How Did You Come to
Believe?How Did You Come to Believe?
Response to comment [from a Buddhist]: "Beliefs are corrupt bits of personal arrogance that should be rooted out whenever we find one. All sensible people should tolerate in themselves are opinions."
Jesus claims that he is the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6). What do you think of Buddhism compared to the claims of the Bible?
"Simply put, Buddhism is mans attempt to escape pain
and suffering through self-perfection and meditation. The goal is to eliminate
desires in an attempt to stop the endless cycle of reincarnation and karma by
attaining enlightenment and thus extinguishing self, desire, and pain; while at
the same time becoming one with the universe.
Buddhism is appealing because of its mystical aspects; it is also appealing to
those who desire to escape from material reality.
One works to attain “salvation” which is achieved by practicing Buddhist
teachings and thus we can categorize Buddhism as a religion of works...
...The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
1. The first noble truth has to do with the existence of pain and suffering.
Buddhism’s Viewpoint
“Birth is painful, and death is painful; disease and old age are painful. Not
having what we desire is painful, and having what we do not desire is also
painful.”
Biblical Response to why there is pain
Pain and suffering was not part of the creation plan, it was a result of the
curse. We see that seven times in the creation account in the first chapter of
Genesis that God created and saw that “it was good” what He had created.
(Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31)
Genesis 1:31 says, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it
was very good.” (emphasis added)
In the garden, we were originally created to be in fellowship and communion with
God and to give glory and spiritual service. We were the only part of creation
that was “created in His image.”
Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God
He created him; male and female He created them.”
But when they ate of the fruit they did not gain wisdom (Gen. 3:5) as the
serpent had promised but had instead gained fear (Gen. 3:10).
“The effects of sin are punishment and provision. Whereas the man and the woman
had life, they now had death; whereas pleasure, now pain; whereas abundance, now
a meager subsistence by toil; whereas perfect fellowship, now alienation and
conflict.”
2. The second noble truth has to do with the cause of pain and suffering.
Buddhism’s Viewpoint
“[Pain is caused by] the craving desire for the pleasures of the senses, which
seeks satisfaction now here, now there; the craving for happiness and prosperity
in this life and in future lives.”
Biblical Response to the cause of pain
We must point out that God did not create pain and suffering but God created man
with freewill and opportunity to make choices that will affect their destinies.
We can Biblically demonstrate that we have choices and freewill.
We can choose to believe or not:
• John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life.” (emphasis added)
• Romans 10:11 says, “For Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be
put to shame.” (emphasis added)
We can choose to be foolish or wise:
• Matthew 7:26 says, “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not
do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (emphasis
added)
We can choose to believe or reject the Scriptures:
• John 20:30, 31 says, “And truly Jesus did many other signs…not written in this
book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (emphasis added)
The pain, sin and suffering that we see in the world today is a direct result of
Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden.
Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world
and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned.”
It is true that many times our selfish desires and our motives are wrong and can
get us into trouble or mad at God when we don’t get what we want.
But Jesus said in Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”
By keeping our eyes and our emphasis on God and His righteousness, it is easier
to desire the things of God and not the things of the world or things that can
harm us.
3. The third noble truth has to do with ending pain and suffering.
Buddhism’s Viewpoint
“To be free of suffering one must give up, get rid of, extinguish this very
craving, so that no passion and no desire remain.”
Biblical Response of the need for pain
The fact of the matter is as we live in a fallen world we all will face pain and
suffering no matter who we are, where we live or our status in life. This is a
direct result of the “fall of man.”
In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation” notice
that God said “you will have tribulation.”
The word tribulation [Greek: thlipsis], literally means “anguish, burdened,
persecution, trouble.”
It’s undeniable that God uses pain and suffering for our benefit, for His
sovereign purposes and for His glory. The following verses show one of the
clearest examples found in Scripture:
Psalm 119: 67, 71, and 75 - "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I
obey your word...It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your
decrees...I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you
have afflicted me." (emphasis added)
We can also rejoice when we have suffering as the following verse shows:
Romans 5:3 says, “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that
suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not trying to have a blasé attitude when it
comes to pain and suffering. But we have hope in and through pain – Our hope is
in the name of Jesus Christ.
James 4:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray…Is anyone among
you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
But, trials and tribulations do come with both a purpose and a reward to
everyone regardless of who you are.
James 1:2-4, 12 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter
various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And
let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing…Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he
has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him”
4. The fourth noble truth has to do with eliminating pain and suffering by
following The Eightfold Path.
Buddhism’s Viewpoint
The Eightfold Path are not steps that must be taken in the sequential order in
which they are listed but are considered wisdom, conduct and a mental discipline
that are to be developed simultaneously with each other.
Biblical Response to the desire to eliminate pain
It’s only natural for us as human beings to want to avoid as much pain and
suffering in life as possible. We don’t like pain, it hurts, it’s uncomfortable
yet God uses discomfort and pain to help us become more like Jesus.
Paul, when speaking of his pain said in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “a thorn in the
flesh was given me…concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times
that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for
you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’…Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for
Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong...” Full text:
Buddhism Apologetics
Response to comment [from a Buddhist]: "[A]ll you really do is demonstrate your gross ignorance."
Ad hominem. Address the issue.
The Eightfold Path of Buddhism
By following the Eightfold Path, Buddhism teaches their equivalent of Christian
salvation, called nirvana.
1. Right Understanding – In other words, you must accept the Four Noble Truths
and the Eightfold Path.
Biblical Response
Jesus said that He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) and that
there is no “salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
2. Right Thought – You must harbor no ill will toward people.
Biblical Response
Arguments, fights, and discontentment come from selfish and wrong motives and
desires (James 4:1-3) while right desires and motives honor and glorify God (1
Cor. 10:31).
3. Right Speech – Do not lie, slander, gossip or indulge in idol talk.
Biblical Response
One day, God will hold men accountable, “for every idle word men may speak,
they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)
4. Right Action/Conduct – Don’t kill a living creature, take only what is given
to you and don’t commit unlawful sexual acts.
Biblical Response
The ones who belong to Jesus will keep His commandments and obey Him (John
14:21), and those who live by His wisdom will produce “good fruits, without
partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
5. Right Livelihood – Your occupation must not harm anyone.
Biblical Response
God will take care of those who are His and put Him above all things (Matthew
6:31-33), and we should be “diligent to present ourselves approved to God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2
Timothy 2:15)
6. Right Effort – Resolve to abandon any qualities in you that are evil and
strive to acquire only those qualities that are good and perfect.
Biblical Response
We should “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1, 2).
7. Right Awareness – Be aware and alert and be free of any desires or sorrows.
Biblical Response
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God” (Romans 8:7), we should have
the “mind” of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5) and we should meditate on “things
that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and
praiseworthy” (Philippians 4:8).
8. Right Meditation – When you have removed all pleasures, both sorrow and joy
and all evil qualities, then you can enter the four degrees of meditation which
is produced by concentration.
Biblical Response
There is only one way to have inner joy and peace and that is to follow Jesus
for “He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14), and in Him “we have our peace”
(John 16:33), and when we meditate on the things of God, the “peace of God will
be with [us]” (Philippians 3:9).
We have gone through each of these eight, one by one and have given a Biblical
response that reinforces the Christian belief. However, Jesus answered them all
by using “a twofold path” when “a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him and
saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’”
Matthew 22:37-40 records Jesus’ reply, “You shall love the LORD your God with
all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor
as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our
conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
To sum up, regardless of who you are, we’re all going to have some kind of
sorrow and pain in our lives. With that being said, it is through faith in God,
the good news of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit that we can
overcome “and do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians
4:13)..." Full text:
Buddhism Apologetics
Response to comment [from a Buddhist]: "They continue to demonstrate your ignorance..."
Ad Hominem. Address the doctrine.