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Reality doesn't lie in the truth. reality is the truth, and truth is reality. If its not truth than it cant be real, therefore it cant be reality. As you know Im not christian in any way, but Buddha also taught not to set our minds on worldly things. To "wake up", achieve enlightenment, bodhi...

Hi Leo, you said you are not content on not knowing where we come from. No offence but you don't know. You believe in something but you don't know personally. We don't need to have blind faith in anything, we can learn many higher things and secrets of reality through meditation. That is how...

Actually I see it more logically, that this "god" is not a great loving being at all, but a tyrant. Much more simple.

The mind is where reality lies. nothing exists outside of the mind. Although, I dont see what you mean by the stakes are fairly high. Not sure what stakes you are talking about.

Yes I am familiar with the vows, and some of the basic differences between the two, I just havent studied the scriptures as much as I have the theravadan scriptures.

I've been a buddhist for probably 5 years and although I practiced strictly for much of that time I do go through long periods where I am far from an ideal buddhist, not that I no longer believe in the Buddhas teachings I just didnt follow them well, ie drinking, not practicing meditation etc...

Well in the theravadan scriptures, the word bodhisattva is used quite often to describe someone who is on the path, searching for "bodhi". It does not talk about putting off final nibbana to help others but because not everyone will put off nibbana to help others perhaps the teachings in the...

hi Nick, No I dont believe they are the same. As I said enlightenment, or awakening, is the initial experience and nirvana is the state that one is in after the experience.

to me that answer seems like someone just trying to justify these acts so they do not lose their idea of a perfect god. From what Ive read I dont see any reason to believe this god is ultimate, supreme, perfect. I see an imperfect, arrogant, jealous being trying to make gullible people believe...

I never said that our thoughts determine the outcome of our lives but they do play a part. Its our experiences, thoughts, and actions that determine the outcome, in short karma. And yes Karma is only one part of the puzzle but the way to solve that puzzle is inside the human mind.

Actually it was never said that they were meant to live forever. Just the opposite actually because afterwards god said "now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever." Clearly stating that they would not otherwise live forever. As for god being...

Quahom, you make sense but you are speculating. You dont know why he lied you are just guessing that it was for our own good. You have blind faith which is why you don't question it. Anyone can put together an argument to sound reasonable but the fact is that if the god in the bible did not...

I agree that alot of people nowadays distort buddhism and disregard things the Buddha taught, according to their own personal beliefs. I've met buddhists who don't believe in psychic powers, but the Buddha displayed them and talked about them very often. He did say that they are not the point of...

Some people might argue that the "serpent" was not the evil being he was made out to be. After all, why should they not be allowed to "eat from the tree of knowledge"? It is never said why it was forbidden. And "god" seems like a pretty evil being if you actually read some of the things he says...

I dont think that people are born good and the world around us screws us up, and I also dont believe that people are necessarily born screwed up. But there are certain latent tendencies and impressions on the mind from various past lives that come over with us, so each person is born at a...

Leo, as I said I dont like to speculate about beginnings because I believe that our minds are too limited to understand the truth so we cling to concepts that make sense to us. But I still believe that the truth cannot be comprehended by us as we are now because all we know is this physical...

I suggest reading the jain scriptures .. thats the best way to learn anything about any religion because if you listen to what someone else tells you about it you also get there own slant and personal interpretation of the scriptures.

Shadowman, never forget to think for yourself. No one else can think for you and you should not rely on any outside influence to "save" you. If you do good things, and treat all people with kindness, I dont think anyone would argue that you are in danger of going to "hell".

Hi Leo, I am actually a buddhist, not sure if that counts as an atheist. I did not say that I "know" there is no creator, but I believe that the concept of a creator is kind of flawed because it relies on the assumption of an absolute beginning and beginnings are just human concepts because...

I believe that Jesus did exist but that what most people believe about him is fiction.