Ever Feared not Believing in Jesus?

[Manji2012]

To all Buddhists who were raised in predominately Christian society, have you ever feared not believing in Jesus? Do you still to this day? Have you ever been told that you will go to hell for not believing in Jesus?

If you had feared at one time, how did you over come this fear?

[Snoopy]

By “Buddhist”, do you mean someone who has been ordained in a ceremony in which they take have taken Refuge in the Three Jewels (comparable with Christening?).

s.

[Snoopy]

If you re-arrange the words in my post above, it is possible to make some sense out of them, I think.

s.

[earl]

Well, that's the strand of thinking within a common form of Christianity that never did make any sense to me. Also, its the stand/legacy of Christian doctrine that has left a bad taste in my mouth. So sad to think of what such thinking does to people-the fear it induces that is so unnecessary.Earl

[Gatekeeper]

I'm not a Buddhist, but Yes [I have lived fearful in the past] My views are ever evolving, so take what is written here with a grain of salt. I'm not a buddhist, nor am I an orthodox Christian. I have drifted from the traditional view, so I will offer how I have come to believe. My current view is that it isn't [Jesus] that we must believe in, but rather the [Spirit] behind the man.

The Spirit produces Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self control. [According to Galations 5:22]

Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" He was both born of flesh, and born of the Spirit, and so it must be with us to have life. [Imo]

Christ equates to "Annointed",or Annointed one. We of ourselves can do nothing apart from God; it is His Spirit that gives life in our hearts, and souls, and spirit. [Abundance of life through His Spirit - The flesh profits nothing]

From the mouth of the Master:

Mat 23:2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you--but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, [who is in heaven]. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the "Christ".

I have oft found myself respecting Buddhists over many Christians, as most 'truly' seek to incorporate"Spirit" in thier lives, as oppossed to just having these concepts in mind, and preaching them. "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only decieving yourselves" [James 1:22]

The ["Word"] is [God]'s Spirit, which most Buddhists embrace within themselves without even knowing it. [imho] Jesus says to "Follow" me, and that means to embrace God's Spirit within, and live with compassion, and love for all things. [Like most Buddhists do]

These are Just my 'personal' thoughts on the subject [for the moment], so feel free to disagree.

Love,

James

[wil]

I have been at numerous times had those who utilized methods to attempt to induce fear of not being 'saved'.

From childhood till this week. From churches to the street, to my front door, to this site. Ridiculous for a an organization supposedly based on love to feel the need to resort to that.

"But what if it's true, answer me that" Oh if that isn't a sign of desperation I don't know what is.

[Gatekeeper]

Originally Posted by wil

I have been at numerous times had those who utilized methods to attempt to induce fear of not being 'saved'.

From childhood till this week. From churches to the street, to my front door, to this site. Ridiculous for a an organization supposedly based on love to feel the need to resort to that.

"But what if it's true, answer me that" Oh if that isn't a sign of desperation I don't know what is.

Hi wil, I Love ya brother!!

Fear is a desperate cry for help, and one which I have cried out from many times. I don't know all the answers. All I can do is trust in my creator - trust that He loves me, you, all. I do [At times] have that "what if" desperation in me, however. That spirit makes me doubt the love of my creator, and for that I am troubled.

I'm reminded of, Mat 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Sometimes, like many of us, [my] faith is challenged by that spirit of fear, which provokes me to desperation. I don't like this feeling, but I apparently need it, or else I would not feel it. It is a humbling experience, man. To know that God is in control, and that my life is in His hands.

Love,

James

I'll stop quoting scripture in the Buddist forum; I understand that it may be taken the wrong way.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

"But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only decieving yourselves" [James 1:22]
Love,
James

Reminds me of: "Strictly speaking, there are no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity." (Shunryu Suzuki).

s.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

I'll stop quoting scripture in the Buddist forum; I understand that it may be taken the wrong way.

We each can only use the language that we have, James. Use what you're comfortable with. We are in a comparative forum.

s.

[Vajradhara]

Namaste Manji,

thank you for the post.

Originally Posted by Manji2012

To all Buddhists who were raised in predominately Christian society, have you ever feared not believing in Jesus?

no, i really cannot say that i have for i did not have the view that fear was the correct method by which one should approach their savior, as it were. given my discussions with the learned Jewish folks on this site it's my understanding that the term "fear" with regards to the Lord is a mistranslation or misunderstanding of the idea.

Do you still to this day?

no as the idea behind this very conception is one which i do not hold to be valid, namely that there is some eternal aspect of being which persists through the dissolution of the physical form and is then judged by a deity.

Have you ever been told that you will go to hell for not believing in Jesus?

countless times.

by the same token, i've been told i'm going to hell for not accepting the religious paradigms of most monotheist traditions so this situation is not, in and of itself, unusual or particular to Christianity in my experience.

If you had feared at one time, how did you over come this fear?

through the practice of the Dharma and a sudden, deep insight into the interdependent nature of being.

however.. the initial question is one which can apply both ways.. or in all ways really... does a Christian or Muslim or Jew or Baha'i or Jain or Sanatana Dharma et al fear the Buddhist hells and taking rebirth therein?

it has been my experience that beings of one religious paradigm rarely have concerns about the consequences about how another religion views their practice.

metta,

~v

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Vajradhara

it has been my experience that beings of one religious paradigm rarely have concerns about the consequences about how another religion views their practice.

metta,

~v

...but they often want you to be concerned!

s.

[Gatekeeper]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

Reminds me of: "Strictly speaking, there are no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity." (Shunryu Suzuki).

s.

How can one truly pursue enlightened activity, if they are not first 'touched' by the enlightened? Is it "enlightenment" that is the goal, or something else? [If] "Ignorance" is truly bliss, then in actuallity, it is [bliss] to "know" that we are infact ignorant, right? Everything else is vanity.

cept......

"[Love] it never ends. prophecies will pass away; languages, they will cease; knowledge will also pass away. For now, we know [in part] and we prophesy [in part], but when the "perfect" comes, the partial will pass away."

[Love remains]

James

[Manji2012]

I am not sure if this fear will ever go away. I am not sure how to free myself from it. Maybe trying to free myself from it is the problem. Perhaps I should just be from day to day without worry. Yet, I fear it will come back again.

It is true that when we hear about the consequences or cosmologies of another tradition we take it lightly. I mean, Judaism or Islam doesn't concern me. For some reason it is only Christianity. I guess cuz they have the best argument or something. I dunno...

Vajradhara:

Could you name some of those Monotheist traditions you spoke of?

[Nick the Pilot]

Manji2012,

Who is the greatest non-Christian you can think of? For me, it is Mahatma Gandhi. Can you imagine him burning in Hell right now? I cannot. Keep visualizing the idea that Gandhi is not burning in Hell right now. That should give you some peace of mind.


You said,

"For some reason it is only Christianity."

--> Christianity is the only fear-teaching religion that you were exposed to often, when you were a child. It is only normal that you would only react to Christian fear-teaching.

[Vajradhara]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

...but they often want you to be concerned!

s.

Namaste Snoopy,

thank you for the post.

indeed, this is often the case. i tend to explain that i am as worried about theirs as they are worried about mine

metta,

~v