Need Buddhists

So this morning, my Bible teacher(christian school) was feeling extra bitchy, and decided to hate on all other religions nesides her own. I easily kept up with her and shut down each of her stupid little shit swings at other faiths. I was pissed off at her negligence towards everyone else. The whole class was quiet except for me and her going back and forth... Eventually we got on to Buddhism, and she was talking about how dumb it was because you can't have a personal relationship with God like she does with hers... I told her that the only reason why she thinks thats not right, is because her religion says the opposite. I told her that buddhists understand its not necessarily about the individual in the big picture, but attaining the state of mind to become one with God after death. It quieted her a little, but then she went on to say how selfish they were. I wanted to fucking stone this woman. I tried sincerely to explain that simply because they decide to control their minds through meditation and prayer, doesn't mean they're selfish when they don't go out and preach the word of their god.

I absolutely understand that buddhists are not selfish... but how can I come back to her accusation that they are. She says how she sees all these buddhist celebrities that don't bother helping anyone over seas or any of that.

Questions:
How can I come back to that stupid shit? They really aren't selfish i know, but how can I get her to understand that even though they aren't specifically sending out missionaries to every damn country, they're not actually selfish.
Also, I know there ARE buddhists that are helping people in other countries right now, but I can't for the life of me remember who and where, so I didn;t bring that up this morning. Who and where are they?
And last... WHY? Why don't they actually go out and help people? Was I correct in telling her that its because they understand that everyone can bring their own selves out of their troubles, and they believe they were put in those positions for a reason?


To top it off, she was just a prissy bitch reclining in her chair, with her legs crossed shaking her damn Starbucks drink acting all relaxed.
I used to respect her, just realizing she was completely jaded to all other ways of life, now I sincerely dislike her, and I no longer hold any repect for her.

 

does a christian school suck? do you have to wear uniforms? that teacher sounds like a piece of shit.

 

Eh... none of us really know what the real world is like, those that have always gone here of course. Some people leave, and get scared shitless at real schools and run on back with their tail between their legs... the teachers have a feild day with those kids because they think its proving that God is at work and makes us comfortable here. not true... everyone hates it, but i like it, because I can walk around alone all day, and no one fucks with me like apparently people do at public schools (I wouldn't know) But no one gets beat up or anything, just alot of gay rumors about all the class sluts and they think its so scandalous and cool... its not.
Uniforms are acceptable to me... I couldn't care less. I don't need to impress anyone. They're in the same shitty boat as me.

I hate all my teachers because they're so arrgoant about being christians and being able to bag on any religion, and get paid for it. I stomp them in the ground when it comes to philosophical conversations and they hate it... most of them acceot my intelligence and don't go there, because they know they'll regret it. (i.e. they say how stupid some religion is for sacrificing cats, I refer them to the old testement when they people were required to sacrifice bulls and sheep for merely touching a dead animal and becoming unclean) Or how unbelievable some religions stories are, and then I say how they still believe a talking snake convinced people to eat an apple which enlightened them to live and death and they then could die.

All this year, I've kept quiet about my beliefs in Bible, specifically because my teacher would freeak out and like obsess over me converting back... I beat her every single day when she tries to prove me wrong in my practices now. She tells me all the time how I'm deceived and will be going to hell. I tell her its JUST as possible that SHE was the one deceived and she could suffer, she had no come back other than that she "just knows" I told her, that I also, "just know" and that every hindu, catholic, and buddhist "just know" She was stuck, but blew me off.


Still desiring any responses to my original questions

 

First off, buddhism is an atheistic religion. There is no "god" concept in buddhism. The historic Buddha was a real prince who lived in ~500 bc named Gautama Siddhartha. Sounds retarded calling it a religion then, you say? Guess what, most buddhists would agree. It's a philosophy, and should not be discussed in the context of religions.

Period.

No, really, I mean it. You might as well compare Protestantism and Kantism. Apples and oranges.

Second, buddhists tend to be a minority, and a poor one at that. Excuse them for not being able to match wallets with christian giants like the Red Cross; it's simply a matter of math.

You could start with the Dalai Lama, who has been trying to free Tibet from China's oppressive grasp his whole life.

But I mean, does it really matter? Do you decide the validity of a philosophy or religion based on what the news reports on their actions overseas? That's pretty dumb. The whole discussion rests on a fallacy, which is "a philosophy is only as good as how many members of it are working for charities". Not a very well thought out benchmark for "righteousness" imo.

Classical Buddhism holds reincarnation as one of its tenets; to them, things like bad hurricanes and such have been going on for literally eternity, and you yourself have been involved in an infinite amount of every disaster imaginable.

In other words, we are talking about a worldview that is radically different from the Christian one, so judging Buddhism from the Christian worldview does not work out so well.

Man, grab your parents by the cuffs and tell them you're sick of this shit. That's all I can say. Religion is disease, imo.

 

Thank you. I am completely aware that buddhism isn't a religion. That simple fact always slips my mind in any arguement. I do know however that some people can TREAT is as religion, but I still agree that it is a simple(per say) philosophy.

My big question to her was, "Why?" "Why does buddhism need to be so 'unselfish'"... its not in they're little bible to go out and do good deeds, so I guess its not necessary. Yes, it does do good for the world, but I had to explain to her, that the world plays a very minor role it what they believe. The world isn't what really matters, if I'm correct, they attain "samsara" by completely relinqhishing all ties to this world.

I really hope I'm not butchering buddhism. I try to understand it, but its so incredibly confusing, not because I don't understand, but because I'll read one translation of something, and then read another, and they say something that is very different... Its tough to know what exactly its talking about. But I'm trying.

I'm not buddhist, I don't much believe that The Creator put us on this earth, only to ignore all the happyness we feel. (I believe buddhism is about stepping away from your emotions, knowing that they are not of the True-Self, but of our physical human body.) I still believe its my duty to not allow all these kids to be brainwashed by ignorant teachers who never look into the world veiws they rant about.
It seems every time I bring up buddhism out of respect and how it can help people, they say how stupid it is to worship Buddha and that he's dead... of course, Buddha is simply a name for any enlightened one, and the original buddha was the one who paved the way for others.

Ha... and my bible teacher also made the statement that all the other Gods are dead, and that's how she knows her is the right one, because hers is still living. I laughed in her face, (specifically to get her off her pedastool) and said that Jesus is just as dead as any other prophet that walked the earth... I don't see him walking down Main Street today saying hi and helping with groceries... I love that one... it offends tons of people when I say it with a smile... and I certainly don't think its very respectful of me to do that, but I only use that when they piss me off and start ragging on every other god. I'm usually very respectful and try not to alk about their ignorance... but usually by the end, they've raised their voice and are yelling, so I calmly bring out the big guns.


Dude... its gonna suck if I really AM wrong and I end up burning in hell for all this. I guess they will all truly have the last laugh if so

 

Buddhism isn't a religion.

 

Gee thanks

 

lol sorry I didnt read the other posts, I'm too lazy lol.

Anyways just tell him that his religion is fucked and see what he does.

 

Tell her that its pretty selfish of herself to preach that everyone should be of christian faith and follow what she believes.

 

Every religious or philosophical belief system is believed to be the truth, according to the people who follow the teachings of said religion or philosophy. In the eyes of any religion, whether it be islamic, christian, rastafari, whatever.......any set of beliefs that differs from their own is "wrong" or "sinfull". The truth is, none of us know which set of beliefs is right. We just have to follow what we feel is right and hope it pans out the way we believe it will. Everyone has a different opinion as to what is true and false, and it is wrong for anyone to tell a person that their beliefs are wrong. If the country actually obeyed the constitution, "in god we trust" wouldn't be on our money, in our courts, or in our schools, and every religion would get equal say in the way our country is run. Most people follow a particular religion for no other reason but the fact that they were raised to follow that religion. The fact that people believe something just because they were told to is just another form of kissing ass......tell your teacher she is kissing god's ass and that god has made her his bitch. haha I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not kissing anyone's ass, including god's, just to get into heaven; if heaven is even real, but who knows?

 

Ya but would you believe in god if heavean was real and "God smoked cannabis."

 

Word, I was raised christian but once I did some research on my own that was out the door. I dont know what I believe just yet but christianity is definitely not for me.

 

I'm a semi-christian. I THINK I believe in god and all that, but I question his reasons for putting us here, if he is real. I think he put us here for his entertainment. We are like a soap opera or a darkly humored sitcom for him to watch and laugh at. He didn't create us out of love, but out of boredom. That's what I think. We're kinda like god's idea of an antfarm; he watches us live, struggle, and die, and we have no real influence on his existance.......we're just here. He throws a few natural disasters and diseases in to mix things up a bit.

I'm still not sure if he's real though, because I'm still alive. After I die, I'll find out if he's real, based on whether or not I end up in hell, because if he is real......I'm definitely going to hell. haha Sucks for me

 

Why should it matter to you what she thinks? It really shouldn't, and doesn't. You can't control what other people think in their minds. So just let it go.

I personally consider myself to be Buddhist, not hardcore, but I've read some books.


And there are people that will rub you the wrong way.

Its all in the way you re-act.


Its a choice.

 

TNS... your first post was golden
We haven't finished our curriculum, and she has requested that we meet over the summer, (we'll get credit for a semester if so, and it will be only once a week, instead of everyday at school during class) I'm definitely game, and when its summer, and I can't get in any real trouble for it, I'll use your, "God has made you his bitch" line. I smiled. Its so true.


I honestly have no idea WHY we are here, but I know that we exist, and we exist for a purpose, even if the purpose is to give another human a purpose, and so on. We're all an end in ourselves. I believe there is an ultimate power, wether it be a concious creator, or simple a machine like universe that is perfect, and never out of whack (believable actually). And the recent outburst of natural disasters (China quake today, tornados all throughout the country, and fires in Florida) are just "God's" or the universes way of evening out the lack of positive vibrations.
That is a complete conjecture from my 16 year old mind, and I have no evidence other than a few trips under my belt saying that the universe definitely has SOME direct influence on my life.

The BIGGEST problem with christians when I'm against them in conversation, is how they REFUSE to simply look at it from SOMEONE ELSE'S perspective. That's what I did... and I jumped right off the bandwagon then... They think that since they are SO SURE, they needn't bother with anything else ever again. So they refuse to think about how from a hindu's perspective that they are ALSO positive they are right... instead, Christians just considered them deceived by The Evil One. (my personal belief is that "The Evil One" is actually our human imperfections tempting us to go against the True Divine One, because although we are apart of God, we are also apart of something God is not... Human.
Then, they try and use all of Jesus' miracles as proof that he was real. I told them, that just because they READ about it... means nothing. And that I see Criss angel every Thursday do miracles, that are way cooler than turning water into wine(I smiled) They retort saying that its all fake... I retort saying that maybe JESUS was a ll fake, and just as all the people who actually think that guy is real, the people back then were even more naive, and fell for even simpler things.

 

I feel you. I couldn't care any less how off she is in everything she says. But I believe its my personal duty to not let all 700 kids in our school be brainwashed about every single otherr religion, and them throwing them out the window and never giving them a chance in their life. They are bound to Christianity, because they were told that Buddhists worship a dead guy, wiccans worship Satan and slay cats and drink blood, pagans kill calves and so on. I simply stand up for what I know is wrong, and allow the kids to actually hear something that's not complete bullshit.
Some people would just sit back and not give a shit that all these kids are being led astray. I believe I was put in this shithole for a purpose, and that is to atleast enlighten a few souls to the fact that we were never condmned to hell, and that we have a bit more freedom in this life than christianity will allow. There's about 5 in the school who have listened to me and started asking questions for themselves... sometimes I feel guilty, because if I AM wrong, Satan is actually working THROUGH me to lead kids astray, but as for now, I sincerely believe I am doing right, and I have the respect of every single kid in the school, excluding the kids who love to go around shouting, "Blasphemy!" at every one who does a simple thing wrong.

 

Eggzakly! The bible was written by men, so even if some of it's true, there's no way all of it is true. It MAY have been true in it's original text, but it has surely been changed over the years, whether it was purposely or it was just lost in translation. The same could be said of all religious texts.

For the most part, I don't believe the bible. It just seems to me like it's nothing more than some guidelines of the way people back then thought we should act, as humans, and they came up with hell to scare people into acting the way they thought people should act. It seems to me like it's a rule book or guide, but people look at it as a history book, as though it has been proven that anything in there is true. There's really no way anyone can prove what, if anything, is true in the bible or any religious text.

 

Agreed. I also believe, that if God REALLY wanted us to know he was here... He wouldn't send a damn book that bores us to death, and that half we can't understand, and completely leaving out the poor people of the world who never learned to read... I believe he would want us to see him through nature, which includes, mushrooms, mescaline, and the like. He gave us such a wicked cool mind that we still don't understand(which is my belief why Christians are so convinced they're right) The answers are certainly inside of us, and not in a freaking thousand page book.
Even then, the verses don't mean the same thing to everyone, so he can't expect EVERYONE to come to him through the text. For example, when I read a book and it talks about a barn, I remember the barn from my childhood that was old and brown with lots of hay, then, when my neighbor reads the exact same part with the exact same barn, HE pictures it as this beautiful red and white barn like on the movies... so EVERYONE will take the bible differently, and yet Christians claim that it is still completely up to us to interpret this, and be RIGHT about it, or burn for eternity.

When you sit down, and recite aloud, "I'm sexy" its proven that people will begin to actually BELIEVE they are sexy... that's because your subconcious mind hears that, and immediately stores it as truth... so when Christians sit there all day, convincing themselves that they can feel God and see his work every day in the world, they are going to fully BELIEVE that that's what they are seeing... even though its just some random thing that would've happened anyway. The mind is so complex, I also believe its possible that there simply is no God, and our minds are just so freakin' crazy, they have to imagine the biggest and biaddest thing... just because it gets bored with whatever it sees every day. I don't believe this, and I certainly would understand if this is the case... not that I would ever know for sure though

 

I am an Eclectic Pagan myself, and if you tell her that i bet shed have a heart attack. Buddhist Philosophy makes too much sense to not be included in my mindset.

"The word Buddhism comes from the word 'budhi' which means 'to wake up'. Monks say that Buddhism is the philosophy of awakening. The word Buddha means ‘enlightened one.’

1-all life is suffering, pain, and misery, also known as dukkha.

2-suffering has a cause, also known as tanha, or selfish craving and personal desire.

3-selfish craving can be overcome.

4-to overcome this misery is through the Eightfold Path.

Buddhists believe in reincarnation, where they are born again after they die. This wheel of rebirth, known as samsara, condemns the individual to the suffering of being alive. A Buddhist’s goal is to escape from the cycle of being reborn. When they have finally stopped reincarnating than they have reached Nirvana. Nirvana is considered the highest bliss. It was this bliss that the Buddha felt under the Bo tree."

http://www.essortment.com/all/buddhisminforma_relv.htm

find a nice hefty rock, and place it on her desk under a note which reads "people used to throw these at people who thought differently" or something better of your own design. she does sound like a bitch. you can tell her so.

 

Good input^ Thanks. I see I got Samsara confused with whatever the 'S' word is when you've opened the 7th chakra and are able to "keep it open"

But it was so weird, she's usually the nicest person who's just really stupid... but today, she had like... an extra boost of confidence from some stupid morning devotion I'm sure, and decided to take on the school's best philosopher in everything she could. She came nowhere close, but she was just so persistent in trying to argue with me and start fights... I was so pissed off, but really didn't want to show it, because I knew she was feeling uncomfortable as she saw she wasn't able to prove herself RIGHT, like she thought she was going to be able to do.

And about her, she was raised in a different religion, and she had like a sucky childhood and her parents didn't really like, her. She stole and smoked cigs and so on when she was in 8th and 9th grade... then, she like had a break down, and the first place she tried was christianity... so now, she's convinvced that it was her God that did that... but in reality, I think it was just the fact that she now has a cool imaginary friend who she can dump all her problems and and feel alright about it.
I mean... everyone loves to have a friend who will sit there and listen to you complain about things... but this feeling is multiplied a ton, when you believe this certain friend is the omnipotent power in the universe... and there's no getting her off that.

She's also told me I need to stop reading so many scriptures from other religions and just let God speak to me... I think she feels threatened because about once a week I come in with a different philosophy that she has to work her ass off to debunk.

For the record, the bahai faith is extremely appealing to me right now. Its the mind set I desire (accepting off all faiths) but it really doesn't have the spirituality I desire.
I attend Sweat Lodge regularly which although the natives hate on whites doing it, I believe it is certainly something that benefits me and my Walk.