Newcomer4831

Your complexion and plus you said you were born a Buddhist.

How old is the Bible? Or at least the Torah. Also, wasn't Moses the writer of Genesis?

You wouldn't happen be from Sri Lanka would you?

Speaking of Chil-Mo's what ever happened to "To Catch a Predator"? It was like Cops, but oh more just.

1. Yes and no. But I'm talking a Holy war, again probably for our souls, I don't know if that's the truth. I saw Jesus Camp and the woman makes this claim, Christians versus Muslims I persume. 2. Yeah, there's a great theory of our Universe I would like to present as it was mentioned in Astronomy Magazine. Our Universe and the Big Bang might be a cycle.

I think there is a misconception about money, about it's value. It's only as valuable as the institute that created it. Yes, the cotton film in which it's printed on, that may have been made by God, but the value and the turmoil people strive for a piece of paper that's essential poor version of fire tinder, these are things that Man has put into it. And if you are willing to say that the value of money is derived from God, then there are "negative" ramifications that goes along with that.

Very UnBuddhist like...just joking.

1. Is there really a Holy war going on; one that is beyond than that in the Middle East? I feel as if this is just a sensationalist approach to the world in order to rally people on their side. 2. I've been on different forums, and usually there is a science section, is there a reason why there isn't one here?

Money is a creation of man, not God.

I'm sorry, I should have explained. "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom." Also, money only brings trouble, there is a reason why they say that money is the root of all evil. But I'm sure God would want us to prosper, but through other means: family, faith and community perhaps. But not money, thinking that God wants us to prosper through money creates corruption; people will do anything for money if they think that material things only means that God favors them more. Also, another way of thinking it, do you think that the Muslim society is more blessed than the United States? The leading Muslim nations are sitting on "lakes" of oil. Some of the Holiest men alive didn't have a dollar in their pockets.

You know your daughter best, and you ought to know her friends too. Based on that, I think you will find the answer. And even in the Movie Taken, the daughter would have been just fine if her friend didn't intervene.

I hope the only answer to this question is NO!

I'm sorry, for some reason I thought you knew the story. But in India, there was a great war as suggested in the epic "The Mahabharata" which is similar to Troy, where there might or might not have been an actual war. Arjuna is troubled to fight in the war and is counseled by the Lord Krishna who tells him that Krishna is the creator and the destroyer. And that a man must give him complete devotion and do what he is asked of. And you are right, I don't know the full events of the war, but if you take the Mahabharata as witnessed events, then it's somewhat believable. [Arjuna and Krishna talk in the middle of the battlefield before the war is engaged.]

I do not get offend for myself, however I do get offended for other people. So if you have something, this goes out to anyone, please say so. Being humble is a luxury when you are faced with someone who is not humble themselves. However, please find a place of controversy in Buddhism. Whether in science or in philosophy. I know there is small bits of controversy in people themselves. Such as the Dalai Lama. Despite what he's done [good or bad], he is a contradiction to what the Buddha taught; the Buddha set up a rule for monks not to engage in politics, however a Dalai Lama by definition is a political leader. You also learn that Tibetan Buddhism was setup a millenia after the death of the Buddha. There are many things that they do that is not present in early Buddhism as is added after by men in power. I would like to believe that China's rule over Tibet is just Karma for acts deemed ignoble by Devadetta himself years before. Tibetian Buddhism aside, I have yet to find any evidence against Buddhism. FYI, there is a theory from M-theory that states that branes become active and that the big rip isn't the end of the universe, such in a manner that the whole big-bang and big-rip events become a cycle. Just as the Buddha said, everything truly is [like] a illusion.

Oddly enough, I actually came to know more about the Hindu God of creation, Krishna, first than Yewah or Jesus. [Not entirely true, of course I knew who Jesus was, but didn't know details. Just saying that I knew the finer details of Krishna than Jesus] With that said, Arjuna could only see the world through the divine eyes Krishna gave him. So saying that normal people cannot see what God sees isn't anything new. However as a Buddhist I would say that you should concentrate on your own being and mind. As for truth, truth being things we know are real such as suffering, such as death, such as conservation/decay/cause & effect. Here's a story you might be aware of: A man was walking down the street and he gets shot with a poison tipped arrow. A doctor rushes to his side and says "sir, we must remove the arrow." The person shot proclaims he doesn't want the arrow removed until he knows the reason the arrow it was shot, whether the person who shot the arrow was tall or short, fat or skinny, bad or evil. The doctor searches for the person, but the man eventually dies from the poison without ever knowing the answers to his questions. You are right, we cannot or will not know all the facts, however we should concentrate on our own problems when they arise but be humble enough to know that we all eventually die.

Here's one I enjoy and also about the founder of Buddhism: In Buddhism, it's required that people who join the Order [sangha] must beg for food. People are not obligated to give them alms, but they do so just as some one donates in the collection plate. In a village where the Buddha was collecting his alms, a row of people gathered as to put food in the begging bowl of the wandering monks. However one man entered the line not to give alms. When the Buddha reached the man, the man verbally abused the Buddha scolding, "I hear you are wise. What's a wise man doing begging for table scraps? If you are wise, you would get a job like the rest of us instead of free loading. Why don't you say something wise unless you are indeed a fool?" The Buddha asked "If you present a gift to someone who refuses to accept your gift; to whom does the gift belong to?" The man replied, "To him who gifted the present. Why?" The Buddha cunningly responded, "Then I refuse your gift of abuse, for now you shall receive it back." He got many dirty looks from the villagers immediately afterwards.

Depends on your definition of life.

I would like to answer my own question: I have found no faults through various searching to find one thing wrong. Not even a reasonable claim, a scientific claim or a philosophical claim that says otherwise. I'm a open person, however if there is one flaw in one place, one place challenged, then I can assume the rest of the religion is bunk. If I have to somehow bend my understanding, search for answers for a challenged conclusion, or just have blind faith in something because evidence explains some of it; then that belief does not hold my interest. A non-theistic religion, fyi, finds its basis on nature. Whether it's God provided nature or science explain nature, that is where a non-theistic religion such as Jainism or Buddhism claims it's findings. From nature we see certain "laws" that exist, one of which is that nothing holds it's same form forever. Even the sun, in the 15 billion years of glorious sunlight, will eventually die, and the universe through a phenomena known as the "big rip" will also die as well. And I find it fascinating that 500 years before the birth of Christ, that Heaven, Hell, the Afterlife, God(s), Saints, Demons, and Angels are all explained. Yes, even the presence of the Holy Ghost, which could be explained in the form of Jhanas, existed in a religion that didn't even know of Yewah, Abraham, Jesus, or Joesph Smith.

This might be a two parter: how do you guys deal with opposition to the other side that claim evidence against your religion? [ideological, philosophical, or scientific] Also, what "test" exist to prove that a religion of any kind has any truth in it? If there exist, I would like to see how it applies to Hinduism. Just for fun.

What do you mean? I see the difference as "curing" or "treating" a disease.

I like your analogy, but I have one I've been using. The truth is like a good grape among rotten grapes. And sometimes you can just spot bad grapes, sometimes it takes a bite to figure it out. However in the end, you need lots of grapes to fill your stomach. So I'm noticing that most people are just born into LDS rather than "discovering it." [What I mean by discover, is that you had no idea what LDS was, then you decided to investigate; almost what I'm doing now]

But what rational made you guys pick the faiths you are in. Was it just feeling alone? Or did you have conditions? I know I did. One of my conditions was that it had to fit in the name of science. There is a reason the religions you guys belong to do not claim that the moon was made of cheese or that clouds were made of cotton candy. Those nice things but I'm guessing you guys wouldn't belong to the "Church of Candy Land" if it existed for that very reason. I had other conditions as well such as, it would have to be non-violent and such.

I'm not advocating my religion, but I'm wondering how many people made a similar journey as I have. I have actually listened and visited many people of differing beliefs from Yoga to LDS. If I had the money, who knows, I may have been a scientologist. However I found something that suited me, it wasn't something I was raised with, something that I wasn't just fascinated with, or something anybody in my area knew anything about. In fact my library only had 4 books on Buddhism. I'm just wondering what events led people to where they are right now.

I enjoy the PBJ analogy. I have another question, when the elder said that women are "nurturers", is that a fair statement on how Mormonism/Christianity views women? [i've considered what you guys said about women positions in the Church]

I have many answers and very few questions. I question things every day, but have found the answers in some way or fashion.