Thinking about converting but too involved with Catholicism.

I'm a teen who has always been to a Roman Catholic. I go to a Catholic School(by Choice), I go to a christian summer camp, and I am very involved in the community, I love all of these things but it bothers me how the religion itself doesn't uphold its teachings. Recently I have been learning about buddhism and have become very interested. I love meditating and have always found that is when i feel closest to my spirituality. There is a Zen Buddhist temple that I have been dying to go to and learn more.

 

You don't have to convert to learn about and take in aspects of different religions or philosophies. Some people never settle down with one system of religion or philosophy. I've studied Buddhism and many other religions. Buddhism and similar religions/philosophies/lines of thought, are kind of what I try to use (somewhat) as guides to make my way through life while causing as little harm as possible to others (oh, how I have miserably failed so far). I am however an atheist (sometimes I ease up and try the agnostic thing). Tomorrow I may be something else. If your being Catholic doesn't cause harm (I can't believe I actually said that - no offense), why not stay with it but investigate alternatives.

 

Don't bee too concerned with labeling yourself. Just carve your own religious path and do what appeals to you. There is no reason why you can't be a meditating Catholic. Christianity and meditation aren't incompatible. If you want to explore Buddhism, you should. It's a fascinating religion with many appealing components. Maybe you could take your favorite Buddhist principles and try to incorporate them into your Christian faith.

Oh, and just because the majority of Catholics talk the talk but don't walk the walk, doesn't mean that you have to abandon Catholicism itself. Be the type of Catholic that you think is best, and lead others with your example.

 

I think the last time someone commented on my thoughts that I spent some time on was.... well... I can't remember so fuck it. You're on your own. There's nice people on this board, but they never get anything out of what I say. I am fucking useless. So fuck Hipforums, fuck all of you. And rim me. I am gone.

This isn't a hip forum. It's a bunch of narcissistic dipsos.

 

I think that if I explore more on the Theravada Buddhism that I will find my answer. Being faithful to one religion is important to me for some reason. Maybe as I am young I will walk the line in between and choose my path when I become wiser.

 

I'm not so sure that is correct. I think that there is both philisophical and religious Buddhism.

In certain sects, there certainly are supernatural beings, and they play an important role in ceremonies, for example.

I think that one should also consider the belief in reincarnation as being a fundamentally religious belief (that is, it requires faith).

 

People may get something out of your input without necessarily replying. Also, it may take time before the right reader arrives to get something out of what you say.

Maybe it's better to offer what you have to say without an expectation of a reply.

Please don't call yourself "fucking useless".

 

Agree with YFM that you can be a meditating Catholic. I suppose that you could talk to a priest about whether or not it is ok for you to visit a Zen Temple if you really feel that it is an issue.

I think that you could also just go and visit the temple if you wanted to.

I think the important thing is that you strive to live in a virtuous way, and keep things in your life, like meditating, that keep you feeling close to your spirituality.

May there be many blessings on your path.

 

I like this book, do you

 

The link supports your position, but I don't agree. I think there may be scriptural reasons to support the idea of Buddhism as a secular philosophy, but there are multiple sects that support the idea of gods and supernatural beings. Tibetan Buddhism is a good example.

So I think that one can approach Buddhism as a secular philosophy, but practically speaking Buddhism is often practiced as a religion.

I'm not buying that there is no element of faith, whether it is called reincarnation or rebirth.

 

Buddhism in its original version, has no place for God/gods. The focus was on living a ethical and happy life, with the ultimate focus on attaining Nirvana or enlightenment.

Man is complete, resourceful and strong in himself, and the need for God/gods are but psychological crutches indicative of his own weakness and tendency for dependence.

Genuine lovers of God are rare, and most who worship God do it in the attitude of a business. This is not love, but attachment that comes from want of a sense of security.

However as Buddhism spread all over, it made concessions for most of the common people and masses who were not able to comprehend its high philosophy, and were more of a worldly temperament. For such,the gods were created, and Buddha too was presented as a focus of worship.

This is the same in Hinduism as well, where in bhakti yoga, one worships God/gods, but in jnana yoga ( yoga of the intellect ), even God and gods are also seen as Maya or illusion, which prevent one from attaining the ultimate reality.

Bhakti yoga ( yoga of devotion ) has its relevance, both in hinduism and buddhism in the sense that it helps through image worship to develop the necessary concentration and focus. Through a process of gradual progression, the spiritual aspirant is then lead to the higher philosophies , the practice of which leads to enlightenment.

 

Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew to sit and watch, because you don't know when the son of man will return. This is meditation. He could totally set an example. Most Christians I know have never actually done this and it's so powerful and life changing.

 

Buddha was explicit in condemning faith as a practice.

“Buddhism is not a faith-based system in the traditional sense. In fact, when the Buddha first began to teach, he advised his disciples not to blindly accept his teachings out of faith, but rather to investigate the validity of his theories and test his methods for themselves.”
Excerpt From: Lama, Dalai. “The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition.”

The belief in rebirth was a kind of scientific observation of it's day, taken as an accurate account of the functioning of the universe, similarly to how they might look up at the sky and conclude from science and observation that the sun revolves around the earth. It is a cultural anachronism, a piggy-backed "fact" of asian and other cultures from that time period.


Buddhism is strictly based on mental practice and observation. There is absolutely not one single thing you need to take on faith in order to be a Buddhist, and all who take the time to investigate their mind and reality become Buddhists, even if preferring to not use the term (like me).

 

This is a reference to the Kalama Sutta, which in contemporary times is frequently quoted out of context. The Buddha was preaching not to his disciples, but to non-Buddhists. It is questionable as to whether he would have told his disciples to doubt him; rather, this seems to possibly have been a means to undermine their preconceived beliefs as well as to show humility and make an effort to show that he was not trying to force his teachings upon them. Clearly, though, he didn't teach things that he thought weren't worth believing, and indeed many suttas/sutras expound upon the virtues of faith whereas only this one suggests that one needs to find out the truth for oneself, disregarding whatever Buddhist teachings one simply dislikes.

Another take on this can be found from Thanissaro Bhikkhu here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html

Of course, it's all well and good to claim that faith IS important and that you can't just pick and choose what sounds right to you - in gravitating towards one teaching or another, it's what we do anyway. And don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that your view isn't "really" Buddhist, only that a very substantial number of Buddhists present and past would disagree with you, and that doesn't make them inauthentic Buddhists either. The scriptures can be read in such a manner as to support either claim, and of course they are.

 

Hello, Piaf! Long time no see. I'm back, with a new name. I don't intend to stick around the forums for long at all, but I've been curious for the past few years if there was a way to get in touch. I used to be an extremely prolific poster here under a different name. For one reason or another, I don't wish to divulge that name. But we used to chat a bit. Remember me? You sent me this Christmas card!




I made sure to cover your name in the card for the sake of your privacy

I drank a lot of beer and was pretty chubby - which only got worse until I sobered up - and I generally behaved very badly on here. However, I couldn't find you on fb or anything. I can't send a PM on this account (too new) but if you want to catch up, mengtianlin1985@hotmail.com

 

:sunny:

If u wanna go then go I'm sure god will understand u trying to find ur self just like Jesus in the desert.

 

Have you studied your own religion in-depth, before you form your opinion about it?

To me, you look like an infatuated teen, fascinated by "doing nothing" forgetting the work and validating this by the nice term "Meditation"

Do not run away from reality and hide under the covers of meditation