practising buddhism and catholicism?
Sep.15, 2007 in
Meditation software
missy asked:
Is it possible for a person to practise both Roman Catholicism and Buddhism? Please note there is no god in Buddhism and we do not worship idols. They are used as meditation tools.
Is it possible for a person to practise both Roman Catholicism and Buddhism? Please note there is no god in Buddhism and we do not worship idols. They are used as meditation tools.
I am Buddhist, but for some reason, have found myself drawn to Roman Catholicism lately as well.
Question posted courtesy of: Caffeinated Content
September 18th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
of course you can
the church may not like it but ..
there is nothing wrong with being a practising Catholic with a Buddhist philosophy
be whatever you need to be , take what makes sense to you
if you feel called to something … then investigate it at least
September 19th, 2007 at 4:17 am
No can do missy. If you’re a Buddhist, you are no longer Catholic. Read this:
September 20th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
I don’t see why not.
You can pretty much be a Buddhist/anything.
Good luck finding acceptance in the church, though. They’re not exactly the accepting type….they probably wouldn’t understand that Buddhism is a philosophy.
September 22nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
My advice: find something else to be drawn to lately.
Catholicism isn’t something they allow you to cherry-pick. You’re either in, or out… unless you’re Opus Dei, then you’re just ________.
September 22nd, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Read a book called ‘The Cloud of Unknowing.’ It is the most amazing melding of Catholicism and something akin to Buddhism I have ever seen. It was written by an English monk in the 14th century. You can find it on Amazon. You might also look into the works of Dionysius the Areopagite. He is more neo-Platonic, but you might find thoughts of value in his work, too.
I have no trouble understanding how you can be attracted to both.
September 24th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Yes. There will be times when they might seem in the contrary, Buddhism and Catholicism.
But I suppose Jesus of Nazareth, can become your ‘enlightenment’ now.
And when you meet The Lord Buddha, on the road….
( Buddhist, also )
September 27th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
As you get deeper into one or the other you will probably find things that disagree with one another
but you are free to worship as you feel is right
and pray for discernment as you travel in your spiritual journey.
While not a Buddhist I have read some of their bleiefs and there is a lot of positive things there.
September 27th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
The truth is Jesus Christ…
There is no other way but Jesus alone.
So buddhism is total waste of life. Roman Catholicism is another way of wasting life where you are standing at the gate of heavan but choose not to leave idols and open the gate without them.
So in all ways you are going to same destination:
Lost and away from the presence of GOD.
There cannot be gray areas. A truth is always 100%.
You are buddhist. Meditate on it.
September 29th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
It depends, there are different types of Buddism, just as there are different types of Christianity.
Like most monotheistic religions, most forms of buddism DO have a divine being, but it differs in that it is in a sacred collective, a state of divine nature of understanding and compassion. This belief is incompatible with Catholic thought (including teaching on reincarnation).
Zen buddism, however, recognizes the benefit of enlightened living but lacks the strict doctrinal adherence to the divine nature of enlightened existence and allows members to disavow the concept of reincarnation. In this sense, if one studies zen buddist philosophy they can be Catholic as well, though the general forms of traditional buddism and Catholicism are non-compatible.
October 1st, 2007 at 11:55 am
Yes it is. Buddhism and Christianity are not mutually exclusive. Some Christians may tell you otherwise, but this is because a lot of Christians have no understanding whatsoever of Buddhism, which kind of renders their viewpoint null and void. I really don’t see how believing that human suffering is caused by materialism, and that ending our materialistic attachments can reduce and even eliminate our suffering conflicts with Christian teachings in any way. Jesus actually preached a very similar world view…
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:07 am
Forget religion and follow Christ.
October 5th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Dear Friend, I suggest few verses from Bible (Which were spoken by Jesus Christ for our learning) :
‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve HIM only”
Matthew 4:10.
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other”
Matthew 6:24.
Christianity means seperation and leaving. Leave the worldly things and look unto the Jesus Christ.
October 6th, 2007 at 11:42 am
As you said Buddhists don’t worship idols.
Catholics use “Idols” as meditation tools as well.
No i don’t see any reason why you cannot be both Buddhist and Catholic. Buddhism is a Spiritual Practice not a religion unto itself.
The Japanese Mix Buddhism with Shinto, and the Chinese mix Buddhism with their Folk religion(s) and the Indians mix Buddhism with Hinduism.
I don’t see why you can’t mix Buddhism with Catholicism
October 7th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
You have theistic Buddhists and non-theistic Buddhist. Either way, it a philosophy that I found incompatible with Catholicism having practiced Catholicism for 27 years. The doctrine of the Church and the basic tenets of Buddhism will clash at some point. I do not say this to try and make you decide one over the other, I just use it as a personal reference point. I wish I could have combined the two but in the end, with Paulian Christianity, the two are extremely incompatible. I gave it a go and felt the logical choice was Buddhism with an honor for Jesus as a spiritual ancestor. Feel free to email me:)
October 8th, 2007 at 3:01 am
Buddhism revolves around the yin/yang theory , I guess you could view God/Satan as the two. Only problem is, the Buddhists believe the yin/yang energies are combined in one being, not separate. The OT (Isaiah 45:7) does say God creates both evil and good. The satan in Job is not the NT character that is God’s nemesis. The Catholics are based on the NT, which says the two are separate (which would be anti-Buddhist) but the OT God doing both would qualify. I think Buddhists don’t believe in violence, which contradicts a lot of the OT. But, you could combine them to fit however you want…just don’t go around preaching to others that they’re ‘wrong’ in their beliefs and will be punished eternally for it. It is kinda insulting. Although, I am glad to say I have no fear that any Xian I know is going to try burning me at stake.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:00 am
their is nothing stopping someone from practacing both,
buddhism may have no god as catholics do and the views may differ in areas but the main tenants of both buddhism and catholosism are the same such as the ten comandments and the eightfold path are very similare if not the same depending how you look upon them possibly omiting or adding worshiping god and no other, and working on a sabath comandments they are the same essentially.
also their are gods in buddhism but they are not seen in the same way as christians or other god/s based faiths see them their are christian practices such as meditation mindfulness to name a few which are compatible with buddhist and reciting mantras or other texts are compatible with catholism.
although i would discourage mix and matching religiouse practices some practices can be altered slightly or left the same between religions.
October 10th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
With respect and kindness…
If this is your concern, YOU should find the answer.
What good is someone else’s opinion?
I will be a hypocrite and answer anyway…
I think that the bible may represent the truth, like many religious books. I do not think its a good idea to attach to the characters in the bible and worship them. Its better to learn from what the book teaches us. Worship the lessons you learn from the bible. See if you notice the lessons in your own life.
OR
Worship the characters from the book, if it helps you in some way.
October 12th, 2007 at 7:26 am
There are at least two Catholic priests who have received dharma transmission as Zen masters: Robert Kennedy, S.J., and Fr. Kevin Hunt (see the link below for more details).
The accomplishments of these men make it clear that there is no contradiction between Catholicism and Buddhism. One only needs a clear, spacious, and non-judgmental mind. This mind is fundamentally spiritual and thus forms the basis for all truly religious experience. Really, there is no name for this experience — not God, not Buddha, not Mohammed. It’s just — this!
Good luck on your quest.
June 15th, 2008 at 4:21 am
Edmund…
Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment…