally. The only thing that is wrong is to not ask and search. If you were raised christian and never learned the other religions, how would you know that they weren't right? The more you know, the more you are.

Answer 7

NO, its wrong for someone not to explore other beliefs because their religion wont allow it.
Ever stopped and thought about the fact that there is not only one way?
if it feels good to you then do it

Answer 8

i am a buddhist believer BUT i am not a buddhist .

confuzed?

ask yourself this first.

What is wrong, what is correct.

who makes a difference between wrong and correct.

What is high, what is low.

who makes a difference between high and low.

Just follow your heart and hopefully u will enlighten.

Answer 9

No if it help you understand your inner being better and makes you the person that you want to be good luck, I have an inner peace with my love of faith and trust in my lord Jesus Christ! AMEN.

Answer 10

No. They are acquiring only knowledge for references. Especially Theologians.