Religion

[The AlphaOmega]

Christ taught the same thing.  He argued against the priests in their own temples and synagogues because they were using their religion to prophet their own lives and not following what they taught.  Buddha, like Christ, taught to have love for all life, and all people.  In order to live such a philosophy you can't believe that someone is not your equal because of the religion they belong to.  Likewise you cannot judge anyone for being religious or not religious, you must treat all life with equal love.  Just as there are many different religions that worship Christ, there are many that worship buddha in different ways.  I don't believe that such seperation in their name was the origional intent.

[fallensky]

i understand what you are saying but i still dont' understand why we are being taught in school that buddhism is a religion. probably just a silly question but it just came to mind when i read about it in a book.
Fallensky

[James S]

Religion can be described as anything that people do religiously. Gambling and going to the pub on a friday after work is a religion for some.

I know I'm taking this very literally, but you see the point.

Buddhism is just as much a religion as Islam, Judaeism, Christianity, for the very same reasons that they are religions - people following a set pattern of behaviour as guided by a doctrine or set of teachings.

Alpha's comparison of Buddha to Jesus is a particularly good one as they both did not set out to form a religion, and they've both since been misinterpreted and had their teachings turned into something they weren't meant to be.

Regards,
James.

[fallensky]

Why does history consider Buddhism a religion?
Buddha did not believe in formal religion...or so i read in a book by Henry Thomas. Buddha said that religion causes separateness. Because every religion believes that they alone posses the one sure way to salvation. Again with my question.Why does history consider Buddhism a religion?
                     Fallensky