Greetings community, in my early years I was brought up in a Christian orthodox faith. In my early adulthood my path diverged towards eastern philosophy and study. From hermeticism, the Qabalah, hinduism finally i ended up at Buddhism and Taoism.
Buddhism had taught me how to let things go in my mind and emotions. Life is an impermanent state always in the state of flux. My perspective had changed through the narrative that I had grown up with to put into question who am I? What do I believe in?
Even as now when I look at life I see death, when I look at death I see life, the state of what we may call the present moment is never truly present but it is the past we respond to.
Buddhism had helped through the 8 fold path to become a more compassionate being. How to safe gaurd my thoughts by understanding that drama is something I don't need to be involved with. What matters is being present in the moment and dealing with what I can control that is in front of me.
Even now I am still tied to my Christian heritage just as much as I am Buddhist. Looking at these two distinct paths I can not help but draw similarities to the core beliefs that each one teaches. Even to the passage of death I see similarities to vajrayana Buddhism and Christianity.
Anyways I am still trying to learn and gain more understanding and wisdom whether that is through reading when I have time or through engagement with others that I draw from in contemplation and reflection.
I would like to hear the communities thought, thank you for reading!
It’s such an interesting path, isn’t it? I left evangelical Christianity about 30 years ago, and snuck up on Buddhism. Took me a very long time before I could even have a Buddha in my house because….you know. “False idols.” I came from pentacostals, violent purity culture, missionary work, the whole 9 yards. It was a loooong process to unindoctrinate myself. I tried Tibetan first, but it was a bit too mystical-feeling for me. And I came at Buddhism from a very western secular approach for bit. Took refuge 24 years ago and moved to Zen, Soto. Maybe 8 years ago I realized it’s not secular to me at all anymore. It’s religious and I’m all in.
What’s funny and unexpected is I just moved and joined an actual church - Unitarian Universalist. This is a bring your own faith, activist church, pluralist, where I hope to build community and also develop some better tolerance towards my prior religion. I also realize I need to take myself to the Zen Sangha. I do not want to go, but I need a teacher. I’ve been practicing alone for a lot of years; haven’t been to sesshin in ages. I am serious about it, and devoted and need to join the sangha.
So that’s my story. I never intended to get religious again. I’d read Asian Buddhists a little resentful of casual western Buddhism and think meh, I do what I want. It just happened, became very important to me. Practiced for a couple decades and it seeped into my bones. I know people who hold and practice both faiths; I do not so I can’t make any suggestions except there is a book, Living Buddha, Living Christ - I’ll check the title and confirm. Yes, author is Thich Nhat Hanh and there is the original I read with a red cover and an updated edition. Maybe you’ll find useful.
Thich bhat hanh is popular i have seen his work on the shelves but never gave it much thought, it maybe something worth checking out. There is a mahayana temple near me but not zen Buddhism. It is interesting with how everything played out and where I may lean in buddhism I feel it maybe closer to zen Buddhist philosophy but this is something I would need a proper teacher for.
You can pretty much keep Christian heritage, practices, and culture as long as you do not really believe in any of it. This should be easy to do, since most Christians are already like this, whether they are American or European. The term for this is cafeteria Christian, which accounts for about 70-80 percent of Christians worldwide. They identify as Christian, engage in various practices, but are not really serious about Christianity as a faith. As long as you are like this, I do not see this as problematic when entering the Buddhist path.
It only becomes a serious issue (when entering the Buddhist religion) if someone if one of those "esoteric" Christians who are into mumbo jumbo and think that Jesus is a Buddha or bodhisattva, that Christianity and Buddhism are really teaching the same thing, that Jesus is enlightened, or that at their core Christianity and Buddhism are pointing to the same reality. As long as you do not become like this, I do not see an issue with being culturally Christian (as in the first paragraph) while religiously observing Buddhism.
do not really believe in any of it - Buddhism does not allow belief in a creator-god, nor does it allow worship of Jesus or God as an all powerful savior or ultimate solution. Such devotion is incompatible with the Buddhist religion. In Buddhism, ultimate or highest faith are placed solely in the Buddha/the Triple Gem, which is our only hope for ultimate salvation.
Actually most of the people I know who are in that kind of position are mostly agnostics not Buddhist. They keep their Christian Culture out of Nationalism. Some even come from a Communist background, if they are from Eastern Europe.Like Putin or Lukaschenko. Personally, I doubt both Christianity and Buddhism. I don't believe even Modern Science can give us fully reliable answers on existential questions. However, I respect Religious people. Even if I feel culturally closest to Christianity, I enjoy Buddhist Art and Philosophy. I call myself 50% rationalist or a pious agnostic...
May you be well in your journey and always be happy. Happy new gregorian calendar year.
I don't conceptualize God nor is my focus on a type of creator since that is beyond my knowing, what my concern lies is becoming a better person through observance and learning what faith means to me. Since I had also looked into a bit of Taoism I am aware of the subtle energy of the body and natural world. For my meditation one of my favorite spots is under my apple tree. Through a clear mind I can feel how connected in energy.
As far as the esoteric it was interesting to study it's philosophy with hermetics but beyond that I didn't take any further. I tried to keep myself grounded with my practice. I kept a healthy dose of skepticism but remained open to each experiences. I try to stay non attached to each experience I recieve.
I have read the Tibetan book of the dead which went through the 3 jewels of the body. This is what I am meditating on and trying to study a bit closer.
This sounds okay to me.