Wisdom

April 15th, 2022

I was thinking about how I have read and listen to many wise Christian authors and speakers. I was thinking about the comparison with the Buddhist authors and speakers that I am currently enjoying and learning from. I thought about how the Buddhist teachers are basing their teachings on Buddhist literature such as the Dhammapada. I kind of came to the realization that there isn't the same depth of wisdom in the Christian tradition, as I see it. There is extensive theology and even Christian apologetics that try to figure out what all this means, the triune God, original sin, the resurrection, and life after death. There are books on how to live but there's not really a lot in this complicated theology that help you figure out how to live your life. The wisest authors have figured that out and those are the ones that I'm attracted to I think. Buddhism not only has many branches but each teacher interprets in a different way. But They get along for the most part because it's all based on the precepts and other items that they agree on. As they adapt to each culture in different countries and even changing as the culture changes they can always go back to the basics and make sure that there's a direct connection. I just don't feel that in Christianity that when you get back to this confusing mess of somebody had to be crucified because we are sinful and we should love each other but hate our father, mother, and love Jesus. You can also end up with today's fundamentalist Christianity that somehow thinks Donald Trump is the second coming of Christ and that hating most people and what they do is the loving thing. I suppose I should read more about the problems in Buddhism but I just think Christianity went through the funnel of an empire and has never fully recovered the teachings of Jesus. 

This is sort of my latest thinking as I work through being a Christian but practicing Buddhism.