Can a Roman Catholic Christian practice other religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism?

Question

And still be a good Roman Catholic Christian? Is it possible to incorporate some of the beliefs of those three religions with Roman Catholicism?

Can somebody please thumbs down Minnie or Milly's or whatever here name is answer as I'm only on level 1 and I can't give a thumbs or or thumbs down. Thank you.

Answer 1

Don't get caught up in saying you're practicing another religion. Just use a TECHNIQUE from a school if it is pure and clean and helps you make spiritual progress.

Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism all have such techniques. In fact, those techniques have been and are being borrwed by Chrsitains all the time. Centering prayer and prayer recitation are basically techniques found int he East with different names. Jesuit visualizations fall into the same category.

So don't say you're practicing another religion, just practicing a spiritual cultivation method. Learn the principle and adopt them for your own religion, whatever it is.

And don't get so tied up with that "purity" aspect. If you're practicing to become one with God, which methods are not legitimate? When you actually read the cultivation methods used by Catholic saints, you'll be surprised to find they're often the same as in the East, and the stages of achievement they achieved are the same as well.

Answer 2

Taoism is not a religion, but rather a way of life. I am a Member of the Church of Christ and try to follow all teachings but I have also followed the Tao for many years and in doing so have found both the teachings of God and the teachings of Tao to be the same. Both teach of love, kindness, acceptance and peace. I have also studied Buddhism and find it is also very similar. I have studied many things including Wicca and have managed to stay on the path of enlightenment. I take what I need from all these things and disregard the rest. I think your question is one that can only be answered by you. One does not have to let anything overpower and be dominant. One can be at peace with all.

Answer 3

The First Commandment forbids anything other than total loyalty to God. One cannot serve two masters; The True God and some false god(s).

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with personally favoring aspects of other religions, so long as they are not in conflict with Catholicism.

For example: I highly favor the (typically) Orthodox Jewish practice of NEVER using the name of God unless it is in the context of religious worship. If more Christians took this to heart, there would be far less use of the Lord's name in vain.

Answer 4

Since Taoism and Confucianism are philosophies rather than faiths, as such, there's no reason why a Catholic could not follow them and remain a "good" Catholic.

I doubt very much that a "good" Taoist or Confucianist would be able to remain a Catholic for very long, however.

Answer 5

Practicing other religions would be a conflict. All religions come with beliefs and some of those will be at least in contrast, if not in contradiction with the Truth revealed by Christ. One should ask seriously why they would be even considering other religions. If they are lacking, then shouldn't they pray and seek from God?

Answer 6

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated, "...there 'cannot be unification' between Christianity and Buddhism. 'If you mean having a closer relation, understanding, that is happening in religions,' he noted. 'For individual practitioners, having one truth, one religion, is very important. Several truths, several religions, is contradictory,' he said."

( Quoted from http://www.tibet.ca/en/wtnarchive/2003/10/9_5.html )

The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh states:

"Buddhists and Christians both like to share their wisdom and experience. Sharing in this way is important and should be encouraged. But sharing does not mean wanting to others to abandon their own spiritual roots and embrace your faith. That would be cruel. People are happy only when they are firmly rooted in their own tradition and culture….We must help them return to their tradition. Each tradition must establish dialogue with its own people first, especially with those young people who are lost and alienated…I always urged my Western friends to go back to their own traditions and rediscover the values that are there….We can enrich one another's spiritual lives, but there is no need to alienate people from their ancestors and their values."
from "Living Buddha, Living Christ"

As far as "mixing" beliefs—well, that apparently becomes problematic. Generally, it will confuse the practitioner.

"Being a Buddhist is defined as taking refuge in the Three Jewels. The answer to the question 'Am I a Buddhist?' is based on whether or not you have taken refuge....You should take refuge fully; from the heart, knowing that these Three Jewels have the complete power and ability to help you. Since there is no better object of refuge, you disavow faith in any other refuge. Once you take refuge in the Three Jewels you should not look somewhere else for refuge. You should not have a divided mind and think that perhaps somebody else or some other religion would help."

from "Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo -- Volume One: The Foundation Practices" (Wisdom Publications)

So you see, one may read the teachings of the Buddha, find them to be of value and inspiration, and not consider him/herself to be a Buddhist. Many contemporary theologians of various religious traditions have found pertinent ideas in the Buddha's teachings. Meditation, one of the major components of Buddhism, has been practiced by every great religious teacher of every religion. As such, one may wish to follow Buddhist meditation as a means of strengthening one's insight and beliefs without any desire to convert to Buddhism. In fact. Buddhist teachers actively discourage people from leaving their traditional beliefs and embracing Buddhism. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has stated, "Don't try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are."

May all be at peace.

John

Answer 7

There are several Catholic writers who are well versed in Zen Buddhism, and several monks who are longtime Zen students. Father Robert Kennedy is a Catholic priest who is considered a Zen master, so if priests are permitted to openly study Buddhism, it shouldn't be a problem for other Catholics to study it, as well.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/99/story_9948_1.html

Answer 8

i guess you can if you want to...some things are the same. but there is a difference between practicing it and just trying to learn about it

Answer 9

Sounds good to me Hon. Follow your heart.:)

Answer 10

yes, some, like living in peace with other people.


edit: okay, I just thumbs-down "it".