Buddhism

[lacemyster]

Is it true that if you are a buddhist that you can't celebrate Christmas or Easter?

And if ANY of you guys have been wondering where in the hell I have been......I was at my dads until 3 AM this morning

 

[chcr]

I don't think that's right, laceymyster. I'm not as familiar with Buddhism as I am with Abrahamic religions, but I think that Buddhists in general don't consider it a religion as much as a philosophy. They are very tolerant of religion, and in fact you can believe in any religion and still be Buddhist (Siddhartha was Hindu). This is all based on some limited reading many years ago, and I'm sure that just like every religion, Buddhism has various believers who believe various things (correct or not). Check out this link. I have a feeling they know a lot more than I do about it.

 

[freako104]

no. you should be able to. buddhism is actaully atheistic in the idea that there is no god just enlightenment and you can acheive that through the 8 paths(or someting to that extent) which has nothing to do with hollidays.

 

[chcr]

P.S. When those darned Hawaiians wake up, they might have something to add. I've heard that Buddhism is popular there.

 

[lacemyster]

Thank you soooo much for proving my evil step-mom wrong! She was the one who said that I couldn't celebrate if I didn't believe.

 

[chcr]

I'm an atheist and I celebrate (well, sort of) Christmas as a holiday, Just not as the birthday of Jesus. Eat candy on Easter too.

Just say you're celebrating the secular holiday.

 

[Squiggy]

All that for a coconut egg?

 

[chcr]

All that for a coconut egg?

*reverently* Chocolate

 

[freako104]

Thank you soooo much for proving my evil step-mom wrong! She was the one who said that I couldn't celebrate if I didn't believe.

where did she get that from??????????? buddhism as chcr said isnt a religon so much as a philosophy people go by.

 

[Luis G]

I'm an atheist and I celebrate (well, sort of) Christmas as a holiday, Just not as the birthday of Jesus. Eat candy on Easter too.

Exactly, a very good reason to open bottles of Cognac

 

[chcr]

Exactly, a very good reason to open bottles of Cognac

Not a big cognac guy, myself. You go ahead though.

See if there's a bottle of Mouton Cadet rolling around down there, if it's not too much trouble. A '68 or a '71 would be really cool.

 

[tommyj27]

i was reading some about buddhism a while back, i should read some more because it's really interesting. anyways, if i remember correctly there are several branches of buddhism, one of these branches has evolved into a religion, the other has remained just a philosophy. i think the former is more prevalent in the northern pacific rim, but i could be dead wrong

 

[greenfreak]

I think you guys are going to love what Rusty dug up... I'm going to go post it in another thread.

 

[Justintime]

Yea i just celebrate christmas as a holiday as well.