Christianity & Eastern Spirituality

[Caesar]

Hey,

I consider myself a Christian. I was raised Baptist by converts from Catholicism. I've pretty much gone back to the Catholic Church. My older sister has converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. I've been reading a lot about both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. I've also started reading about a lot of different faiths and philosophies, such as Greco-Roman Paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.

I've seen that there are some groups on Yahoo! that are for Christian Buddhists, Christian Taoists, etc.

I've also seen books with titles such as "Zen Catholicism," " Zen for Christians," "Christ the Eternal Tao," "Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit," "Christ & the Tao," "Christ the Yogi," and many more.

It seems there are a lot of people who consider themselves Christian, but are also embracing a lot of elements of Eastern spirituality.

Does anyone here do that? Is there anyone here who is a Christian, but has also drawn inspiration and influence from Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc.

I'm curious to know. Thanks.

Dante

 

[pstarr]

Well, "zen" ("chan" in Chinese) simply means, "meditation" and doesn't in and of itself necessarily require that practitioners follow one particular faith. Zen can be practiced by people of any faith or even no faith.

 

[Carol]

Hey,

I consider myself a Christian. I was raised Baptist by converts from Catholicism. I've pretty much gone back to the Catholic Church. My older sister has converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. I've been reading a lot about both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. I've also started reading about a lot of different faiths and philosophies, such as Greco-Roman Paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.

I've seen that there are some groups on Yahoo! that are for Christian Buddhists, Christian Taoists, etc.

I've also seen books with titles such as "Zen Catholicism," " Zen for Christians," "Christ the Eternal Tao," "Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit," "Christ & the Tao," "Christ the Yogi," and many more.

It seems there are a lot of people who consider themselves Christian, but are also embracing a lot of elements of Eastern spirituality.

Does anyone here do that? Is there anyone here who is a Christian, but has also drawn inspiration and influence from Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc.

I'm curious to know. Thanks.

Dante

Dante you asked for Christians to answer...and unfortunately I cannot answer as one, but perhaps I can tell you some of what my Christian friends see when they share our (Eastern) traditions.

Quite often we have gotten in to some involved conversations about our faiths (I am of an eastern discipline). When I speak of my own faith's tenets about reducing ego, anger, and indulgence, my Christian friends have often smiled and said "We don't think they are good ideas either."

In the traditional way to practice my faith, one has a morning and evening reading of scriptures, where we open the holy book to a random page, and read through to the end of the section.

Many things that are associated with "Eastern Spirituality" are rooted in philosophy and tradition and are not so much the practice of other faiths, but another way to practice your own faith and your own journey with God.

Is a Christian any less Christian if, in the morning and evening, they respectfully prepare to read their Holy Bible, open it to a random page, and lovingly read through a segment of their sacred words? I don't think they are. Nor do I think a Christian is any less a Christian should they choose to read their Bible in a different fashion.

For me, I read about God and choose to remember him in a way that honors those that came before me.

For a Christian, it becomes one of the many ways that a Christian can celebrate their faith and love for the Lord Jesus should they choose to.

Many of the Eastern teachings are like this. There are traditions, and philosophies, with deep meaning and history...and are often times simply a frame...but a frame large enough to welcomingly fit many paths. :asian:

 

[Elayna]

Im not sure if what i practice is what you are looking for, but here goes.
Everything...LOL

Seriously though, i was raised southern babtist with preachers all the way back 5 generations. Very strict as you can imagine. But lets just say, I am deffinatly the black sheep of the family. LOL

I have found, through life experience, and studying of religons on my own, that there is in fact, a bit of truth in all of them. Anywhere from Voodoo to Christian.
Now of course, its like...Ahhhh??? But i really do believe that.
I dont believe in dark stuff you know, but i do believe that if you take the good parts out of all the religions on earth, both major and smaller tribal religions you will find a truth that is so amazing. I still have to find it...it is a lifes work. But life is the best teacher out there donta know.
I would say to you...look on your own...question everything but what your heart tells you. For man is a tricky creature. And for all the good intentions even the most honorable of men and women can let their own thoughts and desires sway them and you.
Western Religions mixed with easter religions can be a very good combination if the right aspects of them are taken and put to good use. The Dahli Lama is a perfect example of Eastern religion mixed with western thought, in my opinion.
I hope my thoughts help....Good wishes to you...

 

[heretic888]

Hey,

I consider myself a Christian. I was raised Baptist by converts from Catholicism. I've pretty much gone back to the Catholic Church. My older sister has converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. I've been reading a lot about both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. I've also started reading about a lot of different faiths and philosophies, such as Greco-Roman Paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.

I've seen that there are some groups on Yahoo! that are for Christian Buddhists, Christian Taoists, etc.

I've also seen books with titles such as "Zen Catholicism," " Zen for Christians," "Christ the Eternal Tao," "Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit," "Christ & the Tao," "Christ the Yogi," and many more.

It seems there are a lot of people who consider themselves Christian, but are also embracing a lot of elements of Eastern spirituality.

Does anyone here do that? Is there anyone here who is a Christian, but has also drawn inspiration and influence from Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc.

I'm curious to know. Thanks.

Dante

Dante,

At their root, there is no fundamental difference between traditional Christianity and the so-called "Eastern faiths". They seem different to many modern "Christians" because they are only familiar with the "baby steps" training-wheels version of Christianity that gets bandied about in popular culture. In essence, most fundamentalists and literalists are akin to children that know basic arithmetic and lament about how calculus is "corrupting" the purity of math.

I would suggest the writings of Thomas Merton and Thomas Keating for a good introduction into the teachings of Christian mysticism and contemplative prayer. This stuff has been in Christianity since the beginning, but most "Christians" are just completely oblivious to it.

Laterz.

 

[Indagator]

I believe the higher levels of Catholic thinking (you mentioned you had returned to Catholicism, so I will comment within that context) actually resonate very well with many of the concepts within Eastern philosophy.
Thomistic philosophy (that of St Thomas Aquinas for those who don't recognise the term) is particularly compatible, but also the more obscure Duns Scotus I have found resonates very deeply with the base concepts.

Hope something here helps.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I feel that Americans too readily embrace Eastern philisophy, before fully exploring their own faith.
Sean

 

[Stac3y]

I feel that Americans too readily embrace Eastern philisophy, before fully exploring their own faith.
Sean

And what, pray tell, is the Americans' "own" faith?

 

[Touch Of Death]

And what, pray tell, is the Americans' "own" faith?

That would depend on the American in question. Glad to have answered that prayer for you.:ultracool
Sean

 

[chrispillertkd]

Hey,

I consider myself a Christian. I was raised Baptist by converts from Catholicism. I've pretty much gone back to the Catholic Church. My older sister has converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. I've been reading a lot about both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. I've also started reading about a lot of different faiths and philosophies, such as Greco-Roman Paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.

I've seen that there are some groups on Yahoo! that are for Christian Buddhists, Christian Taoists, etc.

I've also seen books with titles such as "Zen Catholicism," " Zen for Christians," "Christ the Eternal Tao," "Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit," "Christ & the Tao," "Christ the Yogi," and many more.

It seems there are a lot of people who consider themselves Christian, but are also embracing a lot of elements of Eastern spirituality.

Does anyone here do that? Is there anyone here who is a Christian, but has also drawn inspiration and influence from Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc.

I'm curious to know. Thanks.

Dante

If you're Catholic you might want to actually familiarize yourself with what the Church actually teaches on prayer. To that end, the best place to start is the Catechism of the Catholic Church which has as one of its four parts a very extensive section on prayer.

Other books by reputable Catholic authors such as Jean Danielou (Prayer: The Mission f the Church), Hans Urs von Balthasar (Prayer), Peter Kreeft (Prayer for Beginners), etc. are also well worth time spent reading them. The technique one uses in prayer isn't the most important thing. (There are many famous mystics who have lived throughout the Church's history, such as Pseudo-Dionysius, Augustine, Bonaventure, Aquinas, Theresa of Avilla, John of the Cross, Therese of Liesieux, etc. If you're interested in mysticism or meditation a study of their writings would profit you - or anyone - greatly. Each had their own method of prayer and each method they used has been responsible for producing people of ratehr astounding holiness.) The most important things about prayer are 1) that you do it, and 2) that it is focused on Jesus.

As far as mixing eastern and Christian spirituality, as a rule I would counsel against this since at bottom relgions such as Buddhism and Christianity have quite different views of metaphysics, God, anthropology, the purpose of meditation, the nature of salvation, etc. People often gloss over these profound differences in favor of some fairly superficial similarities. Presenting synchratism as somehow open minded and orthodoxy as being close minded is neither accurate nor fair (to any of the belief systems in question). Henri De Lubac's writings on Buddhism would be a good place to start if you're interested in reading what one of the most profound Christian thinkers of the 20thcentury had to say on the subject of a possible relation between Buddhism and Catholicism.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Touch Of Death]

I took a philosophy course and the teacher said he believed that most American Budhists were simply rebellious Christians, and that what draws these rebellious Christians is the similarities between the religions and not what is different.
Sean

 

[Ken Morgan]

I feel that Americans too readily embrace Eastern philisophy, before fully exploring their own faith.
Sean

Americans in general too readily embrace all faiths.

 

[jks9199]

I feel that Americans too readily embrace Eastern philisophy, before fully exploring their own faith.
Sean

Excellent point! There's a lot more to Christian theology, as only one example, than most folks ever bother to learn.

 

[jks9199]

I took a philosophy course and the teacher said he believed that most American Budhists were simply rebellious Christians, and that what draws these rebellious Christians is the similarities between the religions and not what is different.
Sean

But what do YOU think for yourself? And why?

Are there differences in world view between Catholics, other Christians, and Buddhists or Hindus or Shintoists or Daoists?

Do those differences in psychology effect or shape religious practice?

 

[Touch Of Death]

But what do YOU think for yourself? And why?

Are there differences in world view between Catholics, other Christians, and Buddhists or Hindus or Shintoists or Daoists?

Do those differences in psychology effect or shape religious practice?

Thats just it in a nutshell. Western thought is based on how we view the concept of truth,(ie closer and further) and I really don't think of truth in other terms, and I doubt most American Converts do either.
Sean

 

[chrispillertkd]

I took a philosophy course and the teacher said he believed that most American Budhists were simply rebellious Christians, and that what draws these rebellious Christians is the similarities between the religions and not what is different.
Sean

I've taught universty courses on religion and the understanding that the Christian undergraduates I had of their own religious tradition was abyssmal. Too often they had mentally checked-out of their catechesis aroun 8th grade and thought they either still remembered everything they had learned when they were 13 but didn't remember 1/2 of it, or did remember what they earned then and still had a 13 year old's understanding of it.

Some of the people I have taken doctoral seminars in Theology with have been little better I am sad to say.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Indagator]

I've taught universty courses on religion and the understanding that the Christian undergraduates I had of their own religious tradition was abyssmal. Too often they had mentally checked-out of their catechesis aroun 8th grade and thought they either still remembered everything they had learned when they were 13 but didn't remember 1/2 of it, or did remember what they earned then and still had a 13 year old's understanding of it.

Some of the people I have taken doctoral seminars in Theology with have been little better I am sad to say.

Pax,

Chris

I couldn't comment on other denominations as I am not familiar with them at all, but with Catholicism one notices a significant decline in comprehension of the Faith spiralling out from the VII council.
As for the metaphysics, like I mentioned before, Aquinas and Duns Scotus both write of things with which one can hold an appropriate context to approach much of the Eastern spirituality inherent within the martial arts. I am not sure if I was clear about this statement before so I have tried here to clarify it.

Anyway, what I have said here is what it is - I have no interest in discussion or argument (there is enough apologetic out there to speak for itself without my ignorant mind adding to the fray).
In my experience these topics can often have a tendency to spiral out of control into debates and arguments, so I will leave it at this.

If someone finds it useful, great. If somebody disagrees, then that is their choice. I do not begrudge you that.

PAX ET BONUM SIT SEMPER VOBISCUM, FRATRES!

 

[chrispillertkd]

As for the metaphysics, like I mentioned before, Aquinas and Duns Scotus both write of things with which one can hold an appropriate context to approach much of the Eastern spirituality inherent within the martial arts. I am not sure if I was clear about this statement before so I have tried here to clarify it.[/qote]

I'd be very interested in seeing what Aquinas wrote on the topicof metaphysics (and to a lesser extent Scotus) that lends itself to an approach of eastern spirituality, especialy if you could give references to their original works so I could read them.

Pax,

Chris

 

[ronagle]

Im not sure if what i practice is what you are looking for, but here goes.
Everything...LOL

Seriously though, i was raised southern babtist with preachers all the way back 5 generations. Very strict as you can imagine. But lets just say, I am deffinatly the black sheep of the family. LOL

I have found, through life experience, and studying of religons on my own, that there is in fact, a bit of truth in all of them. Anywhere from Voodoo to Christian.
Now of course, its like...Ahhhh??? But i really do believe that.
I dont believe in dark stuff you know, but i do believe that if you take the good parts out of all the religions on earth, both major and smaller tribal religions you will find a truth that is so amazing. I still have to find it...it is a lifes work. But life is the best teacher out there donta know.
I would say to you...look on your own...question everything but what your heart tells you. For man is a tricky creature. And for all the good intentions even the most honorable of men and women can let their own thoughts and desires sway them and you.
Western Religions mixed with easter religions can be a very good combination if the right aspects of them are taken and put to good use. The Dahli Lama is a perfect example of Eastern religion mixed with western thought, in my opinion.
I hope my thoughts help....Good wishes to you...

I was raised protestant and have gone through very brief wiccan period, ultimately joined a Sufi order that has some quasi buddhist ties, hows that for a mix?

 

[Touch Of Death]

I was raised protestant and have gone through very brief wiccan period, ultimately joined a Sufi order that has some quasi buddhist ties, hows that for a mix?

You are a Christian.
Sean