Buddhism is the best religion... if you had to pick one.

As a non-theist, I spend a lot of time studying the religions of the world really out of sheer fascination than anything else. I have concluded that were I to pick one, it would be Buddhism for it seems to be not only the most genuinely life-affirming of the faiths, but most of its adherents seem to be genuinely happy people and they're not out trying to convert everyone or claim that they have all the answers.

Discuss.

 

The source of their happiness is because of how eastern philosophy is set up. In easter teachings The Way is not about the rat race of possessions but the acquisition of knowledge and the passive acceptance of life. It's a good religion, but it doesn't answer questions that people have been asking for millenia

 

Well, that's what I said--they don't claim to have the answers. I appreciate that greatly. Usually when someone claims to have answers, they are either lying or tragically deluded.

 

Or desperately in search of answers that make all the difference in life. Can you blame people for curiosity? Can you blame them for coming up with answers?

 

Buddhism isn't a religion because there is no divine figure of worship.

It's a philosophy. Is confucionism a religion to??

Buddhism is considered a religion by many but really it's not. The Buddah is held up as a figure of emulation, but not divinity.

 

I would tend to agree with you, except, that it's my understanding, that Buddhism is not a religion in our meaning of the word. Here is a partial extract from 'Buddhism in a Nutshell' by Narada thera, which I have extracted from the internet:

"Is it (Buddhism)a religion?

It is neither a religion in the sense in which that word is commonly understood, for it is not "a system of faith and worship owing any allegiance to a supernatural being."

Buddhism does not demand blind faith from its adherents. Here mere belief is dethroned and is substituted by confidence based on knowledge, which, in Pali, is known as saddha. The confidence placed by a follower on the Buddha is like that of a sick person in a noted physician, or a student in his teacher. A Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha because it was he who discovered the path of deliverance' etc etc.

 

I think it's a beautiful religion for those who seek truth over comfort, a paradox in itself considering many will accept a comfortable lie over an uncomfortable truth any day.

Buddhist teachings are a wonderful compass for how to live your life and find inner strength and peace. One of my favorite works of literature is Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (preferably the Ursula le Guin translation.) Beautiful, inspiring, comforting, honest.

 

In my humble opinion, I do believe you have presented a good response, however your choice of examples leave the subject of "confidence based on knowledge" blowing in the wind or flapping in the breeze, tossed and turned with each intellect of every one of those examples sited; leaving the one seeking resolve from one of those cited in a less than assuring position, for obvious reasons reported in the news regarding such subject people. Otherwise,,, good answer.

 

Well I hate to throw in a monkey wrench but i think that Christianity at its core is the best religion in existence

 

Bravo! A true spiritual warrior you are.

 

If not being afraid to say what I believe is all it takes then yeah. But i feel that being a warrior means having defended myself. So have at me!

 

Religion is never the best. it's a problem. All religion is corrupt. Now, if you want to know whats the best personal belief; its christianity. Following the purity of Jesus and his teachings.

 

Exactly and that is what i support. not an established church as in a building of worship. But the church in he old sense of the word: a people. The ommunity of perople in the pursuit of purity and happiness that is pure christianity is what i subscribe to

 

Christianity is based more on Paul of Tarsus' teachings than Christ's.

 

In each of those writings attributed to Paul, looking at the very first chapter and first verse, who does Paul give credit and authority to? Oh Yeah... Jesus, the Christ. Paul declaring himself to be an Apostle of Christ.

I sure am glad to see that there are so many professional students of the Bible among those that don't believe in the Bible. OOOps Red flag... Hostile witness... Biased testimony...Need I go further?

 

Paul was the one who made Christianity marketable across the Hellenistic East by appealing to non-Abrahamic cultural and religious aspects; Christ merely created a heretical Jewish cult, Paul of Tarsus created Christianity.

 

Someone had to strip Judaism down for export.

 

Wrong. Had Paul created anything, Paul would have named it Paulianity as opposed to Christianity.... knowing that Jesus was called the "Christ". So you claim that Paul made Christianity "marketable".... How much did Paul sell it for? Where are the advertisements showing where Christianity is 'for sale'? Get real and stay on topic. You are doing nothing but dragging this thread off-topic.

 

How did he make it marketable? Like Silicon said, stripping down Judaism for export - getting rid of requirements like circumcision, kosher, many of the levitic and deuteronomic laws and penalties, etc.

 

Wrong! Paul got rid of none of those things. Those things pertained to the Judaic religion and they still do. So what really did Paul get rid of?

 

It's a pity their priests weren't taught to leave vulnerable children alone.

 

Don't mince words do ya? Paul got rid of many Judaic components of Christianity to make it more marketable, as I've said for the last three posts. Hence why European Christians rarely practice circumcision, or observe dietary laws, or many of the Old Testament proscriptions on (*)(*)(*)(*) like mixed fibre garments and sharing objects with women on their period.

Christ was a Jew, Paul was the first Christian.

 

Religion has an entirely different application than satisfaction of curiosity. If it didn't then it wouldn't consist of arbitrary leaps of faith that can only stifle curiosity.

 

Do you have the chapter and verse where Paul instituted what you're stating, that Christ didn't introduce first? Also you do know that The Gospel of Luke, was wrote from Pauls view.......right?

 

Why?

http://youtu.be/eRr8g9YtU6U