Originally posted by robbie carrobie i realize that these thoughts may be quite controversial but i am not adverse to being corrected, if it is done in a civil manner, naturally.
For the majority of Christians I have talked to on the subject, getting into heaven is a priority. That sounds pretty selfish to me. I must say though that I have known plenty of very unselfish Christians.
I often ask Christians if they would give up their place in heaven for someone else (the ultimate selfless act). I am yet to meet one who said they would. Most try to dodge the question.
Originally posted by robbie carrobie can you not cheer her up?
Lou Reed, channeling the buddha, "life is just made out of dirt" but this every day world IS the world of love and beauty and meaning. You have a precious gift at this moment to be allowed to take part in the life of the universe. Most people (in my experience) who contemplate suicide do so because they are so tired of dragging that chain of karma - that chain that we are pushing into the future and dragging from the past - the chain of who we are. When this becomes too oppressive for me, I go to the sink and use the best smelling soap and wash my hands and let it drain away because nothing is really binding you to that karma - you can just let it go. What was done to you, what you did to others, you can remake it in this moment or this moment. Since samsara (this every day world) is nirvana (the world of enlightenment) there is no division of reality just as there is no division among people. You don't need to be freed if you are not chained. The condition of life is pain but that pain is what enables pleasure.
Originally posted by TerrierJack Lou Reed, channeling the buddha, "life is just made out of dirt" but this every day world IS the world of love and beauty and meaning. You have a precious gift at this moment to be allowed to take part in the life of the universe. Most people (in my experience) who contemplate suicide do so because they are so tired of dragging that chain of karma - that ...[text shortened]... if you are not chained. The condition of life is pain but that pain is what enables pleasure.
Originally posted by Nicksten By 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?
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.
no. the concept of sin and guilt is foreign. Buddism instead focus's on creating good karma and expiating bad karma. adultry, stealing etc would be considered creating bad karma and thusly unhealthy for you.
Originally posted by karoly aczel she says' thanks '
There's an american comedian (Marc Maron) who tells my favorite joke about going to a Grateful Dead concert with some girls he didn't much care for and doing some drugs that really messed him up (aided by the squealing girls.) He was about to completely lose it when a guy next to him noticed his distress and said the punch line (that we in the USA really had to appreciate the previous 8 years,) "Hang in there, man, hang in there." Please tell her to hang in there! At my age (#!#!@), you realize that there is a finite amount of sunrises and sunsets left and they shouldn't be wasted.
Originally posted by karoly aczel she says" she's been holding off on a daily basis for 20 years and its very f***ing hard . Appreciates cartoons,people,self-help meetings,12 step meetings and everything enlightenment has presented thus far. Life hurts. Thanks robbie"
Your Lady has her mind freezeframed within an image, and this still mind of her is the agent that hurts her, not Life
Originally posted by znsho Buddha never made any claims about a creator or why we are here.
Buddha never claimed to be a 'Prophet of God'.
Buddha simply found 'enlightenment' and tried to show others how to find that same enlightenment.
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Buddha never made any claims about a creator or why we are here.
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I think that is agreed to by me.
I studied Zen many years ago. Can't say I know a lot about Buddhism beyond the basics.
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Buddha never claimed to be a 'Prophet of God'.
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Okay.
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Buddha simply found 'enlightenment' and tried to show others how to find that same enlightenment.
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And some of the things he taught do have some amount of truth in them. So they capture the attention of a good number of people on the earth.
Originally posted by jaywill [b]================
Buddha never made any claims about a creator or why we are here.
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I think that is agreed to by me.
I studied Zen many years ago. Can't say I know a lot about Buddhism beyond the basics.
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Buddha never claimed to be a 'Prophet of God'.
==================[/b ...[text shortened]... nt of truth in them. So they capture the attention of a good number of people on the earth.
Of course. And, perhaps that's why more people are leaving Christianity and joining Buddhism, or whatever you originally suggested.
Perhaps people are realising 'there is no creator, we are here and stuck with it, we are part of it, let's do the best we can to find true happiness'. An that is what Buddha was trying to say.
Perhaps Buddha's most profound teaching was 'a person's main problem in life is wishing NOT to have problems'. But, it is those problems that make us what we are.
Originally posted by znsho Of course. And, perhaps that's why more people are leaving Christianity and joining Buddhism, or whatever you originally suggested.
Perhaps people are realising 'there is no creator, we are here and stuck with it, we are part of it, let's do the best we can to find true happiness'. An that is what Buddha was trying to say.
Perhaps Buddha's most profou ...[text shortened]... fe is wishing NOT to have problems'. But, it is those problems that make us what we are.
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Of course. And, perhaps that's why more people are leaving Christianity and joining Buddhism, or whatever you originally suggested.
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That's Okay with me. Like I said, Jesus is not a religion. He's a living Person.
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Perhaps people are realising 'there is no creator, we are here and stuck with it, we are part of it, let's do the best we can to find true happiness'. An that is what Buddha was trying to say.
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Well, my moment of enlightenment came when I was much involved with Zen. One day I was looking out the window of a college building. I saw a young man crossing the street. A car was approaching. I noticed that the young man hurried his walk so as to avoid being hit.
At that moment I realized that practically speaking human life must not be an illusion.
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Perhaps Buddha's most profound teaching was 'a person's main problem in life is wishing NOT to have problems'. But, it is those problems that make us what we are.
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Originally posted by jaywill Well, my moment of enlightenment came when I was much involved with Zen. One day I was looking out the window of a college building. I saw a young man crossing the street. A car was approaching. I noticed that the young man hurried his walk so as to avoid being hit.
At that moment I realized that practically speaking human life must not be an illusion.
Up until then you thought human life was just an illusion?