God/Santa

[OneLastBreath]

I did not mean to offend anyone (though by your "to put it into your terms" I see you have no such care), I simply meant that on reaching Nirvana, there was no further step. IN MY OPINION, I can't see the reason for existence if there is nothing more. And for the record, God doesn't smite. He judges you fairly based on your faith and deeds. Given that Christians believe he created us, not to mention he saved us when we turned from him and didn't smite us like he should have, it's the least we can do but to give our lives to him. Prayerposition, I respect you and your beliefs, I wasn't treating you like an infant, I was using an example to illustrate my point, a point that was my opinion (also for the record, I said it was just opinion in my original post). I apologize if I implied anything I don't mean. As for, "All on the individual, people are intelligent enough to choose their own beliefs. Let them do it." I respectfully point out that it was you who began this thread by expressing your view that God doesn't exist, not something that suggests everyone should be left to their own devices.

 

[prayerposition17]

Very well done. Please inform the rest.

 

[nadroj1985]

Now before you say something I find offensive, you should at least research what you are going to argue. To reach nirvana is to be of the highest possible amount of compassion and love for others. It is not a goal which you come down from.

There are Four Noble Truths in Buddhism. 1.The reality of suffering. So this means there is suffering in the world. No one can control that. 2.The cause of suffering. There is a desire for certain goals and this is what may cause suffering. 3. The cessation of suffering. This is Nirvana. It is the mind state where you let go of desire. 4. The path to Nirvana. This is how you may reach Nirvana. It is called the eight-fold path.

Yeah, that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge about Buddhism, although I'd like to study it more. It seems quite interesting.

To put it in your terms, yes it is a goal. But by no means is it easy to reach. By reincarnation and karma it may take multiple lives to reach Nirvana. So you cannot go down. You have let go of all desire and wanting.

That's what I thought. Glad I didn't misrepresent the nirvana concept

With you theory on God and such, you are in constant fear. And you have extreme guilt. And you treat people of other beliefs as if they do not know what id good for them and they will be forever lost. And they are inferior.

I'm sorry, but these are all gross generalizations. I believe in God, and don't subscribe to any of the beliefs you have listed above.

So please, respect my beliefs and do not treat others like they are infants whom do not know what they are doing. We are not blind and a lot of us have actually researched this more than you would initially assume.

I sincerely apologize if you feel that I have not been respecting you (or was this directed at OLB?). I don't think you are blind, but I do feel that some of your statements have been unsupported. I'm merely asking you to support them.

All on the individual, people are intelligent enough to choose their own beliefs. Let them do it.

I agree

 

[prayerposition17]

Yah sorry, it was directed at olb.

"With you theory on God and such, you are in constant fear. And you have extreme guilt. And you treat people of other beliefs as if they do not know what id good for them and they will be forever lost. And they are inferior." This is just a generalization of all the people I have met whom are christian. It is how I have been treated by every single solitary person. Even one of my friends who converted to buddhism from christianity and back treats me like I do not know anything. Sorry if that came out wrong. Directed at christians, not all of them.

 

[OneLastBreath]

As I said, I apologize if I implied anything I didn't mean.

 

[nadroj1985]

"With you theory on God and such, you are in constant fear. And you have extreme guilt. And you treat people of other beliefs as if they do not know what id good for them and they will be forever lost. And they are inferior." This is just a generalization of all the people I have met whom are christian. It is how I have been treated by every single solitary person. Even one of my friends who converted to buddhism from christianity and back treats me like I do not know anything. Sorry if that came out wrong. Directed at christians, not all of them.

I'm sorry you've been treated that way In that case, let me be the first to tell you that not all theists are like that, not by a long shot

 

[OneLastBreath]

I'll second that. I can't say I've met too many Christians who live in constant fear. Like I said before, the idea is to live our lives for God out of gratitude, not fear of being smite.

 

[prayerposition17]

It's foolish to take that literally. Just like God is Santa, all metaphors.

 

[nadroj1985]

It's foolish to take that literally. Just like God is Santa, all metaphors.

Foolish to take what literally?

 

[joebudda]

So please, respect my beliefs and do not treat others like they are infants whom do not know what they are doing.

You might want to take some of your own advice.

Or at least if you wish to show such disrespect, supply evidence when you make such bold claims.


For OneLastBreath
Nirvana.
It is the cessation of passion, aggression and ignorance; the cessation of the struggle to prove our existence to the world, to survive. We don't have to struggle to survive after all. We have already survived. We survive now; the struggle was just an extra complication that we added to our lives because we had lost our confidence in the way things are. We no longer need to manipulate things as they are into things as we would like them to be.

Yes it is a goal, but it really isn’t as unattainable as some might think.

 

[prayerposition17]

Wooowooooo. I am annoyed by christians. I have never been as offended from anyone else, as I am with them. Friend wanted me to sign on this site for those who are inquiring. All is good in spoken word but most everyone is full of #%^*.

Amen

 

[nadroj1985]

Wooowooooo. I am annoyed by christians. I have never been as offended from anyone else, as I am with them.

Hang around for awhile. You'll find that people from all sorts of viewpoints will offend you. It has much more to do with offensive people than Christianity, IMO.

 

[joebudda]

He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.

Just something to ponder over.

 

[nadroj1985]

He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.

I really like that. I need to study Buddhism more.