BUDDHISM - RELIGION OF INDIA STARTED BY BUDDHA TEACHING REINCARNATION
It amazed me to find out how Buddhism is infiltrating our society. It often comes masked within the New Age Movement. ‘Buddhism’ is not the name this religion uses in the far east, no, the religion’s name is Buddha-Dharma. If the second half of that doesn’t look familiar to you, then, you are among the lucky few who have not seen one of ABC’s shows, “Dharma and Greg” ("Lost" is a more recent show that uses the name Dharma. ). I remember thinking the first time I heard of this particular show that she had a very strange name, now I know why. The premise of this show is that this couple; Dharma, a New Ager and highly enlightened individual, and Greg, a regular American guy with old fashioned and obsolete Christian values, must learn together how to handle married life. (Well, at least they are married). The television industry and movie industry alike are pushing Buddhism on us. A few years back there was a movie called “Little Buddha” where an American boy was discovered to be the next Buddha.
I for one would much rather have a Buddhist neighbor than an Atheist neighbor since the former, if true to his religion, would have the better morals. From an eternal standpoint, however, the Buddhist has no more hope than the Atheist. Buddhism does not acknowledge Christ as savior, in fact Buddhism teaches that man of his own accord, by his own will and determination can and must save himself. There are many in the religious world that would make this same accusation of the churches of Christ, and there may indeed be some among us who even believe that they can save themselves, BUT there is salvation in or by or through no one other than Jesus Christ. While the Bible teaches that certain works of faith are essential in order to obtain and keep salvation it also very clearly teaches that those works are not anything to boast about and in fact the works aren’t what saves us. It is quite a paradox. There are many in the religious world who may never be able to come to an understanding of how we must do something to receive a free gift.
Buddhism teaches many morals similar to those in the ten commandments and New Testament, but it also holds many dangerous pitfalls. Reincarnation is a foundational belief of Buddhism. The belief that we come back to this earth again and again in different forms is refuted quite simply by the Hebrews writer, (Heb 9:27) “And as it is appointed unto men ONCE to die, but after this the judgment:”. The type of meditation done by it and other Eastern religions is also contrary to the Biblical pattern of meditation. King David said, (Psa 1:2) “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Paul told Timothy, (1 Tim 4:15) “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” The meditation approved of by David and Paul is focusing your mind upon something thinking intently about it and as a result gaining a better understanding. Buddhist and Eastern meditation on the other hand requires one to empty himself of all thoughts and if one is successful he will slip into Nirvana, which is their equivalent to heaven. The Bible does teach us to empty our minds of certain kinds of thoughts, but never are we to just blank out and become zombies.
There are many other dangers in Buddhism, but time and space fail me. Beware of these and search out others, for, Buddhism often comes disguised. Sometimes it even comes wearing Christian terminology.
It amazed me to find out how Buddhism is infiltrating our society. It often comes masked within the New Age Movement. ‘Buddhism’ is not the name this religion uses in the far east, no, the religion’s name is Buddha-Dharma. If the second half of that doesn’t look familiar to you, then, you are among the lucky few who have not seen one of ABC’s shows, “Dharma and Greg” ("Lost" is a more recent show that uses the name Dharma. ). I remember thinking the first time I heard of this particular show that she had a very strange name, now I know why. The premise of this show is that this couple; Dharma, a New Ager and highly enlightened individual, and Greg, a regular American guy with old fashioned and obsolete Christian values, must learn together how to handle married life. (Well, at least they are married). The television industry and movie industry alike are pushing Buddhism on us. A few years back there was a movie called “Little Buddha” where an American boy was discovered to be the next Buddha.
I for one would much rather have a Buddhist neighbor than an Atheist neighbor since the former, if true to his religion, would have the better morals. From an eternal standpoint, however, the Buddhist has no more hope than the Atheist. Buddhism does not acknowledge Christ as savior, in fact Buddhism teaches that man of his own accord, by his own will and determination can and must save himself. There are many in the religious world that would make this same accusation of the churches of Christ, and there may indeed be some among us who even believe that they can save themselves, BUT there is salvation in or by or through no one other than Jesus Christ. While the Bible teaches that certain works of faith are essential in order to obtain and keep salvation it also very clearly teaches that those works are not anything to boast about and in fact the works aren’t what saves us. It is quite a paradox. There are many in the religious world who may never be able to come to an understanding of how we must do something to receive a free gift.
Buddhism teaches many morals similar to those in the ten commandments and New Testament, but it also holds many dangerous pitfalls. Reincarnation is a foundational belief of Buddhism. The belief that we come back to this earth again and again in different forms is refuted quite simply by the Hebrews writer, (Heb 9:27) “And as it is appointed unto men ONCE to die, but after this the judgment:”. The type of meditation done by it and other Eastern religions is also contrary to the Biblical pattern of meditation. King David said, (Psa 1:2) “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Paul told Timothy, (1 Tim 4:15) “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” The meditation approved of by David and Paul is focusing your mind upon something thinking intently about it and as a result gaining a better understanding. Buddhist and Eastern meditation on the other hand requires one to empty himself of all thoughts and if one is successful he will slip into Nirvana, which is their equivalent to heaven. The Bible does teach us to empty our minds of certain kinds of thoughts, but never are we to just blank out and become zombies.
There are many other dangers in Buddhism, but time and space fail me. Beware of these and search out others, for, Buddhism often comes disguised. Sometimes it even comes wearing Christian terminology.
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