Coffee Table Buddhism

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Frankly there are a lot of people who would disagree with you. A certain level of mystery about the mind or the transcendent makes life interesting for a lot of people.

Agreed. Rational explanations for supposed supernatural phenomenon often leave people with a sense of emptiness. This is unfortunate, but an inevitable side affect of the culture most of us are brought up with. It doesn't have to be that way, certainly, but you're right as it concerns many people.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Like what? Most rituals have a legitimate basis or a historical reason for them. The symbolic aspects of ritual are also fairly important.

...only if you're an adherent of that religion. Symbolic aspects of the religion are only important to non-adherents so far as they have practical application to their life and/or worldview. In and of themselves, they might be poetic metaphors or enlightening rituals, but they have little allure from a "coffee table" perspective.

Originally posted by DigiMark007
I prefer to think of such things as philosophies.

👆

Originally posted by DigiMark007
...only if you're an adherent of that religion.

The historical basis for them still exists and in some cases is rather sensible.

Originally posted by DigiMark007
Symbolic aspects of the religion are only important to non-adherents so far as they have practical application to their life and/or worldview.

Only if they lack an interest in human history and culture.

Originally posted by DigiMark007
In and of themselves, they might be poetic metaphors or enlightening rituals, but they have little allure from a "coffee table" perspective.

I suppose. But wouldn't a "coffee table" practitioner follow the rituals in an empty way? Just going through the motions without understanding the meaning.

A "coffee table" practitioner wouldn't follow the rituals at all. It's taking certain aspects of the teachings/stories/myths/whatever from a religion and assimilating it into one's worldview, but without being a "practicing" adherent of that religion.

One could argue that such people take the important aspects of a religion and ignore the rest. Or the reverse, that they deny themselves the full experience of a religion. But ritual plays little, if any, part in this thread's working definition of coffee table religion. Like believing in Jesus without going to church because they see that aspect of Christianity as needless, or seeing the universe as a unified determined field where nothing is good nor bad (Taoism, hopelessly condensed) but not practicing meditation or regular reflection on Taoist teachings. The list could easily go on.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
What kind of Prayer are you talking about? The typical "close your eyes, and bow your head" or the lord's prayer that is repeated using a rosary?

Originally posted by King Kandy
Both in a way. "bland" prayer=no benefits. Lord's Prayer, I can see the benefits but I know of nothing that shows it to be on the same level as Contemplative or Transcendental meditation.

You will have to do some research into the Catholic religion.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
We will just make all new religions by then. Religion is a reflection of humanity; not the other way around.

Not only do I disagree with that post, I maintain what I said. I think the seculars will eventually 'win the war', and relgion will be extinct for the most part, with the exception of few, secretive devotees. I think it will be a similar situation to the Jedi.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
Not only do I disagree with that post, I maintain what I said. I think the seculars will eventually 'win the war', and relgion will be extinct for the most part, with the exception of few, secretive devotees. I think it will be a similar situation to the Jedi.

And you don't see this future "jedi" as a religion? 😕 I see that as a religion.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
And you don't see this future "jedi" as a religion? 😕 I see that as a religion.

No, that's my analogy with today's religions. They'll be "all but extinct" with a handful of exceptions. Christians, Muslims and Hindus will have to practice in privacy.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
No, that's my analogy with today's religions. They'll be "all but extinct" with a handful of exceptions. Christians, Muslims and Hindus will have to practice in privacy.

What about some of the new religions today? Scientology my take over the world. 😘

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
You will have to do some research into the Catholic religion.

Individual beliefs diverge, along with various religious sects, and perhaps organized religion is on the decline. But there is little evidence to suggest that belief itself, either in a God or in the supernatural, is declining.

I can't see Mota's "secretive" religions coming to fruition any time within the foreseeable future. Jedi are a minority because most don't have their power. Their minority status is not a public choice. Your scenario also implies some sort of persecution, which I can't see taking place. Secular society might not endorse religious beliefs, but it would also have little reason to feel threatened by them or to persecute them, especially with no central voice to rally them to such a cause.

Originally posted by King Kandy
I won't have to do the slightest research into the catholic religion. I rely on scientific studies for my evidence, and they have shown that people's mental health can be vastly improved by meditation in over seven criteria. Prayer has not shown any such improvement.

No, I was telling you about something you don't know about.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
No, I was telling you about something you don't know about.

Originally posted by King Kandy
What was it that you were telling me that I didn't know?

You would have to study up on Catholic prayer to understand how some forms of prayer are very much the same thing as chanting.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
You would have to study up on Catholic prayer to understand how some forms of prayer are very much the same thing as chanting.

Originally posted by King Kandy
I already knew that. I'm saying neither prayer NOR chanting has shown the same effects in studies as meditation.

Chanting is a type meditation, so, I don't know where you got the idea that chanting does not have the same effect as meditation. Are you saying that there are types of meditation that work, and some that don't?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Chanting is a type meditation, so, I don't know where you got the idea that chanting does not have the same effect as meditation. Are you saying that there are types of meditation that work, and some that don't?

Originally posted by King Kandy
Yes, that's exactly what i'm saying. For instance, in a certain study it was shown that Transcendental meditation showed more benefits in several categories then a Chinese contemplative mthoid. And both of them showed much more benefits then rest and more then prayer of various sorts.

I have done both, and I find that chanting is far more beneficial for me then meditation. It maybe a personal thing that studies cannot distinguish.

Well of course there are exceptions to any trend but it seems that meditation is more beneficial in the majority of cases studied. No doubt there will always be exceptions but i'm just going for what applies in the majority of cases here.