I'm a bad Buddhist

[Ryokan]

I'm mostly a lurker, but I just had to get this of my chest.

As a dedicated Buddhist, I'm supposed to have no hate and to show loving kindness towards all fellow beings.

But sometimes, something manages to find a chink in my armor and make me think very unpleasant thoughts.

Yes, I'm talking about the fundamental evangelical Christians.

Anyone watching the show Revelations? Really, it's not really a bad show, I can enjoy shows like that with no problem, because they're fiction. Just as I can't stand psychics in real life, but can enjoy it when it's presented as fiction like the tv show Medium (until I found out it was based on a real life psycic, bah!)

Anyway, the one thing on Revelations that really makes me feel uncomfortable, is the chief bad guy, the head Satanist. Why? Well, when he's using his evil 'magic', he assumes the lotus position. Heh...

It reminds me of when I was in high school, and we had religion class. When we had about Satanism, our religion teacher brought a video about the dangers of Satanism, and on the cover was the devil himself, sitting in lotus position.

Yeah yeah, I get it. Buddhism is Satanism and evil. All those who are not with me are against me, etc.

I remember there was a short period that missionaries seemed to be on my door on a weekly basis. First there were the Mormons. I made it clear I was a Buddhist, but that they were welcome in to have a chat, and to discuss the bible. They were very pleasant people, so I didn't mind that they returned several times. In fact, I enjoyed it quite much, and became very good friends with these missionaries and often had them over for pizza and a movie, with no religion talk at all. Then there were the Jehova's Witnesses. Now, I've heard a lot about those kind of people, and none of it very nice. So I told them (two old ladies) that I was a Buddhist, but they were welcome in. We had a good chat about the bible, and religion in general, so when they asked if they could return next week, I said sure. They returned about 5 times, and we had a good time each time.

And then there were the evangelists. As I did with the previous missionaries, I told them (two teenage girls, very cute) I was a Buddhist but they were welcome in. They told me the end times were coming, I was an evil sinner, and would go to hell... Then they left... So as you can see, I have no problem with Christians, only the extremist evangelicals...

Another thing that gives me these sinister feelings, are unethical conversions. For those that don't know, the term unethical conversion refers to some of the methods the Christian missionaries use in third world countries, like exchanging food and medicine for conversion. No accepting Jesus, no food.

http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=ARTICLES&id=1113838580

In Sri Lanka, they're trying to make unethical conversions illegal, but the Christians are protesting against it.

http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=14104

And then there's this page, that just makes me sad.

http://www.onebillionwait.org/

Why can't these people just accept and respect that some people don't, and don't want to, believe in their god? Is it too much to ask for?

(sorry for the rant, it's 5am)

 

[Iacchus]

In and of itself, anger is not a bad thing. The problem is what we do to resolve the anger that makes it good or bad.

 

[Kopji]

If it's any consolation, the western tradition of showing satan in the lotus position is more likely to derive from pagan symbolism of the god Cernunnous (aka "the horned god"). Christians have always had a thing for (quite successfully) hijacking local pagan gods and turning them into evil characters.

The Celtic god Cernunnous is depicted in a lotus position on the Gundestrup Cauldron in the National Museum in Copenhagen, (Denmark).

 

[Ryokan]

I did not know that, although I'm not surprised. But, does Cernunnous hold his fingers like the Buddha did? Umm, how to explain it, making his thumb and two fingers form a circle...

Edit : Just for kicks, I made a websearch, and found a picture of the gentleman in question.

 

[nabiscothejerd]

hey lacchus why don't you respond to the part about unethical conversions instead of ignoring it like you christians do to so many biblical passages

 

[Kopji]

Oh well. Maybe they intend to mean Buddhists after all.
I've never seen the show. I think I could predict a show named "Revelations" would be one I could skip in favor of a Gilligan's Island rerun.

You are, like, a GREAT Buddhist putting up with all those missionaries.

(Better be careful we do not start worshiping you, you seem more moral than other gods we have on the forum).

 

[Ryokan]

Revelations is not a bad show, I quite like it. I love a good fantasy, wether it's Lord of the Rings, the Foundation Saga or the Bible

 

[TragicMonkey]

If it's any consolation, the western tradition of showing satan in the lotus position is more likely to derive from pagan symbolism of the god Cernunnous (aka "the horned god"). Christians have always had a thing for (quite successfully) hijacking local pagan gods and turning them into evil characters.

Be fair: they also did that with a good percentage of their saints.

 

[Ryokan]

hey lacchus why don't you respond to the part about unethical conversions instead of ignoring it like you christians do to so many biblical passages

To be fair to lacchus, I see the truth in his reply, although I think it's better not to feel anger at all. Also, I don't think he's a Christian evangelist, so personally I can in no way put unethical conversion on his doorstep.

Edit : Bah, spelling.

 

[Iacchus]

hey lacchus why don't you respond to the part about unethical conversions instead of ignoring it like you christians do to so many biblical passages

Oh, I'm not a Christian if that's what you think. Or, at least I don't subscribe to any so-called "Christian Church." Of course the topic of the thread was about being a bad Buddhist, and he began by speaking about getting angry. So I guess I could have been mistaken there? But then again (in all honesty) it could have had more to do with this other "Buddha-Pest" who's been following me around the forums ...

 

[nabiscothejerd]

To be fair to lacchus, I see the truth in his reply, although I think it's better not to feel anger at all. Also, I don't think he's a Christian evangelist, so personally I can in no way put unethical conversion on his doorstep.

it is in no way that i think he's part of the unethical conversion i just want to hear a christians perspective on it since i am trying to be more open minded and hear more after all learning the truth is to hear everything and i put no anger into it all i just feel that he is spitting rhetoric and i would like to hear some kind of answer so while i cannot say that i'm sorry for seeming to write with anger i have seen many texts and he never really makes any sense (after all if we we're debating face to face i would have used a normal speaking tone

 

[Iacchus]

To be fair to lacchus, I see the truth in his reply, although I think it's better not to feel anger at all. Also, I don't think he's a Christian evangelist, so personally I can in no way put unethical conversion on his doorstep.

Sounds fair enough. Thanks. Sorry if I brought my excess baggage to this thread.

 

[nabiscothejerd]

Oh, I'm not a Christian if that's what you think. Or, at least I don't subscribe to any so-called "Christian Church." Of course the topic of the thread was about being a bad Buddhist, and he began by speaking about getting angry. So I guess I could have been mistaken there? But then again (in all honesty) it could have had more to do with this other "Buddha-Pest" who's been following me around the forums, Mr. Pahansiri.

my mistake, i remember that you did say that you believed that jesus said many wise things but i cannot really understand what you are saying most of the time since you seem to be speaking mostly rhetoric remember no anger on my part i am doing my duty as a thinker to question everything

oh yeah i would like to hear your opinion on the unethical conversions just your opinion it's your choice whether to include facts

remember i am tyring to understand just as much as you are

In and of itself, anger is not a bad thing. The problem is what we do to resolve the anger that makes it good or bad.

after all if you think that anger isn't a bad thing then do you feel anger towards people who use jesus's word's to forcefully convert non-christians to christians that is what i want to know and i would think that the answer would be yes

 

[Iacchus]

my mistake, i remember that you did say that you believed that jesus said many wise things but i cannot really understand what you are saying most of the time since you seem to be speaking mostly rhetoric remember no anger on my part i am doing my duty as a thinker to question everything

Well, personally, I think if anybody wants to "get anything," they have to grasp for it themselves. This is why I tend not to spew facts all over the place.

oh yeah i would like to hear your opinion on the unethical conversions just your opinion it's your choice whether to include facts

remember i am tyring to understand just as much as you are

What, aside from the fact that I think organized religion for the most part is a big joke? I don't get angry with these people though, because they're lost.

 

[Kopji]

I get all my real pagan knowledge from D&D.
I'm pretty sure the horned god was featured on the cover for a while, I just remember he was always shown in the lotus position.

I suppose shows like 'Medium' and 'Revelations' and 'Joan of Arcadia', and 'Dead Zone' and... Larry King Live are mostly harmless.

The idea behind a show like 'Revelations' is going to be that everyone who does not bow to Jesus is going to die, so I would think knowing that going in would lower expectations for enlightenment a little.

 

[Iacchus]

after all if you think that anger isn't a bad thing then do you feel anger towards people who use jesus's word's to forcefully convert non-christians to christians that is what i want to know and i would think that the answer would be yes

I believe that everybody has the right to free speach. I also believe we have the right to turn the TV off or, turn the solicitors away at or door.

 

[nabiscothejerd]

Well, personally, I think if anybody wants to "get anything," they have to grasp for it themselves. This is why I tend not to spew facts all over the place.

but facts are the way that we know things after all the sillyness of the earth is flat argument during the middle ages is that they just believed it because they we're told to and did not think for themselves at all out of fear of god and the church so think if they wouldv'e used science and not religion then they wouldv'e known that their idea was silly but that could not have happened because they grasped for themselves the believe that the earth is flat and nothing can really change your mind when you do nothing but believe and you see that is the exact reason why i choose to acknowledge facts and not to care what i think is right or wrong but instead to believe and search for the truth do you agree or disagree

What, aside from the fact that I think organized religion for the most part is a big joke? I don't get angry with these people though, because they're lost.

yes i really accept the fact that all organized religion is a joke and that they're lost because they refuse to accept the facts of science

 

[nabiscothejerd]

I believe that everybody has the right to free speach. I also believe we have the right to turn the TV off or, turn the solicitors away at or door.

you see that is exactly what i was talking about you did not directly answer my question

after all if you think that anger isn't a bad thing then do you feel anger towards people who use jesus's word's to forcefully convert non-christians to christians that is what i want to know and i would think that the answer would be yes

remember these people cannot just turn off the tv or turn solicitors away like free (or supposedly free) countries like us they have to relyon the food and clothing shelter and supplies that these fundamentalists christians give them. they don't care as much about free speech as surviving remember to us surviving is getting our next video game or getting to work on time

 

[Iacchus]

remember these people cannot just turn off the tv or turn solicitors away like free (or supposedly free) countries like us they have to relyon the food and clothing shelter and supplies that these fundamentalists christians give them. they don't care as much about free speech as surviving remember to us surviving is getting our next video game or getting to work on time

Oh, was that somewhere in the (original) post? I must have missed it ... It was awfully lengthy.

 

[Iacchus]

after all if you think that anger isn't a bad thing then do you feel anger towards people who use jesus's word's to forcefully convert non-christians to christians that is what i want to know and i would think that the answer would be yes

I had someone do this to me when I was down and out and had no place to turn, and I said, "No thanks." But then again it might have been different if I hadn't been so set my beliefs, which I was. If it was a matter of choosing to starve to death or, listen to someone's sermon, I think most people would choose to listen the sermon. There's nothing that says they have to accept what's being said anyway ... Or, is there?