Want to give buddhism a go

so, im not a religous person. Up until 9 i went to chruch with my nan on sundays, but stopped going when i was 10/11. I've read about buddhism, and how it is more a philosiphy than a religion. They do not worship a god or supernatural deity. It really interests me and i want to get into meditating and buddhism, but 1 of the 5 precepts is staying clear of intoxicants (drugs n alcho) but im a pothead and enjoy getting smashed every other weekend aha. will i get looked down on from the buddhist community if i do not follow that rule? i know that buddhist beliefs are fairly flexible, but i just wanted to know.

thanks guys

 

The precept on avoiding intoxicants is there for a reason. They get in the way of making progress. Eventually, you may come to see for yourself how this is so and give them up. Or perhaps you won't.

If you have no intention of avoiding intoxicants, it is important not to make a commitment to do so that you can't or won't keep. It is better to be uncommitted than to break a commitment. The Five Precepts are optional. People are encouraged to commit to them and to live by them, but it is not a requirement.

While Buddhists are taught to accept others, we are human and imperfect like anyone else. It is possible that some may not accept your ways. It comes with the territory.

Bear in mind that "getting smashed" is an attachment and will hinder your progress. The objective in Buddhism is to get free from suffering, and it is attachments that cause suffering.

 

You should try out Satanism. I was in a similar position that you're in right now, not really religious or anything, but still i'm not an athiest. I can't say that i'm not religious because I still have a firm set of beliefs about life and such. I wanted to give buddhism a try, but I love cannabis and I believe that drugs help out human civilization when used responsibly. With that belief I could never be a true Buddhist. A couple months ago I was really bored and I somehow got the thought to check out the church of Satan's website. (my subconscious talking to me maybe?) But what I found was a LOT different than what I already thought about Satanism. It's really more of a philosophy like Buddhism, but instead of giving up material goods and other "fake" things that can bring happiness, Satanism advocates indulgence and whatever makes yourself happy *within the law of course*. It's a religion that worships one's self. Correct me if i'm wrong, I don't know too much about Buddhism, but i'm pretty sure that giving up material goods is one of the cores of the religion.

I don't want to hijack this thread and go into too much detail, but one of the main ideas of Satanism is to be very fair. Of course, you should treat everybody the way that you should be treated, but if somebody does harm to you, it tells you to not turn your cheek and look the other way.

Another main idea of Satanism is to question everything and to never blindly accept what people tell you.

I could go into more detail, but again I don't want to hijack this thread entirely. I just read your post and am making a suggestion but this is why we need a separate subforum for Satanists if you read my first post. I want to say too since I only have a couple posts that i'm not just some guy who always tries to spread Satanism, I'm just thinking about the topic right now.

 

You are wrong.

 

Well I'm kinda in the same boat as the OP here, hey OP how you doin'.

Was considering going to some weekly meditation meetings but really don't know a lot bout buddhism yet!

 

In what way? It says in one of the four noble truths that the origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. I would argue that material goods can bring happiness if that is what one desires. I would definitely not enjoy life as much without material goods including good sound systems to hear music with, and other type of electronics.

 

That is correct.

What you said in your earlier post was:

You don't have to give up your material goods. Only your attachment to them. It is the attachment that is the problem, not the goods themselves.

 

I wouldn't say that's true on all material and transient things. Sure, maybe for a pen or something, I wouldn't have any attachment to since it is just a low cost tool. I do however, have an attachment to the things that cost me a lot of time and work.
I put in a lot of time and effort working my job so that I could own the laptop that I own now. I have pride that I'm able to own it. I'm more happy with myself that the work I put in paid off. Just the fact that people prefer to use their stuff over other people's stuff shows that they have an attachment to their thing. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You have sharing to an extent though. I think it also provides motivation for any maintenance or upkeep to have the thing last as long as possible.

 

I don't dispute any of that. Yes people have attachments. At least you admit that you do. Lot's of people try to deny it.

Buddhism doesn't say that that's a bad thing. ("Good" and "bad" aren't really Buddhist concepts.) It just says that it will cause you suffering. You can't find a suffering that doesn't have some kind of attachment as a cause, nor an attachment that doesn't involve some kind of suffering.

If you are okay with that, then you are probably not going to become a Buddhist. If you want to do something about it, then you might.