h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If your ideas about Christianity are from childhood, then they are probably just the basics. You must remember that Christainaity is a involved religion when you do get into it, but the truth is the ideas are simple.

We have all sinned. Sin will stop us form getting to God. God's son, Jesus, died on the cross to take away our sin. If you ask Him to help you them he will take your sin away, let you into heaven, and help you live for him in this world.

If you have any comments you can write to me at my home page, or my e-mail is [email protected]

Interesting. Buddha said that Life is suffering, we can ease
the suffering by being good to each other. We do this by acting
right and thinking right. There are no gods involved in buddhism.
There is no sin in buddhism. Evil comes from ignorance
and "thirst"(coveting, or craving), which cause suffering.
BTW, is India considered an Oriental culture?

Having read up on Bhuddism and been brought up as a Christian. I would say
that Bhuddism is far more tolerant, understanding and evolving then Christainity
could ever be. You only have to look at the wars around the world in history
to see that Christianity has alot to answer for especially as Christ said "love thy
neighbour" and then you look at Northern Ireland, the Spanish Inquisition and
religious crusades etc...Something Christian's should try and remember been more
tolerant!

Yep, I've noticed that love,
mercy and tolerance are talked
about by christians, usually in
quotes by jesus or a saint,
but it seems that these virtues only
apply to other christians.
In general that is.
I've known many christians of
splendid character. They do,
however feel sad because I'll
be going to their hell.
I find this very strange.
Singleminded devotion does
have it's value though.
The whole western world is christian.
Even if (as you say and I agree)
that it was brought about by
war, torture, and the inability
to accept any other point
of view. Oh well. So it goes.

Funny thing about my Christian friends. One is often insulted by other christians for standing up for others, even when they are of religions frowned generally (wiccans, etc). And some try make people like me (who are "destined for hell") feel bad for living in this country "founded on Christian principles". Some are the most faithful, tolerant people I know (but still slowly and subtly try to convert people like me, out of love and friendship). Funny world we live in. But that's how it is with all groups. You have the amazing and kind, and the stubborn and ignorant. Gotta love the human race.

There something very wrong about what you said about " We have all sinned
Sin will stop us form getting to God. etc..." I know what it is it's a self righteous
bent which says "I'm right cos Im a Christian and everybody who is not is wrong
and shall be damned." I dont agree with that at all. Its definately wrong and
flawed.

1. I dont feel that this contry is based on Christian Principles any more.

2. If Christians make you feel bade then maybe they are not really Christians or they are the sort that shut themselves totally away from reality.

3. Maybe you should look out and realise that as a Christian I don't have to worry about death, and I don't have to strive to put a safety net around me as I know that I won't have any problems I can't handle, and If i am in "the dark" at the moment then I know there will always be light at the end of the tunnel.

4. If every Christian is trying to convert you then politely say that you are not interested and anyone with a brain will shut up!

Email me at [email protected] if you want to know more.

So are you perfect in every single way, never hurt anyone and never made a single mistake in you ENTIRE LIFE??

If yo;u can honestly say this then I'll belive you that you are the only person that can admit this with out undue arrogance.

Even you must have heard the saying "we all make mistakes"

If we had no sin we wouldn't have this conversation - we'd not have to .

Yep we all make mistakes but that is not sin! Sin is a made up word
by religious leaders to keep the people in line with their naieve views.

The Bible is a full of stories hardly any of them are probably true. Now that might be
considered to be blasphemous and a sin but if you cannot question things
you can change and improve your life...

Sin is when you do something wrong,
and you know it's wrong.
It's a religious term.
"We all make mistakes" can refer
to putting on two different colored
socks. Hardly a sin.(for most folks)

We, as buddhists, know we are not
perfect. We are in fact, trying to
become perfect,so as to get off of
the wheel of life. But there is no sin,
original or otherwise. We are not
punished for mistakes,(ie:HELL)

We are also responsible for every
thing we do, good and bad.
We cannot "confess" and be cleansed.
That is one concept I've never understood.
Sin on purpose, then say you're sorry,
and the sin is removed? Weird.

Doing and thinking right just help us
move along on the path to enlightenment.
Doing and thinking wrong hinder that
progress.
I think many christians are on a path
to ultimate enlighenment. Many paths
lead to the same goal.

I absolutely agree with everything you say. I wish I was not so wound up
by righteous Christians and could see the global embracing view
that Bhudists take. I'm annoyed so much I have to react
unfortunately because Fundamentalist Christians
are so mind boggingly narrow minded...phew!

Yeh, I understand.
Although buddha never talked about god,
(he was asked but said
the subject wasn't important),
I have always liked the thought
"I don't mind God, It's his fan clubs
I have a problem with."

I spent a number of years immersed in fundamentalist Christianity and then in a more moderate evangelical setting. I must admit that for a long time my anger got the better of me and I spent a lot of wasted effort trashing my past. Though my anger still stirs from time to time, most of it is pointless and wasted energy. The best book I have found on the subject of Buddhism and Christianity is Zen and the Birds of Appetite, by Thomas Merton. There is some common ground here, I believe.

Fundamentalist Christianity is what I try to embrace - and fall flat on my face time and again! No-way can I tell my Budhist friends that they are wrong and will burn in hell... because what is right for me is not necessarily right for them. Jesus, who is Lord of my life, loved (and loves still) so called "sinners" and came to bring salvation to those who sought a closer walk with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I don't judge other believers of whatever other faiths, because I could not bear judgement by them - but I do know that Jesus has already paid the price of my sin - through His death - and now I am just responsible for the consequences of my actions. Christ is not a philosophy - he is alive and well and "now"! I am not perfect and I am glad about that - if I were perfect I would not need Jesus!

What most Christians forget is that the bible was written by human beings in the
name of "god". If we did this now we would be considered to be nutters and as we
know more about science and the possible creation of the universe I think we
can consider that we understand more now than we did when the Bible was written...
Bhudism is more evolving and constantly updates itself, Christianity is stuck in
the past!

I too have a diffucult time with Fundamentalists and the "moral majority" prevelent in the USA. These people claim to be the true belivers in Christ and God, yet they act as if they had never read the New Testament... The idea of turn the other check, love thy nieghbor as thyself, vengence is mine sayeth the Lord, are all spoken about in one breath, then in another breath they are caiming an inalienable right to bear arms so they blow someones head off if they break into thier homes... a real Christian thought there.
The beliefs of the East, Buddhism, Taoism, etc are far more "real". They have no exeptions, you respect all things as being what they are, nothing is better or worse than anything else. Everything is to be in harmony with everything else, this will create an Eden if you will, a bliss on earth. This is possible, but not as long as people hate, or as long as they condemn others because they are different... in the beliefs or appearence.
We are one world, let's start living that way.

No - not stuck in the past! The Holy Spirit is the NOW part of Christianity - otherwise known as the "Helper" ... but like most things, on has to practice the habit to attain "enlightenment" - that is why I meditate and pray often so that there is less of me and more of the Holy Spirit in my life. A nutter? well I'm ok with that. After all "I'm OK ~ you're OK" says my pal Byrnes !

The problem we have here is accepting death is the end.
Everybody would like to believe that the person which
is yourself dies and is lost forever when you die.
I slept on my arm last night and when I woke up
it was lifeless, completely dead. I couldnt move it
and it had no feeling. just imagine what happens
when your brain goes through the same process...
= YOU'RE GONE FOREVER. Your mind is dead
and so are you...!

That should have read above everybody DOESNT like to believe...

It sounds to me like Buddhism is a better religion than Christianity... but personally I think that everyone has to devise their own ethical system and stick to it... I have mine, and it's based on seeing everybody's point of view to the best of my ability.

Thus I won't go on about how much I hate religion because I might upset some people... and certainly all the Christians I know are good people. Misguided, perhaps...

To me the very fact that one must "have faith" in religion is proof enough that's it's a pack of lies. If you take in your car to be serviced and say you want it ready for the next day, the reply "have faith" is hardly likely to inspire confidence... and philosophy is a darned sight more important than car repair.

Unless you happen to be a mechanic...

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm a perfectly reasonable caring person without religion... why do I need it? I'm happy with myself, I'm happy with my life, I'm not worried too much about dying, I reckon I've got my ethical system sorted... what can any religion possibly have to offer?