There is much speculation surrounding the correlations between a number of Eastern traditions/practices/religions. When I get the motivation I'll hunt a couple of links. Feel free to beat me to it..... What do you feel about the statement in the title?
The reason of the similarities between eastern practices and the newer Christian texts is partly from Zoraster, which has direct links between Hinduism and Judaism, which is a link between all 5 world of the prevalent world religions. And largely because Jesus is, from what I have deciphered from research, a compilation of mythological figures such as Osiris and Horus.
Hindu to be more precise, at least going by the Sermon on the Mount he was, however most of that was lifted from the Pharisees, whom were evidently influenced by Hindu doctrine.
Has anybody ever figured in the correllation between hell and rebirth and AND this life we live, not to mention nirvana/heaven? Jesus said live your life good, believe in me, and when it's all over, I'll give you eternal bliss. Buddhism, while altogether different, shares many valid similarities in philosophy. Love, caring, kindness, knowledge, etc. The basic principles of life. Where it starts to differ is that Buddhism is very strong on Learning to renounce the things that lead us to wrong thought, speach and action, and you can be happy now. Enlightened. YOu understand how to live for the betterment of all and how to cope with the impermanence of life(same thing Christianity is geared towards...aside from it's side agendas). When you do that, you stop going through the AWFUL cycle of rebirth. It's an awful cycle because suffering is a condition of life and life is a condition of birth. Symbolism that perhaps we are in hell and have been since original sin. They each are working towards endless bliss, right? They both tell you not to be adulterous, murderous, and otherwise scandalous, right? Aside from petty specifics such as Christianity being very mythical and Buddhism preferring to believe in what can be proven, what's so different? Discuss.
Western religions are transactional: dealing in debt and reward Eastern religions are educational: dealing in knowledge and ignorance.
but all religions say those things. religions are, essentially, moral guidelines, and throughout the years nuances have been added, and after millenia of divided opinions, we have branched out to what we have today, a whole bunch of religions and views with the same basic principles of morality.
So nobody has ever had the idea that this life is our hell? That since original sin we've been doomed to repeat this time and time again, suffering for eternity, until we can get it right? If I'm the only one than I must be crazy.
I was giving you a hard time. Not that I've ever done much research but my less than educated opinion has always favored that scenario. I don't really believe that Jesus is Buddist, but I have oftened wondered if this Universe is hell.
I'd say the historical evidence favors it greatly, but whether he was born to a virgin and rose from the dead, well that's just stupid.