Could we admit that Buddhism is a religion where God is irrelevant?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.In 1995 Pope John Paul was forced to apologize to Buddhists for referring to them as atheists.
The idea that Buddhists are atheists is a Western myth and insult. Buddhists do not believe in a personal diety such as Yahweh or Zeus, but they most certainly believe in Brahman, the highest Universal Principle and the Ultimate Reality. Unfortunately, many Westerners insist that if you do not believe in a personal deity in the same manner that they do, then you are an atheist. They refuse to open their minds and acknowledge that there is more than one way to believe in divinity. It is sad that such narrow-mindedness continues to this day.
Heraclitus
Level 8
Sep 15, 2018
0
Buddhism (find truth from within) employs a variant of the Christian "Faith" belief without evidence" I define any organization that promotes belief without evidence, a religion.
NoMagicCookie
Level 8
Sep 14, 2018
1
Perhaps I might have agreed a few years ago, but with so many denominations of Buddhism now and the rise of extremist Buddhists in in Sri Lanka and other places, it seems to have gone down the same path as all the other "faiths".
LenHazell53
Level 9
Sep 14, 2018
1
Buddhism, at least on paper, does NOT have a god. That doesn't mean they can't be dogmatic, fundamentalist, or authoritarian. Those are separate issues.
@mordant
Depending on which strain of Buddhism you are addressing "on paper " yes they do and no they don't.
Most denominations do acknowledge supernatural beings, ghosts, spirits, the equivalent of saints and Minor deities.
There is no all powerful monotheist god, true, however if you are willing to go along the lines of the Asgardian gods, or polytheistic pantheons then in their hierarchy of mystical beings the Buddhists have their fair share.
Not sure I understand. Does that make God relevant to Buddhism now?
@skado Since Extremist Buddhist are attacking and killing Muslims on religious grounds I think that makes the gods of one or the other side relevant to them.
Though of course at the root it is all all political, it does show that ALL religion even the non deuscentric / deocentric can be whipped up to extremism when the need arises
So relating to the OP Buddhism is NOT a religion where (at least the concept of) God is irrelevant
@LenHazell53
Are you saying that non-religious groups cannot be whipped up to extremism?
@skado Not at all, religious proclivities just makes it sooooo much easier
We might but why do we need religion? Why do I need to do certain things daily and believe them as a philosophy? It's like saying I do not believe in gods but I have this other thing I have to follow. What is "spiritual?" Most of the time it is woo.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Sep 14, 2018
1
The Dalai Lama says that spirituality is just training the mind not to suffer. If you never suffer from negative emotions (or cause them in others) then you don’t need religion.
I think there might be interpretations of Buddhism where certain god figures do have some relevance, but all in all you're right. There is apparently no Creator or final judge.
Some people see Buddhism more as a moral philosophy than a dogmatic religion. It's not as clear cut as in Christianity or Islam for instance.
Dietl
Level 7
Sep 14, 2018
3
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