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How Do Christians Reconcile The Following Question Regarding Their Faith?

buddhist

Well-Known Member
Hi Buddhist,

I had been a believer of Buddha since I was a kid until high school. I started to learn about Christianity in my high school years. I left Buddhism because of the truth that God had given to us. I've felt God's love, peace and joy. Those are things that money can't buy, and things that cannot be acquired by our own human effort.

Love, God send His only Son, Jesus Christ to suffer for us for the purpose of giving us hope for salvation (John 3:16).
Peace, there is peace of God who fills our heart and mind.
Joy, there is joy from God who fills our heart and mind.

God does exists and still existing. He is not selfish and does not create man to suffer. His great love saved us from the penalty of sin. God is moral. This is the reason why there is morality. I believed that God take His place for us not to suffer, and that is the message of the cross.

Rev. 1:5
5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood,

Thanks:)
Thanks for sharing your testimony! :)

Mirroring your testimony in a way, I had been a believer in Jesus since I was a child as well. I've endured much sufferings through the last two decades - even through years of prayer to Jesus, which I felt were left unanswered in any significant way. So, in recent years I began to explore many philosophies and religious faith systems in an attempt to address that suffering. I decided to learn, and eventually apply, the teachings of early Buddhism, as a philosophy of life, while still holding onto my faith in Christ and Christianity. As I grew in knowledge of Buddhism from reading its earliest texts, I began to understand for myself the incredible depth of wisdom and insight the Buddha possessed and taught. I simultaneously delved far deeper into the Christian Bible then I ever imagined I ever would, in an anxious attempt to preserve my waning faith, ever mindful and fearful of the threats of the Christian god and his hell. In a sense, after intensely studying the Bible - even to the point of learning much of the original languages - and discovering many of the contradictions within it among its multiplicity of obscure teachings, I eventually left Christianity. I then fully embraced and found immense satisfaction in the clear, systematic, rational, and unambiguous Way pointed out by Lord Buddha, taking it as both my life philosophy and religious faith. I've found far greater peacefulness in my life as a result of applying the Lord's teachings into practice for myself. From that peace, I believe I've also acquired a greater sense of understanding, wisdom, loving-kindness and compassion for all beings in this world, having understood the shared sense of suffering we must all endure.

I could not say that I know directly for myself the alleged claims of the Bible, for I had no way to personally verify the historicity or truth of its narrative, and thus its claims. On the other hand, I can know, and have known, directly for myself the truths taught by the Tathagata in early Buddhism, through my own practice of the Buddhist path.

Although Christianity is unsatisfying to me personally, I am pleased to hear of your deep faith, and I hope it serves you well on your spiritual journey.
 
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Yoshua

Well-Known Member
Good reference.

I personally believe that Jesus was a man who learned the enlightened ways of Buddhism and other similar philosophies in his sojourn in India during his "lost years", and that he returned to Israel to bring more loving-kindness and other similar teachings and reformations back to his people chained to their bronze-age mythologies.
Hi Buddhist,

I don't think the "lost years" should be given a story that Jesus learned the enlightened ways of Buddhism. If we take those account as real, there would be no Buddhism at all because He said that He is the way, the truth and the life. By the way, Buddhism and Christianity has a lot of differences just like an oil and water that cannot be mixed in terms of their teachings and spirituality.

Thanks
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
Hi Buddhist,

I don't think the "lost years" should be given a story that Jesus learned the enlightened ways of Buddhism. If we take those account as real, there would be no Buddhism at all because He said that He is the way, the truth and the life. By the way, Buddhism and Christianity has a lot of differences just like an oil and water that cannot be mixed in terms of their teachings and spirituality.

Thanks
Hi Yoshua,

How do you determine which source of information regarding Jesus is correct or incorrect? Jesus may or may not have visited India and learned Buddhism. Jesus may or may not have said that he is the way, truth, and life. I don't know for myself which is correct, or which is not - these are two examples, among others, of allegedly historical narratives which I cannot personally verify. :)

I believe that Christianity can actually be seen as a subset of Buddhism. That is, the Christian heaven can potentially exist within Buddhist samsara, and that the Christian god or Jesus can also exist as one (or two) of many countless devas and Brahmas in one of the various heavens as found in Buddhism.
 

Yoshua

Well-Known Member
Ten years ago I couldn't have IMAGINED living without God. I'm currently agnostic and happier and feel more at peace than I've ever felt. It took awhile to let go of being afraid of being thrown into Hell for letting go of Christ, but once that fear was gone, it's been glorious. Every person needs to find their own way, one that makes the most sense to them. I still feel a "spirit" of something inside me but I'm not sure what "it" is. I like it though. :)
Buttercup,

Same as Christians who did not surrender their lives to God including me (before). Everyone has its own story to tell. The difference lies on defining what is "peace" and "fear" of God. The peace that a human can get without God is the peace that does not disturb him physically and mentally, but for God's peace--that would be spiritual. This is a higher form of peace that can't be surpass by human effort. The "fear" of man are (also) things that disturb us physically and mentally, but the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Prov. 9:10). If we know God, we will know who He is and what He is. There is someone who we can lean on. We will allow his will to manifest in our lives instead of ours by the promised Holy Spirit.

Thanks
 

Yoshua

Well-Known Member
Very true.

I don't like faith because it is a position that stands on no showable evidence.
Faith in the spiritual sense is believing something that defies the laws on nature, again without any showable evidence.
A position such as that is not respectable, nor is it presentable in any logical or evidence based argument.

Someone saying they "have faith" means I can ignore them and move on to the next person.
Not because I think they're wrong but because they don't have any evidence to prove they're right.
Hi Death,

Does faith needs evidence to prove that they're right?:(

God naturally knows who have faith in Him. Knowing if a man has faith to me or to you is something that is unpredictable. Human is not a perfect being, but he always practicing his faith. Faith is already a part of man's doing. He dine in a restaurant, sitting down, riding a car, elevator, toothbrushing, cooking etc..

For Christ, faith saves.

Thanks
 

Deathbydefault

Apistevist Asexual Atheist
Hi Death,

Does faith needs evidence to prove that they're right?:(

God naturally knows who have faith in Him. Knowing if a man has faith to me or to you is something that is unpredictable. Human is not a perfect being, but he always practicing his faith. Faith is already a part of man's doing. He dine in a restaurant, sitting down, riding a car, elevator, toothbrushing, cooking etc..

For Christ, faith saves.

Thanks

I don't want to be "saved" by such a God or Christ.

Faith is literally believing something on little to no verifiable evidence.
It has gotten millions of people killed over the past few thousand years and I have no respect for it.
The practice of believing something on no evidence is beyond me, and is something I go out of my way to avoid.
Apistevist.

Scenario: Me and a believer are in a debate.
I ask, "On what foundation do you believe in your God"?
They reply with, "Faith, of course".

The conversation is over as far as I care.
If a person believes on faith they believe on nothing, at least from my POV.
They don't know this God exists, it's personality, how it interacts with its creations.
They just believe either what they are told, or whatever they want.

I can't find anything worth respect in that.
 

Yoshua

Well-Known Member
Because God allows all wickedness. He doesn't have to. He choses to. He could restrict it. He doesn't. That's why.
Prometheus,

God does not allow all wickedness. The wickedness did not originated from Him. He is not a God of wickedness but a God of holiness. People have so many things to ask about God when it comes to the question "why". I'm not exempted from this questioning, but who am I to question my Creator, the all-knowing and powerful God. Thus, faith comes in for his believer by trusting His words and promises. He said, Come to Me, believe in me, obey and trust, and have faith. This is what we can see from the Holy Scriptures.

Isa. 55:8-9
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Thanks:)
 

Yoshua

Well-Known Member
I don't want to be "saved" by such a God or Christ.

Faith is literally believing something on little to no verifiable evidence.
It has gotten millions of people killed over the past few thousand years and I have no respect for it.
The practice of believing something on no evidence is beyond me, and is something I go out of my way to avoid.
Apistevist.

Scenario: Me and a believer are in a debate.
I ask, "On what foundation do you believe in your God"?
They reply with, "Faith, of course".

The conversation is over as far as I care.
If a person believes on faith they believe on nothing, at least from my POV.
They don't know this God exists, it's personality, how it interacts with its creations.
They just believe either what they are told, or whatever they want.

I can't find anything worth respect in that.
Hi Death,

Actually, that was sourced from the word of Christ. For man cannot use his faith to save himself without Christ.

Luke 7:48-50
48. And He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49. And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
50. And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

That is how strong faith is. Same as you sitting down on a chair, a 100% assurance that you're supported and carrying your load. This is the same analogy for faith in God as He support His people from falling to sin and carried their load.

Thanks;)
 

Deathbydefault

Apistevist Asexual Atheist
Hi Death,

Actually, that was sourced from the word of Christ. For man cannot use his faith to save himself without Christ.

Luke 7:48-50
48. And He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49. And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
50. And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

That is how strong faith is. Same as you sitting down on a chair, a 100% assurance that you're supported and carrying your load. This is the same analogy for faith in God as He support His people from falling to sin and carried their load.

Thanks;)

This is still completely in line with my point...
I also don't believe in the validity of the bible, what it says about faith is irrelevant to me.
 

Yoshua

Well-Known Member
Thanks for sharing your testimony! :)

Mirroring your testimony in a way, I had been a believer in Jesus since I was a child as well. I've endured much sufferings through the last two decades - even through years of prayer to Jesus, which I felt were left unanswered in any significant way. So, in recent years I began to explore many philosophies and religious faith systems in an attempt to address that suffering. I decided to learn, and eventually apply, the teachings of early Buddhism, as a philosophy of life, while still holding onto my faith in Christ and Christianity. As I grew in knowledge of Buddhism from reading its earliest texts, I began to understand for myself the incredible depth of wisdom and insight the Buddha possessed and taught. I simultaneously delved far deeper into the Christian Bible then I ever imagined I ever would, in an anxious attempt to preserve my waning faith, ever mindful and fearful of the threats of the Christian god and his hell. In a sense, after intensely studying the Bible - even to the point of learning much of the original languages - and discovering many of the contradictions within it among its multiplicity of obscure teachings, I eventually left Christianity. I then fully embraced and found immense satisfaction in the clear, systematic, rational, and unambiguous Way pointed out by Lord Buddha, taking it as both my life philosophy and religious faith. I've found far greater peacefulness in my life as a result of applying the Lord's teachings into practice for myself. From that peace, I believe I've also acquired a greater sense of understanding, wisdom, loving-kindness and compassion for all beings in this world, having understood the shared sense of suffering we must all endure.

I could not say that I know directly for myself the alleged claims of the Bible, for I had no way to personally verify the historicity or truth of its narrative, and thus its claims. On the other hand, I can know, and have known, directly for myself the truths taught by the Tathagata in early Buddhism, through my own practice of the Buddhist path.

Although Christianity is unsatisfying to me personally, I am pleased to hear of your deep faith, and I hope it serves you well on your spiritual journey.
Hi Buddhist,

Every belief has its wisdom to be learned. I come to a point that I had my hesitation to embrace Christianity due to unpreparedness to surrender my life to Him. But by God’s grace, He lead me to the path of His righteousness—the path of truth uttered by Jesus Christ. I also encountered those textual criticism, errors and contradictions that claimed by non-believers. This has been taken into consideration for me to take a broader study of biblical interpretation. Personally, a life-changed was the reason of how I came to believe Christianity, by faith in trusting God’s word including His promises. There is peace, love and joy that filled in my heart and mind.

About hell, I believed that the notion of hell as a threat from God--is a deception from the enemy. This is what most of the cult churches distorts about the doctrine of hell.

Living the life of Christianity points to the Saviour Jesus Christ, for no other entity nor person who claimed a Saviour, Son of God and Redeemer that can bring them to eternity (Acts 4:12). He suffered so we will not suffer in sinning; He died so we will be die in sin, and resurrected to show to the world his power to save us from the penalty of sin.

1 Peter 2:24
24. and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

1 Peter 5:10
10. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Thanks:)
 

Yoshua

Well-Known Member
Hi Yoshua,

How do you determine which source of information regarding Jesus is correct or incorrect? Jesus may or may not have visited India and learned Buddhism. Jesus may or may not have said that he is the way, truth, and life. I don't know for myself which is correct, or which is not - these are two examples, among others, of allegedly historical narratives which I cannot personally verify. :)
Hi Buddhist,

It is through the Bible, the word of Christ is truth. If John 14:6 is incorrect, who is Christ to claim that He is the Son of God?:shrug: I haven’t heard anyone who claimed He is the truth; He is the way to God; He is the life—life giver; He can bring us to eternity with God; the Emmanuel; Saviour and Redeemer; the name above all names; the name that every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth.:shrug:

The Holy Scriptures were explicitly telling us about the coming Saviour in the Old Testament, this is fulfilled in the New Testament. No description about his lost years in India.
I believe that Christianity can actually be seen as a subset of Buddhism. That is, the Christian heaven can potentially exist within Buddhist samsara, and that the Christian god or Jesus can also exist as one (or two) of many countless devas and Brahmas in one of the various heavens as found in Buddhism
There is no cycle for Christianity like samsara. Jesus does exist incarnated as the Son of God to fulfill the prophecy and bring the good news.

Thanks:)
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
.... Personally, a life-changed was the reason of how I came to believe Christianity ...
I would say the same about me and my life-changing experiences with Buddhism :)

It is through the Bible, the word of Christ is truth ... The Holy Scriptures were explicitly telling us about the coming Saviour in the Old Testament, this is fulfilled in the New Testament. No description about his lost years in India.
How do you know for yourself that what the Bible claims is "truth", and that the texts describing his years in India are "not truth"? I don't know for myself that someone(s) didn't write a prophecy, and wrote the alleged fulfillment at the same time, or that someone decided to imagine a story - one that I cannot verify for myself - which "fulfills" an earlier prophecy.

There is no cycle for Christianity like samsara ...
From my understanding of Greek and Hebrew, I would respectfully disagree. IMO the Bible, in the original languages, teaches a finite heaven and hell.

Thank you!
 

prometheus11

Well-Known Member
Prometheus,

Gen. 2:16-17
16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
17. but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."

Gen. 3:1-3
The Fall of Man
1. Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, `You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"
2. And the woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3. but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, `You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.'"

Thanks

You didn't answer the question.
 

prometheus11

Well-Known Member
Prometheus,

God does not allow all wickedness. The wickedness did not originated from Him. He is not a God of wickedness but a God of holiness. People have so many things to ask about God when it comes to the question "why". I'm not exempted from this questioning, but who am I to question my Creator, the all-knowing and powerful God. Thus, faith comes in for his believer by trusting His words and promises. He said, Come to Me, believe in me, obey and trust, and have faith. This is what we can see from the Holy Scriptures.

Isa. 55:8-9
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Thanks:)

Either God allows wickedness, or he isn't powerful enough to stop wickedness. Which is it?
 

InChrist

Free4ever
Either God allows wickedness, or he isn't powerful enough to stop wickedness. Which is it?
You could read the book of Revelation. God is definitely powerful enough to stop human wickedness. Right now He is giving each person the opportunity to repent from their sinfulness before He brings judgment.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
Are you saying God has the choice to create the world differently (say one that didn't allow infant molestation or infant cancer), or that he had to make it just like he did?

Either God could have made a "nicer" world or he couldn't.

Does God have free will to make worlds without mass murderers or is he a robot?
I think you can keep turning it around blaming God endlessly if it makes you feel better, but I see it as just an escape mechanism from admitting that humans are personally responsible for their own evil deeds. That is the plain and simple message concerning wickedness in the scriptures.
 
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