Buddhism: Religion or Philosophy?

Buddhism: Religion or Philosophy?

Becoming confirmed at the local church was not so much something I wanted to do as much as it was for my mother. As a kid, she developed a routine of attending church every Sunday with her family and participating in Youth Group multiple nights a week. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, having our family welcomed into our church was her way of revisiting those days. So rather than object to the idea, I reluctantly agreed to getting confirmed. Now, 6 years later, I am questioning my faith for the first time. Taking an hour out of my Sunday morning to go to church has always been something I could deal with, not something I looked forward to. My nonchalant attitude towards Christianity, and faith in general, kept me from truly analyzing what appealed to me and what could impact my life. Further, I never questioned if any religion could provide comfort or support during times of suffering and pain. So religion has had a presence in my life, but why? What is my reasoning? Have I gained anything from my so-called "faith?" Knowing I had never really explored the depths of religion, specifically Christianity, I analyzed Buddhism in light of my life as well. Using the 5 questions of philosophy, I have been able to better understand my faith and where religion impacts my life. With consideration to my values, beliefs, and assumptions, I have been able to locate where I stand with my faith and develop questions in aspects of religion I do not fully grasp.

Despite being a "Christian" for over 6 years, I only have a basic sense for the religion. I have learned more in the short week we spent discussing Christianity than the numerous services and Youth Group meetings I have attended. I never addressed any of the questions that arose from what I learned or heard, causing me to never become attached to the religion. Christianity is outlined in The Bible, which is the written word of God. It describes the Christian faith in general, as well as the story of Jesus Christ, through the eyes of various Christians. To me, The Bible is a book of far-fetched ideas and stories that were passed down as myths rather than truths. My questions and doubts about Christianity, though, begin at the very basics of the religion. The idea of God has always been something I struggled to grasp. When asked if I believe in God, I find it challenging to answer that question. I believe in the idea of a God, one that we turn to in times of trouble. But I don't believe in a single, omnipotent God as the bible describes; one that was once living or had the ability to create Earth, as we know it. To me, we all have a perception of a God, one that helps us explain or cope with ideas or situations. To me, God is not real, nor was he ever living. Instead, it is our way of creating a sense of hope and a way of explaining miracles or tragedies. So, if God is not real, are heaven and hell real? I have always found the idea of heaven and hell to be made up. Where there can be arguments as to whether a God did exist once or is living, I have never believed in an actual heaven or hell. Rather, I see them as representations of living a good or evil life. A good life being one that seeks to have a positive influence on society rather than a negative influence. Going to heaven, or going to hell, seem more like a way to try and guide people towards living a "good" life. My last area of concern with Christianity has to do with the Ten Commandments, a set of 10 guidelines, describing both your relationship with God as well as your relationship with your community. The first 3 commandments define your responsibility to God; that is, there are to be no other Gods and to not misuse God's name. When looking at these, though, I can't help but to question if there is anything more important than God. Money, family, health, safety... To me, accepting God as the most influential figure in your life leaves the possibility of having to give these things up. Applying this to my life, family and health are more important to me than subjecting myself to God's will.

Looking at Christianity as a whole, I have found that it is very concrete. That is, there is no room to accept certain ideas and dismiss others. This is where I find adopting Christianity into my life to be difficult. I feel that the questions and doubts that I have are perceived as sins or unfaithfulness. It is this reason that I have found Buddhism to be so intriguing. Rather than accepting commandments or subjecting yourself to a list of "you shall" or "shall not's," Buddhism acts as a mirror; if it fits, believe it and follow it, if it doesn't then just discard it and move on. Essentially, Buddhism tells you to find an answer that satisfies you. The freedom this religion gives you appeals to me more than Christianity. Rather than believing in a God and living my life according to The Bible, Buddhism supplies the Four Noble Truths, which gives a basic diagnosis of the human condition, and the Eight Fold Path, which provides 8 steps to breaking away from the suffering described. The Four Truths embody the idea of suffering; the fourth truth expresses the break from suffering resides in the Eight Fold Path. What I found interesting with the Four Truths is how they describe suffering. We often think of suffering as physical or mental pain. Our happiness is often judged by the materialistic world we live in. Most human's dream of having more or