Originally posted by Nellinator
When I was in high school a lot of my friends and acquaintances were Buddhist, at university Buddhism was extremely popular (more of a fad than a religion though), and now I deal with a lot of Buddhists at work.
That is equivocal to drawing a conclusion about Christians based experiences with Americans who claim to be Christian simply because America is a highly Judeo-Christian influenced culture; Unrepresentative Sample.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
That is equivocal to drawing a conclusion about Christians based experiences with Americans who claim to be Christian simply because America is a highly Judeo-Christian influenced culture; Unrepresentative Sample.
I don't really think he was doing that. He was really basing his opinions on the religion itself, not on the individual.
Being human we're all prone to being selfish, hypocritical, and doing evil things to others at times. These actions are not solely dependant upon the religion one follows, they're just part of human nature. That being stated, Buddhism is a very self oriented religion. I seriously have doubts and concerns about any belief system that values individual opinion, over good moral character.
Originally posted by Thundar
I don't really think he was doing that. He was really basing his opinions on the religion itself, not on the individual.
By his own admission, he is making generalizations about Buddhism based on his experiences with Buddhists:
Originally posted by Nellinator
In my experience that is something that Buddhists are often guilty of, acting only for themselves and becoming disinterested and aloof of others.
Originally posted by Thundar
Being human we're all prone to being selfish, hypocritical, and doing evil things to others at times. These actions are not solely dependant upon the religion one follows, they're just part of human nature. That being stated, Buddhism is a very self oriented religion. I seriously have doubts and concerns about any belief system that values individual opinion, over good moral character.
On what do you base the conclusion that Buddhism "values individual opinion over good moral character?"
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
By his own admission, he is making generalizations about Buddhism based on his experiences with Buddhists:
Understood. But he did not make a generalization, because he did not relate his opinion to all of those who practice Buddhism. He just related it to his own experience.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
On what do you base the conclusion that Buddhism "values individual opinion over good moral character?"
I'm paraphrasing so bear with me. The Eightfold Path is essentially the Buddhist equivolent of the ten commandments and it is very broad, as it really has no clear cut moral base to it. Much of it refers to an individual determining what is "right" for themselves, as oppossed to setting anything in stone as being right, or of good moral character.
And even if one does possess a good moral compass and does what is right, Buddhism generally directs one to do right for themselves and their own enlightenment, not for others.
So as it has been stated already. Buddhism is indeed a very aloof-self centered religion. This does not mean that all Buddhists are aloof and selfish, just that the religion is self oriented.
Originally posted by Thundar
Understood. But he did not make a generalization, because he did not relate his opinion to all of those who practice Buddhism. He just related it to his own experience.
"Buddhists are often guilty of acting only for themselves and becoming disinterested and aloof of others," is a generalization of Buddhists.
Originally posted by Thundar
I'm paraphrasing so bear with me. The Eightfold Path is essentially the Buddhist equivolent of the ten commandments and it is very broad, as it really has no clear cut moral base to it. Much of it refers to an individual determining what is "right" for themselves, as oppossed to setting anything in stone as being right, or of good moral character.And even if one does possess a good moral compass and does what is right, Buddhism generally directs one to do right for themselves and their own enlightenment, not for others.
So as it has been stated already. Buddhism is indeed a very aloof-self centered religion. This does not mean that all Buddhists are aloof and selfish, just that the religion is self oriented.
There is nothing subjective or egocentric about the Noble Eightfold Path. For example, under the category of Ethical Conduct, the Third Element—Right Speech states that one should always tell the truth, but not use the truth as a weapon to hurt another.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
"Buddhists are often guilty of acting only for themselves and becoming disinterested and aloof of others," is a generalization of Buddhists.
Did you honestly think that myself and others can't go back to the previous page and read what he said?!!
Originally posted by Nellinator
In my experience that is something that Buddhists are often guilty of, acting only for themselves and becoming disinterested and aloof of others.
As I stated before. He related this to his own experience, and did not make a generalization about those who practice Buddhism as a whole. It's extremely ridiculous that you posted and misquoted only a portion of what he said, and extremely childish as well. Whatever little bit of credibility your argument had, has been extremely diminished due to you pulling this little stunt.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
There is nothing subjective or egocentric about the Noble Eightfold Path. For example, under the category of Ethical Conduct, the Third Element—Right Speech states that one should always tell the truth, but not use the truth as a weapon to hurt another.
But what does truth represent? That's the point I was making. "Truth" covers an extremely broad spectrum in Buddhism, and is based on the interpretations of the individual.
Originally posted by Thundar
...But what does truth represent? That's the point I was making. "Truth" covers an extremely broad spectrum in Buddhism, and is based on the interpretations of the individual.
What are you talking about? You say the word "truth", but you assume that it means the same to everyone. What does it mean to you?
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
What are you talking about? You say the word "truth", but you assume that it means the same to everyone. What does it mean to you?
God is truth. You have the right to subjectively interpret what I have just stated as false, but despite your interpretation, it doesn't change the absoluteness of what I have said.
Originally posted by Thundar
Did you honestly think that myself and others can't go back to the previous page and read what he said?!!
What I think is that you need to read the previous page again to see what was actually stated.
Originally posted by Thundar
As I stated before. He related this to his own experience, and did not make a generalization about those who practice Buddhism as a whole. It's extremely ridiculous that you posted and misquoted only a portion of what he said, and extremely childish as well. Whatever little bit of credibility your argument had, has been extremely diminished due to you pulling this little stunt.
Case in point, the fact that he "related this to his own experience" was never in question. I acknowledged that this was the case when I asked:
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
What is the extent of your experience with Buddhists for you to generalize, "Buddhists are often guilty of acting only for themselves and becoming disinterested and aloof of others?"
To which he replied:
Originally posted by Nellinator
When I was in high school a lot of my friends and acquaintances were Buddhist, at university Buddhism was extremely popular (more of a fad than a religion though), and now I deal with a lot of Buddhists at work.
Had he not been making a generalization about Buddhists based on his experiences with Buddhists, he whould have responded, "I am not making a generalization about Buddhists."
Furthermore, since I acknowledged that his argument is based on his experiences, and he conceded that his argument is based on his experiences, where is the misrepresentation?
Originally posted by Thundar
But what does truth represent? That's the point I was making. "Truth" covers an extremely broad spectrum in Buddhism, and is based on the interpretations of the individual.
By all means, illustrate how "truth" is subjective in Buddhism.
Originally posted by Thundar
That being stated, Buddhism is a very self oriented religion. I seriously have doubts and concerns about any belief system that values individual opinion, over good moral character.
You could not be more wrong .... ❌
Buddhism clearly teaches there is no such thing as self, and to put the illusion of self above all else is foolish and harmful.
Buddhism teaches us that we are all one, and that true happiness can only be acheived by making others happy.
You really shown an ingorance towards Buddhism in this statement.
FYI Thundar, let me teach you a lil about Buddhism:
You seem to only be familiar with the surface concepts. However, your beleif that Buddhism is a self centered philosophy is so wrong, so painfull incorrect.
Buddhism is the opposite of self centeredness.
Samsara is the opposite of Nirvana, the cycle of birth and re birth, which we continue to endure for as long as we desire the attachments to this world and beleive in our own ego. To beleive in a self, to beleive that we are individual and independent of all others, is a falsehood according to Buddhism.
This beleif in a self, is what keeps us trapped in Samsara. To ever reach Nirvana, which is union with all things and the death of this illusion of self and detachment from all other reality, we must let go of the concept of ego.
According to Buddhism, the "self" is nothing more than a composition of the Five Aggregates, which is why Buddhists do not beleive in a soul.
Originally posted by Alliance
this begs the question...does man = woman?
There is a thread for that HERE.