Where is FrG?

July 4th, 2018 at 7:41:53 PM permalink
Dalex64
Member since: Mar 8, 2014
Threads: 3
Posts: 3687
As a follow-up, who do you think would be on the top ten list of most influential people in China, india, and Indonesia?
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan
July 4th, 2018 at 8:02:49 PM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
This is a bit of a hijack but I spent two nights in Taos and the hotel had a copy of a book titled "The Teachings of Buddha" next to the bible in the drawer. I got through part of it and must say I kind of liked it. It would have been bad karma to steal a copy so I asked the front desk if I could keep it and they said they had plenty and to go ahead. I'm now about half way through it.

I guess my question is whether anyone wants to have to a serious discussion about Buddhism? Even the teachings say it is hard to put into words what Buddha taught and it isn't like there is a bible of Buddhism, but I think just discussing what Buddhism is would be worthwhile.

The older I get, the more I gravitate to what I understand to be at least some of the teachings of Buddha. Mainly the emptiness of material desire. Then again, maybe that is easy to say for someone who already has more than his share.

I'll stop here.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
July 4th, 2018 at 9:39:01 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: Wizard
T

I guess my question is whether anyone wants to have to a serious discussion about Buddhism? .


(I started a new thread http://diversitytomorrow.com/thread/2705/0/#post105972)

Been reading and studying Buddhism
since 1972. Never gets boring because
it's all conceptual, there are no corny
myths that you have to pretend really
happened. Start a thread and I'll post
as much as anybody.

I like these Buddha sayings:

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.

I especially like the last one,
that we create our own reality.
I've been pondering that since the
early 70's.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 4th, 2018 at 9:44:49 PM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
Bob, I am speechless after such an impassioned rant against my religion and my savior. There are far too many errors and misunderstandings to address individually so I thought I would just respond about what I love about my faith and the way my Lord and God chose to intervene into the world. I'm sorry I don't have as much venom to spit as you do.

In the past God had spoken in various ways to His people. He led them to search for Him in various ways and the people longed to know God so they created stories of gods like men and demigods and gods that reflected nature and gods who would even visit their people in human form for a time. These myths and stories prepared the hearts of many. Then God chose a specific people and guided them slowly in new ways, like a gentle teacher. This people at first had no home, no kingdom, wandering in the desert. It was made up of imperfect people and broken families. They were enslaved and He heard their cry. He freed them and led them on a journey to establish a kingdom. He made covenant after covenant with them and every time the people broke the covenant He would forgive, teach, and establish a new one. They asked for a king and eventually once again they trusted in the world and not in God the kingdom fell. They were overcome, oppressed, and ruled.

Then a new and different kind of king was born. He was born into history, no longer was God distant or mythical, He was like us in all things but sin. He was born of a virgin, true God and true man. The fulfillment of the prophecies of old. He was humble and lived for most of His life in obscurity. I love this about Him. His hidden life is beautiful and speaks the dignity of everyone. He did not come to be famous or powerful or to serve, rather He came to serve. He spoke of a kingdom again, not a kingdom of this world, but one of eternal life and universal, for all people. He spoke of freedom from the law and its accusations against us and the guilt and shame. He did not want to plaster His name on billboards or become an emperor. If there was such a thing in His time he probably wouldn't even have been on facebook. He invested in His disciples and become close friends with them. Not the most efficient or effective way to spread His message, but exactly what He was after - relationships. This is how true change happens; slow and steady. Not with fantastic speeches or fleeting fame, but through lasting friendships. He died for us, paying the penalty for our sin and was raised from the dead. He showed us that love can never be defeated by violence and hate. These relationships continued through prayer and the Sacraments, especially the Church He left for us.

These friends of Jesus passed on His words and deeds and in a short time they were written down for us. There is no more attested ancient work than the Bible. It is more trustworthy than any ancient work. But more importantly than that; more and more people came to know the friendship with Jesus Christ and devotion to Him spread. All the Apostles except one was martyred and as hard as the mighty powers of the day tired to stop it, this new way continued to grow and grow. Slowly, one friendship at a time. Eventually it could not be stopped and the most powerful empire on earth fell by the wayside to the faith in the risen carpenter crucified to set us free. Christianity slowly spread around the globe changing society and culture for the better as it went. Spreading a new understanding of man, politics, human rights and dignity, art, music, and science. The world has never been the same since. Along the way there was corruption, greed, lust, and the slow recognition and unfolding of the full meaning of the Gospel. At every turn there were saints, friends with God, raised up from the most unlikely of places to call the Church established by Christ back to the Gospel values and reform and renewal. He was no myth, no powerful force demanding obedience; He was a gentle, patient, and loving friend.

His message of compassion and love moved the hearts of young and old and people of every culture and language. It still spreads and grows today even as the largest religion on Earth. It continues to move people not by force or coercion, but by a simple message and the story of Jesus Christ, God who became man. Someone we could know, who knows us and love us. A friend.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (
July 4th, 2018 at 9:48:50 PM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
Quote: Wizard

The older I get, the more I gravitate to what I understand to be at least some of the teachings of Buddha. Mainly the emptiness of material desire. Then again, maybe that is easy to say for someone who already has more than his share.

I'll stop here.


These are the teachings of Buddha that really move me as well. Not just the emptiness of material desire, but the emptiness of all desire for worldly things.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (
July 4th, 2018 at 9:54:49 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
double
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 4th, 2018 at 10:12:54 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: FrGamble
It still spreads and grows today e


So does Islam, Mormonism, and Satanism,
so what. As usual you think numbers mean
everything, and they mean nothing. The
world is full of gullible people who will
believe anything, even something as
crockpot-ish as Xtionity and Mormonism.
Satanism is growing by leaps and bounds,
does this mean it's valid? That's the
criteria you apply to your religion.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 4th, 2018 at 10:18:54 PM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
I think it is you that seems obsessed with numbers and percentages, doesn't it?
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (
July 5th, 2018 at 12:23:35 AM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: FrGamble
These are the teachings of Buddha that really move me as well. Not just the emptiness of material desire, but the emptiness of all desire for worldly things.
It's good to want things
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
January 29th, 2019 at 6:45:30 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
I heard he fell off his mountain retreat,
broke his vow of silence, and was
seen in the streets of Seattle in
an orange Hare Krisna robe,
chanting. Well, at least he moved
up a notch spiritually and got out
of the rut he was in..

If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.