Buddhism in the Bible.

reply to post by LittleByLittle

That is for you to seek and find yourself as the bible tells you. When the student is ready the master/teacher appears.

In other words, just as you didn't respond when I asked you for a specific instance of major conflict between Christ and Paul, instead deferring to Akragon's less-than-convincing "by faith only" argument, you're not replying here because you don't have clue one.

reply to post by adjensen


I would hardly say im trying to convince anyone, especially the Christian community...

Its pretty obvious that its damn near impossible to sway a Christians beliefs, regardless of contradiction or conflict in theology

I can only present my perspective on it, IF others agree... that's fine, and if they don't that's fine as well...

reply to post by Akragon


No, I respect your opinion, I just meant that for this person to say "Paul is terrible", it requires a little more than saying that someone else's argument, which didn't prove the point, is all that they need to provide to back up their opinion. I sincerely asked for him to back up his claim with scripture because, as you know, I've been asking for the same from you and others for years, and I've never seen anything that was clear and major enough to say that Paul and Christ are in conflict.

oktopus

I Always figured buddhism has affinities with religion. I Always figured a religious person is somehow what you call a buddhist.

Here is a quote out of the Bible which I find to be similar to what buddhists are taught.

James 1

13 "Happy is the man that keeps on enduring trial, because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life, which Jehovah promised to those who continue loving him. 13 When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone. 14 But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death.'

Do you see what I mean, and you find this post to be of any value?

Various Religions of the world are simply different ways for Great Wisdom and Truth to be explained across many cultures, people, and nations. They all interconnect in some shape or form as you continue to study them. There are God's truth in all religions, but there are also falsehoods in them. Because as you establish religions, the Mind of Man (Leavened) will begin to seep into the Bowl of Unleavened Flour. The Bible reads, "“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till bit was all leavened.” So when you look at modern religion, it has been infiltrated by falsehoods (Leavened) until it seems as though the entire loaf of bread has been contaminated when originally it was unleavened; therefore, God's truth still exist within the Leavened Loaf of Bread.

So when you combine the world's religions, you will get the bigger picture of the Path of the Spirit. Of course, after you do that, it is time to transcend religion because you have gotten to a higher level of consciousness and require something more enlightening.

reply to post by oktopus


You are correct. There are many similarities between the teachings of Buddha and Christ:

Jesus: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31

Buddha: "Consider others as yourself." Dhammapada 10:1

Buddha: "Lose yourself to gain Nirvana, and escape from suffering."

Jesus: "Lose yourself to gain Christ, and The Entrance to Heaven."

Buddha: "The Charitable Man is one who has found freedom."

Jesus: "It is better to give than to receive. If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine and you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

adjensen
reply to post by LittleByLittle

 

That is for you to seek and find yourself as the bible tells you. When the student is ready the master/teacher appears.

In other words, just as you didn't respond when I asked you for a specific instance of major conflict between Christ and Paul, instead deferring to Akragon's less-than-convincing "by faith only" argument, you're not replying here because you don't have clue one.

If you want to experience the supernatural/spiritual you seek the supernatural/spiritual with the tools that exists in your body. Meditation is a good starting point.

I have made the same argument that Akragon has made and I also see Paul all the time saying he is not lying. I think he protests to much. I do not like the way he rises up himself as a apostle and pushing down people with real connection to the spiritual world. To me he is a wolf in sheep skin (a garmented one) or a fictional person created by Rome to take the fall as the traitor changing the message to fit the people in power. I have no use for Paul:s message since it leads to stagnation and people believing they should get a free karma ride. To me the religion Christianity that Paul/politicians created was never a healthy tree giving off healthy fruit as seen in the dogma and middle ages. A person who do not want to see contradiction will not see contradiction. If you who want to discuss Paul vs Jesus you have all these threads to ponder below.

Paul contradicts Jesus
www.abovetopsecret.com...

false apostle Paul is the 1st AntiChrist! Christians quote Paul to counter radical teachings of Jesus
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Paul messed up Christianity
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The bible exposes Paul as a false apostle.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The Hijacking of Jesus. Paulianity and the Middle of the Road Doctrine
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Paul: Rome's version of the Trojan Horse
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Paul The First Heretic
www.abovetopsecret.com...

arpgme
reply to post by oktopus

 

You are correct. There are many similarities between the teachings of Buddha and Christ:

Buddha: "Lose yourself to gain Nirvana, and escape from suffering."

Jesus: "Lose yourself to gain Christ, and The Entrance to Heaven."

Yes but gaining Christ, and He said as much, would not separate one from suffering because of it. The point being that the lack of suffering that Buddha talks about is the lack of toil to gain a sort of Nirvana. Christ talks about gaining Him as He is the doorway, not divest to find the doorway gained by divesture.

LittleByLittle

Logarock

LittleByLittle

oktopus
reply to post by Akragon

 

Paul might have been too wise for you to understand.

We could hope so. But I have learned to trust my instincts and every time I read Paul, I get the feeling of a salesman trying to sell me something similar than what I want with over exaggerated words. To me Jesus, Buddha and Rumi points to one specific location that I logically also agree would be most beneficial to all beings who are.

Ok what is that specific location?

That is for you to seek and find yourself as the bible tells you. When the student is ready the master/teacher appears.

LOL. My Bible tells me that Buddha is a weak counterfeit and to watch out.

ctophil

oktopus

I Always figured buddhism has affinities with religion. I Always figured a religious person is somehow what you call a buddhist.

Here is a quote out of the Bible which I find to be similar to what buddhists are taught.

James 1

13 "Happy is the man that keeps on enduring trial, because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life, which Jehovah promised to those who continue loving him. 13 When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone. 14 But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death.'

Do you see what I mean, and you find this post to be of any value?

Various Religions of the world are simply different ways for Great Wisdom and Truth to be explained across many cultures, people, and nations. They all interconnect in some shape or form as you continue to study them. There are God's truth in all religions, but there are also falsehoods in them. Because as you establish religions, the Mind of Man (Leavened) will begin to seep into the Bowl of Unleavened Flour. The Bible reads, "“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till bit was all leavened.” So when you look at modern religion, it has been infiltrated by falsehoods (Leavened) until it seems as though the entire loaf of bread has been contaminated when originally it was unleavened; therefore, God's truth still exist within the Leavened Loaf of Bread.

See here is a perfect example of the sort of thing that develops from a lack of understanding Christ teachings. Here Christ is talking about the processes of leavening which are different from the leavening processes He refers to in his famous stament about the leaven of the Pharisees.

Christ's meaning here is that the kingdom has its own leavening process. Not to be confused with the leavening to corruption that many sort of false teaching have. The kingdom of Heaven is LIKE leaven to the good until the bread is right in a timely fashion unlike the corrupting affects of the pharisaical leaven.

And your first sentence.....I have been hearing this for years but when looked into amounts to little. It really does. The gospels cut right through the generalized understanding of God that many cultures and religions share.

reply to post by LittleByLittle


Again, I didn't ask for other threads (I probably weighed in on no small number of them, myself,) I asked what your basis is, because maybe it's different from all the generic "Paul sucks" websites and refuted claims that have been presented to me before.

What, for example, in this passage is contrary to Jesus (particularly as regards "works versus faith")?

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

Paul admonishes people to do good works -- there he says that's specifically what we were created to do.

If what you say is true -- that Jesus is all about following Torah and Talmud Law, and Paul is all about having trust in God and having good result from that faith -- I'd say that the latter is closer to Buddhism than Jesus was.

reply to post by adjensen

adjensen
reply to post by LittleByLittle

 

If what you say is true -- that Jesus is all about following Torah and Talmud Law, and Paul is all about having trust in God and having good result from that faith -- I'd say that the latter is closer to Buddhism than Jesus was.

Jesus was not follow Torah, and he taught against it:

Torah:

"And thine eye shall not pity ; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." - Deuteronomy 19:21

Sermon on The Mount:

"You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. " - Matthew 5:38-39

and Paul is not the only one who taught Faith, so did Jesus Christ:

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24

This is why it is important to not hold on to Guilt (believing you are forgiven by God) , but to also try your best to fulfill the law:

" It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Galatians 5:13-14

reply to post by arpgme


I think you missed the point -- I was arguing against that perspective, because it was put forth that a fundamental contradiction between Jesus and Paul is that Jesus (and James) taught salvation by works alone, and Paul taught salvation by faith alone, neither of which I believe to be an accurate statement.

I know I'm jumping in to a deep well here, as these issues get rehashed over and over but I'll throw my 2 cents in to the Paul debate. Also to the OP, I believe Jesus wasn't taught by buddhists, but is THE Buddha. I'll save that for another time.


If you hold to the verbal plenary inspiration model of the bible, aka God ghost wrote the bible, with the writers having a direct transmission of Gods words, then yes Paul looks like a jerk, and it doesn't seem to fit with Jesus a lot of times, especially modern sensibilities like slavery and women being in their place.

But if you see that just as man is inspired by God as in the garden story, we are a combo of dirt (earthly, violent, destructive) and breath (heavenly, peaceful, constructive) then we can look at Paul in a whole new light. He was wrong on some things, though I've seen some pretty good explanations for some of the more common objections to the writings ascribed to him i.e. women being told to keep quiet.

The problem I find with Paul is what is probably not Paul, and/or Paul is speaking from his own mind instead of the mind of Christ. How much was added later (like the pastorals?) Or how much is his opinion, or what he thinks is right. But mixed in with that is the seed of life, just as we are breath mixed with clay.

If you want to throw out Paul, you should throw out John also. They are largely from the same viewpoint, that of the Sod level.And for me the bible is only useful through spiritual eyes, and I believe that Pauls work especially Gal, Eph, Col, 1+2 Cor are written from the ascended viewpoint, the Sod level. Much of the misunderstandings of what he is saying arise from trying to read it with natural eyes, which is precisely what Paul speaks about in regards to Letter vs. Spirit.

John is the same, that book bears almost no resemblance to the other gospels. Again John writes from the Sod level. Jesus could not have actually been on the cross at the time of the killing of the passover lamb, because all the jews would have been home and not at the cross. The synoptics record one time, and John has another. The reason is symbolic. Johns gospel was written from an archetypal perspective. It is a mythological account, and I use myth in the highest sense, not always factually true, but spiritually true.

This isn't to say that the rest of the bible is written from a literal perspective, but John and Paul are almost entirely written from the ascended viewpoint. Those things are the hard to understand things as Peter wrote.

Jesus spoke in the same way. The kingdom of heaven is like. Those who have eyes to see. The kingdom of heaven is inside.

reply to post by zardust


The difference between the two of course being that Johns gospel has words that Jesus apparently actually spoke while he was alive...

Paul's letters have nothing Jesus taught...

And by the way, with a side by side comparison, johns gospel does line up with the synoptic gospels... not entirely, but they do line up...

reply to post by Akragon


I hope you didn't try to make a point with that post.

reply to post by oktopus


ugh... I forgot this was your thread...

reply to post by Akragon


I'd never reveal such personal info over the internet. Maybe I'm lying too, who knows!

reply to post by oktopus


Seriously bud... most of your posts don't even make sense...

Why do you think people are ignoring you?

Try to put some thought into what you type before you actually type it, instead of just spouting off the first thing that comes to your head...

Reveal what sort of personal information?

What does that mean?

what does that have to do with anything I just wrote?

Lying about what?

I could rip into just about any thing you post because its mostly nonsensical, but I just don't care enough to bother...

DO yourself a favor.... THINK about what you post... then post it...

You might get a better response from most members here

reply to post by Akragon


Whatever, as long as you feel alright. You still should consider the advice I gave you in the other thread.

reply to post by Akragon


So do you dismiss the resurrection? As if he wasn't alive? What did Jesus say about the living? "let the dead bury their dead".

What did Paul say about that? "you were dead in your trespasses".

Paul received his apostleship through revelation, Jesus spoke of revelation when he asked "who do you say I am?" Peter replied "you are the son of God". Jesus said "blessed are you Simon bar Jonah for this was not revealed by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven." Then he say's "and on this rock I will build my church".

He is not speaking of Peter being the pope or having any special status, he is referring to seeing the Truth by revelation from heaven as opposed to flesh and blood. That is in line with this: The kingdom of heaven does not come by observation.