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Published on April 12, 2004 By dharmagrl In Religion
The Buddha compared faith to and blind giant who meets up with a very sharp-eyed cripple, called wisdom. The blind giant, called faith, says to the sharp-eyed cripple, "I am very strong, but I can't see; you are very weak, but you have sharp eyes. Come and ride on my shoulders. Together we will go far."

The Buddha never supported blind faith, but a balance between heart and mind, between wisdom and faith. The two together will go far. The saying that blind faith can move mountains omits the fact that, being blind, faith doesn't know which mountain needs moving. That's where wisdom is essential, which means that a thorough understanding of the teaching is essential.

(Ayya Khema 'Where The Iron Eagle Flies')

Comments
on Apr 12, 2004
I couldn't agree more! This concept is exactly why I have a disliking of a lot of the organized religions. I know too many kids brought up in the church to just learn the phrases and moves and accept everything because it says so in the bible. I say, do your homework. When your child has a question, answer it to the best of your knowledge and then try to find answers together.

Anyone with faith has to take a leap of blind faith at some point. Something came from nothing in the beginning. Noone can explain it. You have to see with your heart at that point.

Thanks again dharma!
on Apr 14, 2004
I don't think that genuine faith in God is blind. In order for something to be faith, there is uncertainty involved, but there needs to be enough evidence that you can trust that it will be true. You just can't see the whole picture. I don't believe that "God" expects us to believe him or in him without giving us some evidence through experience, reason, or a vision, etc. What that evidence is depends on who you are, and what sort of evidence makes sense to you. I like your analogy of faith and wisdom going hand in hand. I think Bhuddists have a lot to teach Christians. All truth whether it comes from Bhudda, science or somewhere else is "God's truth."

Jill I also like what you have to say. I don't think that you have to take a leap of blind faith, but I do believe that there is a gap between what we know and what we believe. I also believe that it is your heart not your head that informs you about God.
on Apr 14, 2004
I think that Buddhism and Christianity are very similar on many accounts. I think that it's possible to be Buddhist AND Christian....
on Apr 15, 2004
Dharma~There you go again: Taking the words right out of my mouth, huh? *I'm smiling* Yeah, why do so many Christians get offended by being compared to Buddhists? (although I'm not saying that about the folks on this thread now~I mean generally speaking..) I pray to Jesus, AND I meditate to Buddha~and quite a few folks have told me that is like trying to have your cake and eat it too? Huh? Say what? So one religion is supposed to be superior to another then? Ummmmm, I don't think so.

~MadPoet
on Apr 15, 2004
MP, Christianity is exclusive, one God my friend. It's not about superiority, rather the basic principle underlying the religion.

Dharma, very well said, couldn't agree more.
on Apr 16, 2004
MP, Christianity is exclusive, one God my friend. It's not about superiority,


Mack~I was a born again Christian for too many years to count (while I was still a very young man). And I am sorry. But what eventually forced me to flee my Christian church was the arrogance and intolerance I saw there on a regular basis. The congregation most certainly DID believe that ONLY their faith and denomination would get them to Heaven in a hurry. So Buddhists or Mormans or Catholics or Agnostics, etc. were all going to have the gates of Heaven slammed in their sinful faces big time. I don't think calling that "exclusive" excuses what they are trying to do. Only one God? It is a rather ignorant belief system to me. One that preaches humility, but practices superiority. Only THEY are going to Heaven? There's absolutely NO humility there. And humility is one of the most important aspects of faith. Without that~religious folks are more likely to use the Bible as a weapon to harm others they don't wish to understand, instead of as a tool to helping us all to love and understand each other better. Finally, I did not say ALL Christians were acting this way (in my original comment), but "so many." So I think it is important that this distinction be acknowledged here. It's like Dharma said: It IS possible to be Buddhist AND Christian. And what I never understood was why so many Buddhists could see the wisdom in this truth, but many Christians could not. And that's what I was always puzzled by. Thanks for listening.

~MadPoet

on Apr 16, 2004
But what eventually forced me to flee my Christian church was the arrogance and intolerance I saw there on a regular basis. The congregation most certainly DID believe that ONLY their faith and denomination would get them to Heaven in a hurry. So Buddhists or Mormans or Catholics or Agnostics, etc. were all going to have the gates of Heaven slammed in their sinful faces big time.


That is EXACTLY what turned me away from organized Christianity. I know the exact moment it happened: I was sitting in Sunday School. I had been having some doubts and to try and allay those doubts I had thrown myself fully into Christianity, going to church 3 times a week, being a member of fellowship groups, sunday school, etc etc etc. the pastor made a comment about how he didn't care what anyone thought, there was but one path to god and that path was christianity. There was no 'meet at the gates' deal, and that if you weren't christian you were going to hell. I almost got up and walked out in the middle of the class.

I saw (and see) so much hypocrisy masquerading as religious righteousness it made (and makes) me almost physically ill.
on Apr 16, 2004
Christianity is exclusive because Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me." As long as Bhuddism is a philosophy then it is not incompatible with Christianity. But if you worship Buddha as some do, then it is imcompatible. Christians have no right to be arrogant. We are all considered sinners who are saved by grace and not by our own merits but Christ's sacrifice. I would like to say that anyone is welcome into the kingdom of God, but I'm not the king. Jesus invites everyone to the banquet, but if you're not wearing wedding clothes, then he will kick you out. Those are his sayings not mine.