This is precisely the problem with Buddhism. If a moral rule is not absolute, it falls prey to an infinite amount of human error. Buddhism does however, require blind faith on one level in that it requires believers to search for a transcendent truth through meditation. Such an idea is no more provable than Christian teachings.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

How many Buddhists aren't at peace with themselves?


As I said, Christianity is more open to interpretation and human error. History has shown this many times.

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It's the difference between suicide and slow capitulation... - Jim Morrison

When Christians have fought one another, they have been violating the principles of their own religion. The Bible is actually quite clear in its meaning if not distorted by certain deluded clerics, which is why I don't let any priest or minister "filter" it to serve his or her own ideas. As for inner peace, I see that as only one among many goals in life. While I'm not commenting on the majority of Buddhists or members of any other religion, it is quite possible for a person to be at peace while committing wrong actions. Meditation is purely subjective, and for that reason its results can easily be far from the truth. Written law is objective, and it is this objectivity that is necessary to face daily ethical dilemmas.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

But that written law is unreliable and, as it is written law, if taken literally it is not objective whereas Buddhism is.

If the written law is not looked at literally (i.e interpreted) then it can be construed to support and justify terrible acts (e.g slavery, the crusades ect.) Whereas Buddhism cannot be, and never has been, construed to support negative action of any kind.

Therefore, the written law of Christianity is inferior to Buddhism whichever way you look at it.

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It's the difference between suicide and slow capitulation... - Jim Morrison

You are referring to the actions of self-professed Christians, not to Christianity itself. I read that Buddhists in Bhutan discriminated against Hindus. That doesn't reflect on Buddhism as a religion. A subjective idea based on meditation carries little weight because, although it could come from a transcendent realm, it could just as easily come from one's own unconscious. If one acknowledges the subjectivity of meditation, therefore, using it as the basis of moral decisions is unreliable. It can't provide any absolute answers, such answers being necessary to make right choices in everyday life.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

Meditation has nothing to do with ethics. Karma deals with ethics, meditation is the way one achieves enlightenment and breaks free from the cycle of reincarnation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religi...letruths.shtml

This will help you understand the purpose of meditation.


The fact that Buddhism doesn't rely on a book for it's ethics means that it's followers must rely on themselves to make decisions thereby improving themselves morally. If a Christian were left with no access to a Bible, then they would struggle to know what to do. A Buddhist would not have this problem.

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It's the difference between suicide and slow capitulation... - Jim Morrison

I am already aware of the purpose of Buddhist meditation. Ultimately, however, enlightenment and ethics are the same thing. Therefore, since in Buddhism, with a few exceptions, absolutes are lacking in finding enlightenment/ethical truth, one is left with few clear guidelines for solving ethical problems. Buddhist meditation may be of use for relaxation, but if it can't provide absolute rules by which to live, it is of little use in religion. Ultimately, religion is a means of reinforcing ethics. The approach of "seeking one's own path" apart from absolutes simply leads to exalting our own fallibilities.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

Not so. It provides a 'personalized' set of rules for a person to live by rather than forcing them to conform to the same set of rules.You misunderstand what 'enlightenment' is. Enlightenment/Nirvana is, in a way, the equivalent of Heaven and Karma is the equivalent of the Ten Commandments.


Buddhism does not provide strict and detailed rules for living your life. Therefore you must look within yourself thereby improving yourself. If you cannot do this then Buddhism is not for you. Just as, if you cannot look upon all you are told and all you hold true with a critical and analytical eye, then Socratic thought/learning is not for you.

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It's the difference between suicide and slow capitulation... - Jim Morrison

It is in the process of making rules personal that we distort them. We all have within ourselves certain a priori ethics, specifically vague rules that guide intent, but only experience can teach us how to apply those ethics to convert good intent into right actions. If a religion truly had no strict rules, to follow, therefore, it would be useless, but Buddhism does have the Five Precepts of Buddha and the Noble Eightfold Path, so Buddhism is still a constructive (if overly vague) religion.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

I don't know. I would say that the strongest elements of Christianity are those wich are vague, namely the Golden Rule and the section you quoted in one of your posts about the importance of the "love thy God" and "Love thy neighbor" commandments over others. The strength is that through love, we act as force of good. That is much better than a specific set of rules any day.

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"Man lives in the sunlit world of that which he believes to be reality. But unseen by most is an underworld, a place that is just as real... but not as brightly lit... A DARK SIDE!"
-opening from Tales From the Darkside