From Catholicism to Buddhism

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This topic has 12 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years ago by Amy.

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September 22, 2015 at 12:56 am #83805

jock
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Has anyone started off as a Christian and changed mid life to Buddhism?
That kind of describes me in a way except I don’t accept some of the latter’s dogma eg. reincarnation
As a catholic, it is hard not to feel guilty when you wish to move on to another religion/faith/philosophy. Deep down I think Jesus Christ is real and we can all be sons and daughters of God. I found Mass becoming robotic and meaningless. Now that is likely my lack of effort too. I never got much out of the sermon. Priests seem to have too much on their plate, to be expected to motivate the congregation every Sunday as well. I mean too much is expected of them as there are too few of them these days, especially after the child abuse scandals that happened all over the world.
In my heart I think I will be a Christian though. A Christian distracted by an exotic philosophy from Asia called Buddhism. The robes, the language, the fresh perspective, the gong, and especially the idea that meditation can relieve my out of control mind. That’s what Catholicism lacked. Examining our conscience instead of examining our thoughts. I think as a catholic I was ashamed to be angry, ashamed to have a shadow. I repressed a lot of who I was. I tried to be the pious one, with only pious thoughts. But I think that was an unnatural way to live. Buddhism is less judgemental in my view. And it increases your self-awareness.

September 22, 2015 at 2:06 pm #83863

Anonymous
Guest

Dear Jack:

Yes, I am not pious either. I am not a saint either. I never met a person who tried and succeeded in actualizing his or her Inner Saint. Lots of damage to others caused by people championing their inner saints. I too do not believe in reincarnation. I only believe in what I can see. I do believe in atoms though although I never saw them. I do not believe in god. And so forth.

anita

September 22, 2015 at 2:22 pm #83866

jock
Participant

I’m tempted to start another character on here called Pious Pete.
re incarnation or is that re reincarnation ? The thought of returning as a dog, cat,chicken, mosquito, is just too much. It drives me wacko 🙂

September 22, 2015 at 2:26 pm #83867

Anonymous
Guest

Dear Pious Pete/Llama Jack/ Farmer jack:

It is not such a bad thing coming back as a mosquito- i will get to finally get all my aggressiveness out and not be held accountable for it, oh, the havoc I will cause… and no heaven or hell for me, I am just a mosquito, but inside I will know it is me anita, oh, the fun I will have.

anita

P.S. Was I funny here? I am … dying to know.
anita

September 22, 2015 at 4:04 pm #83871
jock
Participant
It is not such a bad thing coming back as a mosquito- i will get to finally get all my aggressiveness out and not be held accountable for it, oh, the havoc I will cause… and no heaven or hell for me, I am just a mosquito, but inside I will know it is me anita, oh, the fun I will have.

good anita, my kind of humour…. 🙂
Just don’t get swatted too soon by those whingeing human being who complain about all sorts of things including the weather and “mossies”.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by jock.
September 22, 2015 at 6:35 pm #83877

Anonymous
Guest

Dear Jack:

You recognized my writing above as humor and proceeded to call it your kind of humor. I am humbled.
anita

September 22, 2015 at 6:53 pm #83879

jock
Participant

We don’t have to be comically competitive. That’s almost as bad as spiritually competitive.

September 22, 2015 at 7:08 pm #83882

Anonymous
Guest

Is this Pious Pete? I am not competing with Llama Jack, Pious Pete, I am too humble to do that.
anita

September 22, 2015 at 8:38 pm #83889

jock
Participant

This is scary now. You know me too well. 🙂

September 23, 2015 at 8:44 am #83917

Anonymous
Guest

Ha ha, AND getting to know you even better…
anita

October 3, 2015 at 1:02 pm #84628

Kasun
Participant

Hey Jack! I’m actually a buddhist and I’ve been raised as one. You believe in Christ? GOOD! Stand by that! Buddhism is beautiful because you can be both buddhist and christian, in my humble opinion. “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” I believe that buddhism is really a spiritual thing rather than a religion. I used to attend temples and “worship” him but I stopped that because that is not what he intended (not there is anything wrong with that!). I still consider myself a buddhist though. Don’t feel like you’re being torn between the two, embrace both of them.

October 3, 2015 at 3:46 pm #84631

jock
Participant

Don’t feel like you’re being torn between the two, embrace both of them.

very helpful, thanks

October 28, 2015 at 3:29 am #86298

Amy
Participant

I was raised Catholic, and in college was exposed to Christianity- not in the Catholic church. I loved it. For about 15 years I was in church on a regular basis- doing lots of bible studies etc. But when real challenges came and when I needed to grow, I started searching. I found Christian mediation and mysticism. From learning about that, I ventured further learning about meditation, yoga and being in silence. I believe in Jesus, I believe there is a God. I really enjoy Pema Chodron’s books, and she is Buddhist I believe.
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