Churchwork
08-08-2006, 06:05 PM
Aggression of Buddhism
I had this article below for some time, having read it, but I didn’t appreciate its meaning enough until today when something weird happened to me. I went to work out at the fitness club, and after I finished my work out, I went into the hot tub. There was 2 guys in there, and they were yapping away about Buddha. One of them had a ying yang tattoo on the side of his stomach. I knew I was in for a battle as their tone was quite aggressive. I could already sense it. They were talking about a lot of things religious, but I knew I would have my opportunity to speak up.
After awhile, I found the opening that was perfect. The one with the tattoo said that there are many Jesus Christ’s. Then I spoke for the first time and said, “No, there is only one Jesus Christ, only one who can save”. He reiterated his position, and I said it again, adding that “only Jesus is God”. The other fella got incredibly aggressive, and you could just see the steam coming out of his ears. He said “well, what about Islam?” like he was about to stab we with a knife. That is how it felt. I said, “they call Jesus a liar”. That’s when he blew his top. He said, “you are putting words in my mouth”. I said “no”, walked up, and left without a word. There is a positive end to this story. I walked to the convenience store, and we got to talking, I mentioned my incident. I had overassumed he was Hindu, but low and behold, he testified to me he was a Christian also, and said to me “people have a lot of crazy ideas”. What a breath of fresh air. That just made my night.
The reason why this whole thing was interesting to me was not so much the above incident, but what they kept repeating back to each other several times that stuck in my brain which was “you have to think for yourself” like they were brainwashed or something. I wanted to say to them, “that’s the problem, you are thinking for self”. If you read this article below to see how that relates, it could be helpful. Sometimes articles are more powerful after we gain some experience behind them.
The True Difference
IN his freshman year in college, Ron lived next door in the dorm to a student from Thailand. He had been raised a Buddhist, in a Buddhist family. At the age of 18 he had heard the claims of Jesus Christ from a missionary and had responded by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Ron asked him one day, “Why did you become a Christian? What is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity?”
He replied, “Ron, when I was a Buddhist, it was like I was drowning in a big lake and I didn’t know how to swim. I was going under for the third time when Buddha walked up to the edge of the lake and began to teach me how to swim. Buddha said, ‘Start moving your hands and kicking your legs, but you have to make it to the shore yourself!’ Then Jesus Christ walked up to the edge of the lake, but He did not stop there! He dove into the lake, swam out, rescued me, and brought me to shore. After He brought me to shore, then He taught me how to swim, so I could go back and rescue others!”
This is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity. This is the difference between the religions of man and Christianity. Christianity is not a religion! Religion is man’s attempt to reach God. Religion is man trying to get to God through his rituals, sacrifices, traditions, or good works. But the Bible says that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). God is holy and man is affected with a spiritual disease called sin: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Man is incapable of coming into the presence of a holy God through the doorway of religion. This is the great truth of Christianity. Romans 5:8 syas, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Religion is man trying to get to God, but Christianity is God reaching down to man. God took the initiative and sent Jesus Christ into the world to take our sins that separate us from God, and to nail that sin onto a cross. He then covered that sin with His blood as the payment to restore us back into full relationship with Himself.
This is why it is called the “gospel” or “good news.” It is very good news to people caught up in man-made religions that enslave them to rituals and traditions that can save no one. Buddhism, with its denial of God and teaching of Karma, fails to respond to the basic fact that man is a sinner in need of a Savior. Man cannot save himself no matter how many “Noble Truths” he thinks up, no matter how at peace he lives. There is only one truth that will truly set people free. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).
I had this article below for some time, having read it, but I didn’t appreciate its meaning enough until today when something weird happened to me. I went to work out at the fitness club, and after I finished my work out, I went into the hot tub. There was 2 guys in there, and they were yapping away about Buddha. One of them had a ying yang tattoo on the side of his stomach. I knew I was in for a battle as their tone was quite aggressive. I could already sense it. They were talking about a lot of things religious, but I knew I would have my opportunity to speak up.
After awhile, I found the opening that was perfect. The one with the tattoo said that there are many Jesus Christ’s. Then I spoke for the first time and said, “No, there is only one Jesus Christ, only one who can save”. He reiterated his position, and I said it again, adding that “only Jesus is God”. The other fella got incredibly aggressive, and you could just see the steam coming out of his ears. He said “well, what about Islam?” like he was about to stab we with a knife. That is how it felt. I said, “they call Jesus a liar”. That’s when he blew his top. He said, “you are putting words in my mouth”. I said “no”, walked up, and left without a word. There is a positive end to this story. I walked to the convenience store, and we got to talking, I mentioned my incident. I had overassumed he was Hindu, but low and behold, he testified to me he was a Christian also, and said to me “people have a lot of crazy ideas”. What a breath of fresh air. That just made my night.
The reason why this whole thing was interesting to me was not so much the above incident, but what they kept repeating back to each other several times that stuck in my brain which was “you have to think for yourself” like they were brainwashed or something. I wanted to say to them, “that’s the problem, you are thinking for self”. If you read this article below to see how that relates, it could be helpful. Sometimes articles are more powerful after we gain some experience behind them.
The True Difference
IN his freshman year in college, Ron lived next door in the dorm to a student from Thailand. He had been raised a Buddhist, in a Buddhist family. At the age of 18 he had heard the claims of Jesus Christ from a missionary and had responded by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Ron asked him one day, “Why did you become a Christian? What is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity?”
He replied, “Ron, when I was a Buddhist, it was like I was drowning in a big lake and I didn’t know how to swim. I was going under for the third time when Buddha walked up to the edge of the lake and began to teach me how to swim. Buddha said, ‘Start moving your hands and kicking your legs, but you have to make it to the shore yourself!’ Then Jesus Christ walked up to the edge of the lake, but He did not stop there! He dove into the lake, swam out, rescued me, and brought me to shore. After He brought me to shore, then He taught me how to swim, so I could go back and rescue others!”
This is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity. This is the difference between the religions of man and Christianity. Christianity is not a religion! Religion is man’s attempt to reach God. Religion is man trying to get to God through his rituals, sacrifices, traditions, or good works. But the Bible says that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). God is holy and man is affected with a spiritual disease called sin: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Man is incapable of coming into the presence of a holy God through the doorway of religion. This is the great truth of Christianity. Romans 5:8 syas, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Religion is man trying to get to God, but Christianity is God reaching down to man. God took the initiative and sent Jesus Christ into the world to take our sins that separate us from God, and to nail that sin onto a cross. He then covered that sin with His blood as the payment to restore us back into full relationship with Himself.
This is why it is called the “gospel” or “good news.” It is very good news to people caught up in man-made religions that enslave them to rituals and traditions that can save no one. Buddhism, with its denial of God and teaching of Karma, fails to respond to the basic fact that man is a sinner in need of a Savior. Man cannot save himself no matter how many “Noble Truths” he thinks up, no matter how at peace he lives. There is only one truth that will truly set people free. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).