Buddhist Christians.
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Property Of God
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Buddism doesn't believe in The Lord, they don't believe in our God, they believe they must end their pain and suffering, and develop the mind,we believe we must go through sufferings like Jesus, the son of the only God and we believe we shouldn't rely on our own understandings.
If one aspect of Buddism contradicts with Jesus's teachings, we must discard all other buddism teachings.
However, if you want to meditate, fine, but meditate on God, like David used to do, but you can not be a Buddist Christian, that is a hoax.
If one aspect of Buddism contradicts with Jesus's teachings, we must discard all other buddism teachings.
However, if you want to meditate, fine, but meditate on God, like David used to do, but you can not be a Buddist Christian, that is a hoax.
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Yes they do , just because it might not sit well with you does not mean you can just say
‘ they do not exist ‘ many people read the bible and pray as well as read Buddhist teachings and meditate.
Also you can not say that Buddhist Christians do not exist just because you might have solid rigid strict boundaries as to what you think defines someone’s faith.
Also on another angle some here might define themselves as ‘ Christian ‘ where other Christians may well think them not to be due to their own views.
After all you might not be anything like what I call a Christian.
Property Of God
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You must respect what Coconut wrote, you can't attack her, you posted a thread what WE think, not what we should agree with you on, correct?
This part is quoted from GotQuestions.org:
"It is important to be aware that the Buddha never considered himself to be a god, or a divine being of any type. Rather, he considered himself to be a ‘way-shower' for others. Only after his death was he exalted to god-like status by some of his followers, though not all of his followers viewed him that way. With Christianity however, it is stated quite clearly in the Bible that Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 3:17 “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”) and that He and God are one (John 10:30 “I and my Father are one”). One cannot rightfully consider himself or herself a Christian without professing faith in Jesus as God.
Jesus taught that He is the way, and not simply one who showed the way as John 14:6 confirms, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." By the time Guatama died, Buddhism had become a major influence in India; three hundred years after his death Buddhism had spread so far that it encompassed most of Asia. The scriptures and sayings attributed to the Buddha were written about four hundred years after his death. This delayed period between his death and the writing or commentary containing his message allows for several scholarly challenges to arise over the authenticity and reliability of Buddhist scriptures.
The Buddha lived and died well before the time of Jesus. His travels never took him more than a couple of hundred kilometers from his home. The Bible and its message do not appear to have been known by the Buddha, and in fact he never spoke of God, or Jesus; consequently, Buddhists generally don’t speak out for God as Christians do. In its classical form, Buddhism does not speak of any personal God or Divine Being."
Just because they may exist or not, doesn't make them right, does it?
This part is quoted from GotQuestions.org:
"It is important to be aware that the Buddha never considered himself to be a god, or a divine being of any type. Rather, he considered himself to be a ‘way-shower' for others. Only after his death was he exalted to god-like status by some of his followers, though not all of his followers viewed him that way. With Christianity however, it is stated quite clearly in the Bible that Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 3:17 “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”) and that He and God are one (John 10:30 “I and my Father are one”). One cannot rightfully consider himself or herself a Christian without professing faith in Jesus as God.
Jesus taught that He is the way, and not simply one who showed the way as John 14:6 confirms, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." By the time Guatama died, Buddhism had become a major influence in India; three hundred years after his death Buddhism had spread so far that it encompassed most of Asia. The scriptures and sayings attributed to the Buddha were written about four hundred years after his death. This delayed period between his death and the writing or commentary containing his message allows for several scholarly challenges to arise over the authenticity and reliability of Buddhist scriptures.
The Buddha lived and died well before the time of Jesus. His travels never took him more than a couple of hundred kilometers from his home. The Bible and its message do not appear to have been known by the Buddha, and in fact he never spoke of God, or Jesus; consequently, Buddhists generally don’t speak out for God as Christians do. In its classical form, Buddhism does not speak of any personal God or Divine Being."
Just because they may exist or not, doesn't make them right, does it?
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Giggles4God
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Sadly, this does happen. Where someone who 'calls' themself a Christian also is studying and I believe also believing, living by another belief....Buddism, Hinduism, Islam, etc.
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24
I see that is verse goes with this idea. And also this one. And I know the above verse talks about money and God.
"But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." Joshua 22:5
I ask you, how can you serve God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL of yourself...AND also Buddha, Allah, etc?? How?
If we are the Temple of God, and God is a jealous God, is he really going to stay when another god...a false one at that...comes in?
I can see that the kind of thinking that both can be in the same place...will bring destruction to the Temple. 'A house divided cannot stand.' I would think that goes for this as well.
You can not love both God and some false god.
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24
I see that is verse goes with this idea. And also this one. And I know the above verse talks about money and God.
"But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." Joshua 22:5
I ask you, how can you serve God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL of yourself...AND also Buddha, Allah, etc?? How?
If we are the Temple of God, and God is a jealous God, is he really going to stay when another god...a false one at that...comes in?
I can see that the kind of thinking that both can be in the same place...will bring destruction to the Temple. 'A house divided cannot stand.' I would think that goes for this as well.
You can not love both God and some false god.
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I think I should point out the reason behind this topic ( chosen by me ) was because we do live in a world that now ( maybe more than ever ) many people have a ‘pick n mix’ attitude towards faith/faiths. I myself find this interesting.
Not only have I met Buddhist Christians I have seen openly gay Christians. I’m not saying this should be correct I am just saying people now ’pick n mix’
Should a openly gay practicing male call himself a Christian if he wants to he can , I am not saying that makes him one.
But this is a increasing factor.
There are gay Christians.
There are gay churches.
There are gay pastors.
The lines between faith/faiths are burring year by year.
Likewise I have noticed people merging Buddhism and Christianity
Not only have I met Buddhist Christians I have seen openly gay Christians. I’m not saying this should be correct I am just saying people now ’pick n mix’
Should a openly gay practicing male call himself a Christian if he wants to he can , I am not saying that makes him one.
But this is a increasing factor.
There are gay Christians.
There are gay churches.
There are gay pastors.
The lines between faith/faiths are burring year by year.
Likewise I have noticed people merging Buddhism and Christianity
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ephesians4_23
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Sky,
Can you explain exactly what it is that Buddhist Christians believe? Maybe that will help us to understand whether they are followers of Christ or not.
For all that I know, they are 'Buddhist Christians' like there are 'American Christians', who have allegience to Christ and to their country... I am not saying this is true, just that I don't have enough information to make a decision. I do know that some Native American Indian tribes that have Christians among them have a hard time differentiating between worship of nature and God, and tend to entertwine the beliefs.
What I know of Buddhists, however, is their belief in reincarnation and 'nirvana'. From my understanding, they believe that people die over and over until they finally reach a perfect kind of living, and when they die after that, they go to a place of nirvana, an eternal nothingness- void of everything.
That directly contradicts the Bible-
Hebrews 9: 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
John 14: 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Also, if reincarnation were valid, how could Jesus meet up with Elijah and Moses at the transfiguration? Matthew 17:1-13
How could Jesus be raised from the dead as Himself? He was recognizable as Himself, not as another person, a bug or an animal.
Some who believe in reincarnation quote that God said that Elijah would return, which he did in the form of John the Baptist. Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 11: 13-14. If that's all the info we had, that would be something. However, this issue gets cleared up. John the Baptist was asked if he was Elijah returned:
John 1: 19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."
22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"
Believing that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, this tells me that John the Baptist is not Elijah back in the flesh.
I would appreciate more information, however, on anything you may wish to share about the Buddhist Christians.
Can you explain exactly what it is that Buddhist Christians believe? Maybe that will help us to understand whether they are followers of Christ or not.
For all that I know, they are 'Buddhist Christians' like there are 'American Christians', who have allegience to Christ and to their country... I am not saying this is true, just that I don't have enough information to make a decision. I do know that some Native American Indian tribes that have Christians among them have a hard time differentiating between worship of nature and God, and tend to entertwine the beliefs.
What I know of Buddhists, however, is their belief in reincarnation and 'nirvana'. From my understanding, they believe that people die over and over until they finally reach a perfect kind of living, and when they die after that, they go to a place of nirvana, an eternal nothingness- void of everything.
That directly contradicts the Bible-
Hebrews 9: 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
John 14: 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Also, if reincarnation were valid, how could Jesus meet up with Elijah and Moses at the transfiguration? Matthew 17:1-13
How could Jesus be raised from the dead as Himself? He was recognizable as Himself, not as another person, a bug or an animal.
Some who believe in reincarnation quote that God said that Elijah would return, which he did in the form of John the Baptist. Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 11: 13-14. If that's all the info we had, that would be something. However, this issue gets cleared up. John the Baptist was asked if he was Elijah returned:
John 1: 19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."
22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"
Believing that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, this tells me that John the Baptist is not Elijah back in the flesh.
I would appreciate more information, however, on anything you may wish to share about the Buddhist Christians.
Turbopun
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This topic has nothing to do with what sits well with Coconut, you or me. It has nothing to do with our opinions. It has everything to do with truth.
The term Buddhist Christian in completely contradictory. To state that one is a Buddhist and a Christian means that they follow both spiritual paths. It is impossible. Do not mistake similarities between Christianity and any other religion because they teach something that lines up closely with the teachings of Christ. To be a Buddhist Christian means you fully believe in the doctrine and teachings of both Christ and Buddha, but since the teachings of Christ and Buddha oppose each other they can not co-exist spiritually in one person.
That's what sets Christianity apart. Christianity proclaims this:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."
(John 3:16-18)
Buddhism does not teach this in the slightest bit.
Here are two true statements:
1) A Christian can read the teachings of Buddha
2) A Buddhist can read the teachings of Christ
Does that mean they are a Christian Buddhist or a Buddhist Christian? Not at all!
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Greetings Sky,
It does not matter at all what you call a Christian, neither who or what I may call a Christian. It is what or who Christ Jesus the Lord calls us that is the only thing that matters.
Now, no matter what you think or what I think, the fact is, there is no such thing as a buddist christian. End of story.
No matter how you or anyone might like to look at it, A Christian is a Christian.
What others have told you here is enough to answer your original question. If you are genuinely seeking the answer to your question, you have it.
Bless you ....><>
Br. Bear
rizen1
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Yes it happens everyday.
Last night I brought up this same question at bible study. And the verdict was....people can call themselves whatever they want, its their right to exercise their free will. But when God is ready for them they will have a problem.
If they don't know the truth it's different, but seriously if they are reading the same bible as us the conclusion should be the same.
1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
So to answer your original question.
They can be whatever they want to, call themselves whatever and make up rules as they go. If they want to reject God and follow after seducing spirit and doctrines of devils that’s their sad choice.
All we can do is pray for they, that the Holy Spirit will remove the blindfolds.
No, they do not. World religions happens to be one of my academic interests. Buddhism originally branched off of Hinduism when Siddhartha (Buddha's name as a prince) developed the idea that there are no gods (and hence no Abrahamic God) and decided that people should look within themselves for spritual growth.
Siddhartha developed an entire religion around the idea that to live is to experience suffering (talk about stating the obvious). Followers of Buddhism are taught that they can overcome suffering by following "The Noble Eightfold Path" (their scriptural guidelines, basically). This "Eightfold Path" does not include God.
Buddhists say that their religion is compatible with other faiths simply because it shares many of the same moral standards. However, having compatible morals does not equate to having compatible beliefs. In fact, Buddhist resources often refer to gods (including the one true God) as "myths" and "legends."
