01 Jun 09
1 edit
Originally posted by karoly aczelProbably a number of factors including:
as i understand way more people(per capita)leave the christian religion than bhuddism. why?
- Buddhism is probably more flexible - ie you can change your beliefs quite dramatically without saying you are no longer Buddhist.
- Different cultures of the members.
- Different education circumstances. As I understand it as education levels rise people on average become less religious. Maybe the education levels are rising faster in Christian countries.
You should probably find out where Islam or Hinduism fit in as that might give other indications. I believe that there is more risk of ostracism if you leave Islam than with most other religions.
01 Jun 09
Originally posted by twhiteheadall good points i agree with.
Probably a number of factors including:
- Buddhism is probably more flexible - ie you can change your beliefs quite dramatically without saying you are no longer Buddhist.
- Different cultures of the members.
- Different education circumstances. As I understand it as education levels rise people on average become less religious. Maybe the education lev ...[text shortened]... believe that there is more risk of ostracism if you leave Islam than with most other religions.
i was thinking bhuddism may be a better religion and therefor less people find a need to change
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01 Jun 09
It could be because some (all?) buddhists don't consider themselves any more 'correct' than all the other 'foolish common mortals' and therefore have nothing to leave or change. Everyone is an adherent of the 'human' religion whether they want to be or not. In this context there is no 'better' - just different. In or out - same difference.
02 Jun 09
Originally posted by twhiteheadHi, there, TW! Hope all is well with you and yours.
Probably a number of factors including:
- Buddhism is probably more flexible - ie you can change your beliefs quite dramatically without saying you are no longer Buddhist.
- Different cultures of the members.
- Different education circumstances. As I understand it as education levels rise people on average become less religious. Maybe the education lev ...[text shortened]... believe that there is more risk of ostracism if you leave Islam than with most other religions.
Buddhism is probably more flexible - ie you can change your beliefs quite dramatically without saying you are no longer Buddhist.
Or having other Buddhists declare you not to be a “true” Buddhist…?
That kind of thing could be a pragmatic reason for choosing a given religion/philosophy, however, not an evidentiary reason. One who sticks with Buddhism because they believe, say, that a range of perspectival beliefs (given the perspectival nature of human consciousness) best expresses the general “truth of the matter” would be putting the same point into an evidentiary category.
I would hope that most people change, or stick with, religions/philosophies ultimately for evidentiary reasons rather than simply for pragmatic ones.
NOTE: Some people argue that Buddhism is not, properly, a religion but a philosophy—since it does not require belief in a supernatural dimension of any kind.
_________________________________________________
Clear light refracted
through a thousand prisms:
Then folks argue about
which resulting hue
is the only “true” color—
(That is, from my Zen perspective, a very Buddhist bit of doggerel.)
02 Jun 09
1 edit
Originally posted by vistesdwhat does the word doggerel mean?
Hi, there, TW! Hope all is well with you and yours.
[b]Buddhism is probably more flexible - ie you can change your beliefs quite dramatically without saying you are no longer Buddhist.
Or having other Buddhists declare you not to be a “true” Buddhist…?
That kind of thing could be a pragmatic reason for choosing a given religion/philosoph ...[text shortened]... s the only “true” color—
(That is, from my Zen perspective, a very Buddhist bit of doggerel.)[/b]
02 Jun 09
Originally posted by karoly aczel"Better" in what way? More attractive? Less likely to be 'seen through'? More likely to cause lasting delusions?
all good points i agree with.
i was thinking bhuddism may be a better religion and therefor less people find a need to change
The vast majority of believers become members of the first religion they are introduced to - usually that of their parents. I suspect that the choice of leaving a religion and taking on a new one takes more thought but is also affected by what other religions you are exposed to and how strongly your friends/relatives are likely to react to your change.
02 Jun 09
Originally posted by duecerBy saying this, do you mean that if you are into adultery, killing, mugging, raping etc that this religion is for you? Does it also mean that this type of religion supports whatever you feel doing to do without having to feel guilty about it?
because there is no sin and guilt in buddism.
I honestly think this is a load of nonsense. If this is the case, then the earth really has billions of nutcases walking around us.