I am a Buddhist and if anyone wants to question my beliefs then they are welcome to do so...

I stood up for him because he is one of the few religious posters here with no ax to grind.

This is a thread written to proselytize for Buddhist religious ideas. I don't know what having an "ax to grind" means in this context.

It is nice that you are standing up for him, but I don't believe you would stand up for people proselytizing for any other religion. As I said, there is a Western fetishism around Eastern religions even though there is a lack of understanding of the cultural context. I find the fact that people are willing to criticize Christian ideas being spread here... but questioning Buddhist ideas seems to be off limit for many people.

I have problems with stupidity not with belief systems. I think Edgar is on the same boat I am.

If your granny believes chocolate cake is better than cheesecake I bet you don't spend an afternoon debating her on her tastes, unless of course she starts talking on how chocolate cake has some miraculous properties for your health.

I don't have any problem entertaining some Religious convoluted well thought out argument. If it is properly done I find refreshing in a sea of normally stupid reasoning. My problem with Religious people is Dogma and total abandonment of a rational in a simulation of a debate that often tends to be more of a monologue.

I spent far far too many years practicing an inward only meditation…which is what Buddhism is.I know all about it.It dismantles the individual,period…I’m not asking for your views on this…I know what it does from personal experience.

I have explained on many posts that a better understanding of the consciousness states is the way forward rather than accepting blindly that one is consciousness which one definitely isn’t.

The Buddha was a “prisoner of consciousness” I can assure you.

The fundamental issue is that once one totally dismisses the possibility of God then one by implication dismisses the possibility of SELF as well.

As no DEFINITIVE proof is given for the existence or non existence of God/Self then if one only believes in half possibilities then one cuts ones meditative options down by half…

I accept all logic output possibility combinations when it comes to meditation which is a far better way forward……SELF doesn’t exist …..ok…provide definitive proof if you can…..no wait a minute…you can’t provide the impossible can you.

There’s a huge difference between people who say they are of a certain faith and are willing to discuss their beliefs and those who come on here and start insulting and ridiculing anyone who doesn’t believe exactly the same as them. Even when 99% of what the believe in is irrefutable total bollocks like the Biblical flood and Adam and Eve actually happening.

Max is A2K’s own Iago. He likes to stir up trouble where there is none and cause conflict and division just so he can feel important.

Actually, I’m being unfair to Iago, he has some noble qualities lacking in Max.

I never understood crabbing someone for the sake of doing them in alone. There ought to be some underlying principle of fairness.

No.

Proselytizing is an aggressive action where you literally go knock on people's doors trying to make converts. Like this.



On the other hand, inviting others to critique your religions means they get to decide whether or not to care, and you can only reactively respond with information. This is not technically proselytizing.

There is quite a bit of nastiness and disrespect shown to people professing a Christian faith... and many times this disrespect is not deserved.

I don't accept the idea that Buddhism is superior to Christianity, and I see no reason why these two religions should mot be treated equally.

No there is not.

I can name many Christians who are not attacked for their faith because they’re sincere.

I get on very well with genuine Christians. I always got on very well with Spademaster.

People get their undies all twisted at the mere mention of religion. The persecution complex triggers hysterical attacks. The fear of being wrong amplifies this feeling. Atack attack attack. The only reason I have spoken out against the religious posters in general is that they have attacked me all of my life. When someone comes on here attacking either atheism or science in the name of religion I am just standing up to a bully.

Thanks, izzy. Just seeing how you're all doing and checking on my topics.

Au contraire, it should be questioned but alas no questions. Perhaps it should only be questioned by those who have a genuine interest in Buddhism and not those with a neutral or negative view of it.

We disagree. If you are going to criticize something, it helps to have negative or neutral view of it. People with a positive view of a belief system have a more difficult seeing the problems or inherent contradictions.

If you are going to promote a religion in a public space, you should expect criticism. There are safe spaces where everyone thinks pretty much alike, but this isn't one of them.

Why don't you quit trolling the man, Max. Haven't you gotten your jollies off on this thread enough?

But I used the word ‘Perhaps’ and still no question only statements…

The verb "question" has two meanings... it can mean to enquire or it can mean to criticize.

I am clearly here to criticize Buddhism. And, I believe my criticisms are valid.

Religion is deeply connected to culture. The original Buddhism that developed in Eastern India and spread to the Far East has a different meaning to the people who followed it than it does to people in the West.

This is also true with Christianity of course. Christianity started with fisherman and working people of a marginalized Middle Eastern culture that was under the imperial control of the world power of the day. If you took a first century Christian and put them into an American church, they would first be confused... and then they would likely be shocked and dismayed. We have taken their religion and molded it to our own culture.

The difference is that modern American Christians don't pretend to be Middle Eastern fisherman. No one really thinks of Christianity as a Middle Eastern religion any more (Jesus is even portrayed as a White man).

I am critical of the pretentiousness of Buddhism. Any religion has parts that aren't logically consistent; Jesus is at once God and God's son for example.

But Western Buddhists want to pretend that Buddhism is logical in the mathematical sense. And that is simply nonsense.

For clarity this is my topic’s definition of the word ‘question’: a sentence worded or expressed so as to elicit information. It is a noun. Do you have a question?

I think what you intended was an advertisement of Buddhism. When you have a show where fawning questions are answered by an adherent; that is the format of an infomercial.

As I said, this isn't a good place for one-sided conversations promoting a religion without any criticism.