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Can you be an atheist and believe in karma and the teachings of Buddhism

HANDYMAN52 4 June 14
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11 comments

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0

By definition, atheist (not a theist) yes.

Can I, as an atheist believe in karma and the teachings of Buddhism. No

0

No, but you can certainly wish for it! ?

0

No!

1

Sure, I am an agnostic and my beliefs align mostly with Taoism and karma.

Being an agnostic is not the same as being an atheist.

0

Atheist - has no belief in any God(s)

Buddhism - A religion, founded by the Buddha, that emphasizes physical and spiritual discipline as a means of liberation from the physical world. The goal for the Buddhist is to attain nirvana, a state of complete peace in which one is free from the distractions of desire and self-consciousness

karma - the principle of retributive justice determining a person's state of life and the state of his reincarnations as the effect of his past deeds

2

Actually some Buddhist teaching says you reach NIRVANA when you realize there is nothing. Not too different.
Karma another story. Another myth IMO.

0

Being an A-Theist just means that you lack a belief in gods. It doesn't say anything about what else you may believe/disbelieve.

0

Genuine Buddhism has no god. Statues of Buddha are supposed to be a visual “fix” or focus for meditation and the bowing and lying on the floor to Buddha’s image is an act of supplication to teach humility as you are showing yourself that you are no better than a statue. It is done to reduce ego. However, most Buddhists seem to view Budhha as godlike, which ruins it for me. And monks seem keen on fundraising like Pentecostal Churches. I suppose it’s more of a cult “as in a following” than a theist religion.

Livia Level 6 June 15, 2018
1

Buddhism is more a way of life and living than it is a religion, so yes.

5

All it takes to be an atheist is to not believe in a god or gods.

Other than that you can believe whatever the hell you like.

Personal I find Karma to be just another term for The Law of Reciprocity and for Newton's third law, For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

1

I do. Heck, I believe in many of the teachings of Jesus, too. Just not the divinity part. For me, Buddhism is a practice, a philosophy. It's a way of living and being at peace with myself and others. Buddha was never considered a god, only a man who was awake to the workings of the world.

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