2 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Why Buddhism?
For me personally:
1. Buddhism teaches a wholly positive vision of human nature and human capacity. Our natures are fundamentally that of enlightenment, no different than a Buddha. We just cover that with adventitious crap.
The Christian group (cult) I was involved with before becoming a Buddhist taught that we were so utterly contaminated by sin that virtue was impossible. Loving people was just sin. Service was just sin. All we could do is beg for an undeserved forgiveness.
2. Buddhism is wholly positive in its model of the world. All sentient beings are fundamentally enlightened and will become so. All beings actually have a natural affinity for goodness and towards enlightenment.
The Christian group I was involved with was Calvinist and believe it was already determined by God who was saved and damned. From the creation of every being. They also taught that society was fundamentally depraved.
3. Buddhism focuses strongly on the practices of love, compassion, and bodhicitta. There is no mahayana practice without them, and they are the guts of vajrayana practice.
The Christian group I was involved with taught that love and compassion are impossible and their manifestations, like anything else, were just sin. I have subsequently seen it preached that love, compassion, and empathy are actually tools of Satan.
4. Buddhism is practical with skillful means. There are a lot of methods to work with one's heart and mind. Ways of dealing with one's provocations, habits, obstacles. Skepticism and inquiry were encouraged.
The Christian group I was involved with discouraged inquiry and skepticism was a sign of a lack of faith and thus damnation. All it offered was penitent prayer.
5. Buddhism is very pliant and open to modern science, psychology, medicine. There are limits as we see with modern materialist secular Buddhists.
Living in the Bible Belt for decades, I am used to these things being anathema to spiritual practice.
6. Buddhism is very harmonious to the idea of a modern democratic pluralistic society. Park right, pay your taxes, have civic pride and contribute.
Living in the Bible Belt for decades, I am used to the dream of a Christian theocracy. Such a dream is integral to end of times prophecies and the return of Christ.
Of course there are other sects of Christianity that would have suited me better. That wasn't my arc through life. It wasn't my karma.
And there are sects of Buddhism that would have suited me poorly. That also wasnt my arc through life. It wasn't my karma.
So I bounced off some hard core Calvinist dispensational evangelical culty stuff into "religious" vajrayana.
Comment by failures-abound at 04/02/2025 at 00:11 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The Christian group (cult) I was involved with before becoming a Buddhist taught that we were so utterly contaminated by sin that virtue was impossible. Loving people was just sin. Service was just sin. All we could do is beg for an undeserved forgiveness.
What's interesting is that you could change a couple words and be describing Pure Land practice. We are incapable of being good by ourselves, and must surrender entirely to embracing the vow of Amitaba Buddha which will assure our rebirth in the Pure Land.