A Buddhist Nation instead of a Christian Nation

[Enigma271828]

Unlike Christianity and Judaism, Buddhism is not frantically concerned with being good, it is concerned with being wise. It is also concerned with being compassionate, but that is a little different from being good. Having compassion is having tremendous sympathy, understanding and respect for all the ignorant people who don't know that they are each the godhead, but instead are playing the very deluded game of being you and I.

Americans present their society as being one of free initiative, individualism and idealism, when in reality these are mostly words. They are instead a centralized managerial industrial society, of an essentially bureaucratic nature, and motivated by a materialism which is only slightly mitigated by truly spiritual or religious concerns. They are the masters of doublethink.

If Americans were Buddhist, they would cease to practice doublethink and the world would be a better place. Atheists would also be recognized as citizens by George H.W. Bush:
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."

[Enigma271828]

"There are only two means by which men can deal with one another: guns or logic. Force or persuasion. Those who know that they cannot win by means of logic, have always resorted to guns."
- Ayn Rand

[bigboab]

Unlike Christianity and Judaism, Buddhism is not frantically concerned with being good, it is concerned with being wise. It is also concerned with being compassionate, but that is a little different from being good. Having compassion is having tremendous sympathy, understanding and respect for all the ignorant people who don't know that they are each the godhead, but instead are playing the very deluded game of being you and I.

Americans present their society as being one of free initiative, individualism and idealism, when in reality these are mostly words. They are instead a centralized managerial industrial society, of an essentially bureaucratic nature, and motivated by a materialism which is only slightly mitigated by truly spiritual or religious concerns. They are the masters of doublethink.

If Americans were Buddhist, they would cease to practice doublethink and the world would be a better place. Atheists would also be recognized as citizens by George H.W. Bush:
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."

Away and lie on your ribs. If you want to preach religion do it somewhere else.

[Biggles]

Unlike Christianity and Judaism, Buddhism is not frantically concerned with being good, it is concerned with being wise. It is also concerned with being compassionate, but that is a little different from being good. Having compassion is having tremendous sympathy, understanding and respect for all the ignorant people who don't know that they are each the godhead, but instead are playing the very deluded game of being you and I.

Americans present their society as being one of free initiative, individualism and idealism, when in reality these are mostly words. They are instead a centralized managerial industrial society, of an essentially bureaucratic nature, and motivated by a materialism which is only slightly mitigated by truly spiritual or religious concerns. They are the masters of doublethink.

If Americans were Buddhist, they would cease to practice doublethink and the world would be a better place. Atheists would also be recognized as citizens by George H.W. Bush:
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."

You appear to have ignored my point regarding the religion they already claim to espouse. If Buddhist why would they pay it any more attention than the one they already have?

One could just as easily say if everyone was kind and good would there be less violence in society.

[bigboab]

Unlike Christianity and Judaism, Buddhism is not frantically concerned with being good, it is concerned with being wise. It is also concerned with being compassionate, but that is a little different from being good. Having compassion is having tremendous sympathy, understanding and respect for all the ignorant people who don't know that they are each the godhead, but instead are playing the very deluded game of being you and I.

Americans present their society as being one of free initiative, individualism and idealism, when in reality these are mostly words. They are instead a centralized managerial industrial society, of an essentially bureaucratic nature, and motivated by a materialism which is only slightly mitigated by truly spiritual or religious concerns. They are the masters of doublethink.

If Americans were Buddhist, they would cease to practice doublethink and the world would be a better place. Atheists would also be recognized as citizens by George H.W. Bush:
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."

You appear to have ignored my point regarding the religion they already claim to espouse. If Buddhist why would they pay it any more attention than the one they already have?

One could just as easily say if everyone was kind and good would there be less violence in society.

Well said young man.

[Enigma271828]

What if America was truly Christian (turn the other cheek, if a man asks for your coat give him your shirt also, judge not lest you be judged)?

Nice try, but it is virtually impossible to act like Jesus as a Christian because the Christian theology specifically states that no one can be like him! How can you act enlightened, when you cannot be enlightened. In a Buddhist perspective, trying to achieve this impossible task is the main problem of Christianity (actually pedestalizing Jesus is the root of the problem.. I'll explain in the next paragraph). To combat this realization, early Catholics cleverly institutionalized "guilt" as a virtue. They say you will sin, but if you feel guilt and confess everything is alright!

About the early Christians pedstalizing Jesus as THE son of God, instead of just a son of god who anyone can be like...
From a Buddhist and Hindu perspective, Jesus was not too different than Buddha. Jesus was enlightened. He realized that he was part of the source, the godhead, brahman (whatever you want to call it - something indescribable) - at a very young age. Jesus was never introduced to eastern religions and spiritualities, so the only way he could describe his experience was to claim that he was a son of God! Of course he would have been immediately persecuted by the Jews if he had gone around telling everyone that, so he told everyone instead that he was instead the Messiah, from the book of Isaiah. And after he was crucified, his followers pedestalized him and worshiped him as a demigod without realizing that he was just a normal man who spontaneously became enlightened at an early age.

[Enigma271828]

Away and lie on your ribs. If you want to preach religion do it somewhere else.

Not preaching, just comparing the two religions. I am and objective observer.

[bigboab]

Away and lie on your ribs. If you want to preach religion do it somewhere else.

Not preaching, just comparing the two religions. I am and objective observer.

You are comparing them with a bias toward Buddhism. That is preaching in my book.


P.S. As you will have guessed you are wasting your preaching on me.

[Biggles]

What if America was truly Christian (turn the other cheek, if a man asks for your coat give him your shirt also, judge not lest you be judged)?

Nice try, but it is virtually impossible to act like Jesus as a Christian because the Christian theology specifically states that no one can be like him! How can you act enlightened, when you cannot be enlightened. In a Buddhist perspective, trying to achieve this impossible task is the main problem of Christianity (actually pedestalizing Jesus is the root of the problem.. I'll explain in the next paragraph). To combat this realization, early Catholics cleverly institutionalized "guilt" as a virtue. They say you will sin, but if you feel guilt and confess everything is alright!

About the early Christians pedstalizing Jesus as THE son of God, instead of just a son of god who anyone can be like...
From a Buddhist and Hindu perspective, Jesus was not too different than Buddha. Jesus was enlightened. He realized that he was part of the source, the godhead, brahman (whatever you want to call it - something indescribable) - at a very young age. Jesus was never introduced to eastern religions and spiritualities, so the only way he could describe his experience was to claim that he was a son of God! Of course he would have been immediately persecuted by the Jews if he had gone around telling everyone that, so he told everyone instead that he was instead the Messiah, from the book of Isaiah. And after he was crucified, his followers pedestalized him and worshiped him as a demigod without realizing that he was just a normal man who spontaneously became enlightened at an early age.

Likewise I consider myself quite impartial on this issue - I am not keen on any of these religions.

However, the basic principles of each are quite straight forward. As Jesus said "treat others as you would like them to treat you". I am quite sure that all the other religions have a similar ethos. However, world politics is based on self interest (usually unenlightened or short term self interest). Thailand is a Buddhist country and is not without problems and Burma is a mess. I don't think the US would be radically different from today if it were nominally a Buddhist country.

It is therefore tautology to say if all the people were nice they would be nice.

They would be nice regardless of religion or in many cases in spite of religion. I don't agree that people can't demonstrate the same compassion as demonstrated by someone like Jesus or Buddha simply because they are not in the right religious club. They can if they want to - but mostly they don't want to. They don't need much help to do it either - it is not a mystery.

[lynx]

Americans present their society as being one of free initiative, individualism and idealism, when in reality these are mostly words.

Here's a clue for you, they are more than mostly words, they are actual, real, full blown words. What's more, some of us here know how to use them.

Here's another couple of real words for you: condescending, prick.