What is a Buddhist?

[Amelia]

A French press is good.

[George]

... join in all the family holidays, sing the Christmas songs, have the baby Baptised ... just nod and say "maybe so" ... if it makes your poor mom or dad happy. Why not? ...

I find Jundo's suggestion of that approach very reassuring, I turned down being a godparent twice but did end up taking an active part in the christening of my own son mainly as I felt it could be misinterprepted if I did not take part - he is not biologically mine but I have raised him as my own since he was six months old.

I felt a little uncomfortable having to make promises to raise him as a Christian, as with such a central role I couldn't do my usual trick in these situations of skipping the words I do not agree with.

[Dokan]

Nobody really knows...

Gassho

Dokan

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[Tb]

I felt a little uncomfortable having to make promises to raise him as a Christian, as with such a central role I couldn't do my usual trick in these situations of skipping the words I do not agree with.

Hi.

I would make an promise to raise him as an dad/person who cares, and it looks like you're already doing that.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Jakudo]

Good evening, my name is Shawn, and I'm a Zen Buddhist. It really does not really come up very often for me.

[galen]

Good evening, my name is Shawn, and I'm a Zen Buddhist. It really does not really come up very often for me.

Shawn... what makes you say this?



Gassho

[RichardH]

If Shawn is talking about practicing Buddhism being a non-issue. I can relate. It seems to depend on local culture. In a more cosmopolitan setting or culture being Buddhist is not strange, any more than taking yoga classes. It may be different in the midst of a religious mono-culture.

Gassho, kojip

[galen]

If Shawn is talking about practicing Buddhism being a non-issue. I can relate. It seems to depend on local culture. In a more cosmopolitan setting or culture being Buddhist is not strange, any more than taking yoga classes. It may be different in the midst of a religious mono-culture.

Gassho, kojip

Thats why I posted my wonderment, where speculation has no ground. That would end the ifs and its.

Just wondering where he was coming from, as one could even speculate a touch of sarcasm or irony.


Gassho

[Dosho]

Hi all,

I used to spend time thinking about the answer to the questions posed above. And now? This may sound rather dismissive and I don't mean it to be...I just really don't care.

If someone asks, I would say I am a buddhist. The one time I brought it up the people I was speaking to thought I was joking.

Practice, precepts, patience.

Gassho,
Dosho

[galen]

Hi all,

I used to spend time thinking about the answer to the questions posed above. And now? This may sound rather dismissive and I don't mean it to be...I just really don't care.

If someone asks, I would say I am a buddhist. The one time I brought it up the people I was speaking to thought I was joking.

Practice, precepts, patience.

Gassho,
Dosho

Well done.

When I am in a discussion that leads to this type of philosophical discussion, I usually say I enjoy very much reading and intellectualizing (if you can call it that ) this type of philosophy.

After all, what the hell is a Buddhist!?



Gashho

[Jishin]

What is a Buddist?

On a lighter note, once when discussing Buddhism in a Christian Country with a Muslin friend, he coined the term Jew-ddhist to describe me. My mother is Jewish.

We laughed hysterically.

Gassho,

JC

[Jundo]

Ju-Bu is often said too.

[Shonin]

For me i think it's anyone who believes that which the Dharma offers. There's more devout and more lazy ..even some that don't try at all. but i think it's a matter of what they believe that makes them that way.

I have often heard the term "true christian", meaning someone who is truly following the ways of christianity as opposed to those that sit back telling everyone else they are wrong, engaging in all kinds of "non-christian" activities.

I think a christian is one who believes int he teachings of Jesus and accepts him as their savior. Whether they ever step into a church or not is irrelevant.

Same goes for any form of religion or spirituality.IT's not about how you act , or what you do. It's about what you think is the truth of the universe(which of course especially in buddhism can get rather complicated).

Just my two cents worth.

_/\_ Dave

[galen]

For me i think it's anyone who believes that which the Dharma offers. There's more devout and more lazy ..even some that don't try at all. but i think it's a matter of what they believe that makes them that way.

I have often heard the term "true christian", meaning someone who is truly following the ways of christianity as opposed to those that sit back telling everyone else they are wrong, engaging in all kinds of "non-christian" activities.

I think a christian is one who believes int he teachings of Jesus and accepts him as their savior. Whether they ever step into a church or not is irrelevant.

Same goes for any form of religion or spirituality.IT's not about how you act , or what you do. It's about what you think is the truth of the universe(which of course especially in buddhism can get rather complicated).

Just my two cents worth.

_/\_ Dave

Thanks Dave... its not about how you act or what you do?



Gassho

[Amelia]

Since taking Jukai, I have told a few people who have asked that I'm Buddhist. I still won't flat out say it in front of my family, though. I think my Mom knows, because she's a lot more interested in Buddha than the rest of my family, however, I still won't say it in front of any of them.

My family is very open, but also Catholic. I worry that someone might worry about my soul. I remember my grandma asking me one day, hopefully, if I still believe in God. I said yes to her, and it wasn't a lie as far as she's concerned, either. I guess I believe in God in the sense of Big Mind, although I am also open to the idea of a kind of Universal Consciousness. As of now, the question is not my practice because I am taking a break from my three year long obsession with God and what It is.

I am also a bit hesitant to tell others that I am Buddhist because where I live in Southern California I don't think anyone really knows what that means, even if there are a lot of Buddhists in San Diego. Telling someone you're Buddhist here is met with a nod and an "uh-huh," "really?", or a dismissive, "that's interesting." I don't think anyone I have ever talked to in person knows what Buddhism is in terms of the actual practice. The only question I ever get in response to telling people I'm Buddhist is, "Do you worship Buddha?" Or here's one I got asked by my roommate, "Is there a Church of Buddha?"

I feel as if telling people I'm Buddhist is met with complete misunderstanding, but I don't try to push the point. It feels a little lonely, though, knowing that most of those who know I'm Buddhist take my Buddhism to mean that I am on some hippie-dippie New Age trip.