Why do the Buddhists often seem more Christ like that the Christians do?

Question

Does anyone else notice this?

Love and blessings Don

Answer 1

Hi Don
In my experience my Buddhist friends focus on eliminating cravings, that includes the craving to be 'right'. Having need of nothing, one desires nothing, one defends nothing, one excepts everything. This kind of thinking along with freedom from fear as a goal, helps people find peace of mind in the here and now and not waiting for the afterlife. Buddhists also practice some form of stillness, meditation to learn the art of listening. (which I loved learning to do in my non Buddhist non Christian non any religion little life) Prayer is talking to God, meditation is listening. I think my Buddhists buddies, as a result of practicing listening, trust themselves and reality more than my Christian friends because of the notion of punishment, and God's wrath (which as The Course says is absolute up-side-down thinking. Creator offers ONLY Mercy to all) How can The Creator forgive and punish at the same time? Trust is a key thing here! I think fear is a horrible motivator for any religion as it bypasses teaching the love of right doing and focuses on the fear of wrong doing. I love my Christian friends just as much! They are less likely to 'be here now' and know peace now, as they tend to defend Jesus instead of acting like him which includes having absolute love and tolerance for others and their views. (you know who you are!) They also seem to think they have the answers to life already
and are not likely to entertain MY viewpoint! I hope they read this it is easier than telling them face to face. LOL Anywho........Cheers to free will!!!

Peace

Answer 2

+PAX+ I personally view the Buddha as just a person on the wrong path and as for your other ? After Vatican II some saints were removed because the church doubted their existence they also removed many saints feast days from the calender or made them optional to observe which I am outraged at I think some things need to go back to the way they were before Vatican II like the liturgy the saints days the sacraments the nuns monks priests deacons sub-deacon and I think the church should follow the Greek calender for things such as palm Sunday good Fri. Easter etc. God Bless+ In Jesus and Mary with all the Saints, David +Christ has Risen Alleluia Alleluia+

Answer 3

I don't know any Buddhists personally, but I understand they are an awesome people. Everyone, Christians, Muslims and Atheists alike could learn some good from them. However, all the groups I just mentioned have good and bad people too. And I am sure Buddhists have their moments also..lol. I have known some awesome people from a lot of different religious backgrounds. We are all on this planet together and we should respect and tolerate each other, even if we don't agree. Hope this helps. Have an awesome day, and thanks for the question. :)

Answer 4

Sad to say, but Christians are supposed to be Christ Like. Which means servitude, love, grace, mercy, and to continue the message of Christ which is the service of God.

Buddhists practice all those stated above as well as a continued work of self peace and reflection. Everyone calling themselves Christians are not always what they say. That's why God says he knows the heart and soul. He also says that he knows his sheep and his sheep knows his voice.

In life you have authentic and you also have counterfeits. It's a shame and it's also very sad but it's true. True faith and a belief in ones Religion is a spiritual journey between you, The God you serve and your morals. It is possible to be immoral and say you follow a certain faith.

Great question!

Answer 5

Excellent Observation! Buddhism teaches tolerance for every religion and compassion for all mankind. So many of the christians I know really dont act very tolerant, or compassionate even though the religions are really very similar. The main difference I see is that Christians worship God, and buddhists live by the teachings of Buddha. Anyone can be a Buddha and buddhists arent expected to worship anyone.

Answer 6

Oh I really hate to sound as if I'm bashing, but it might have something to do with the promise of an afterlife. Imagine being a serial murderer who only needs to confess his sins and receive Christ in his heart to gain entrance to heaven. Why would you do the right thing when your religion tells you that you obviously don't need to?

It's not only the Buddhists who are more Christ-like. I'm seeing it in the pagans, the wiccans, the agnostics, the atheists, etc.

Answer 7

That's very kind of you Don. I don't think of myself that way but I do honor Jesus as my spiritual ancestor. I think there are many similarities between the teachings of the Buddha and what Jesus said in the Gnostic gospels. A great book to read (if you haven't already) is 'Living Buddha, Living Christ' by Thich Nhat Hahn. Blessings. Om Shanti.
Truth 7.......I think the observations are very logical but we all have a hard time following them. I don't sit in front of statues just meditating. I think everything is meditation. I also agree that many others are very Christ-like i.e. pagans, wiccans, agnostics, gnostics, atheists etc etc

Answer 8

There is so much theory to get hung up on in Christianity. With all the theory involved and various ways to understand what it means to you, its kind of inevitable that us imperfect beings are going to get all tangled up in it. Its the bossy frontal lobe of our brains that runs away with its "dominance" of the subject. the result is that most Christians are a shadow of what a true Christian really is, like they are going through the motions of what they think is expected of them.

Buddhists get hung up on Buddhism too, but the design of Buddhism makes it easier to not give it a stranglehold. I believe that in the bible God says "Be still and know me". Of course this is a practice that Buddhist value. Even if there is no consideration of "God".

I think that if there is a God, he's not religious. Understand?

I hope that my jargon makes some sense.

PS-Although my answer is true "Twinkle Sunday's" answer is more important than mine.

Answer 9

Buddism leads to stoicism.Even though a type of Stoicism is practiced among Nuns and monks it has nothing to do with Buddism beliefs.
Christian are sinners who have obtained forgiveness and salvation In Christ. Whereas Buddism seeks the meaning of
Life thru stoicism.
You cannot claim to have Christ in your heart if you dont Know who He is.Therefore there is no way that the person would be Christlike.
One cannot put himself in a corner and sit just to wacht and say the things in the world are no good and deny that there is an abondance that our Creator offered us to Enjoy.

Answer 10

Hi Don,

Buddhists are taught to meditate and be more Buddha like to reach enlightment. So that by doing so, they become more buddha like and more God like or Christ like..

Christians, on the other hand, are not taught this.. They are only taught to pray and worship and keep the commandments..

Hence, you can see the difference..

Love and blessings.....