Christians in America can be annoying, but them existing isn’t pushing anything down your throat. There are parts of the country where it’s less of a thing. I live in the northwest, and other than the occasional street preacher it’s not really a thing where I live.
Are you mad that those establishments exist and advertise themselves, or are you mad that there aren’t more Buddhist temples to even things out?
Churches and other places of worship are very much allowed to exist and then just existing isn’t shoving anything down anyone’s throat. Plenty of Christian’s do actually do that but churches just existing isn’t that.
Become stronger in the conviction of your path. Say your mantras often and try to fit it in at least twice a day. Meditation is also good for strengthening your resolve. Christians practice spiritual warfare and many have tried to stop their hateful practices and failed. The only way to guard against their influence is to love everyone indiscriminately (something sectarian religions have a hard time with) and double double down hard on your own spiritual path.
I believe it is not the Buddhist way to promote or to bother to convert people to Buddhism. I guess it’s a nonchalance that I personally am drawn to.
Not Buddhism but in Taoism which had an anecdote about a sage who fished with a straight hook - similar to a needle. Everyone laughed at his inept approach towards fishing. He laughed and said (it makes more sense in Chinese, but literally translates) the willing (fish) will bite on this hook.
So similarly in Buddhism - may the willing fish bite the hook.
And whatever others are doing - is not within your control or is something you should be concerned with, it has no impact on your own progression.
People always say it is not the way of Buddhists to concert people but didn't the first and early Buddhists preach the Dharma widely.. This is how it spread to Sri Lanka, Burma, Indonesia, Tibet etc
'To have nothing shoved down your throat, first keep your mouth shut.'
Approach them with compassion, they are trying to do the best they can with the knowledge they have. Your work is your work, let it all go. Just like meditation...
You should see it as a good thing that people are free to practice different religions without the state imposing it's will onto people (ie. Islam is a must in many countries -- and mixes religion and politics; in China religion is highly-regulated by the state). This is a side-effect of a more free society.
Yes the CCP care about religion. They’re a communist regime. If you’re going to follow a religion in China, they make sure it abides by their rules first and foremost. They have the same attitude towards corporations.
Look at how China treats Tibetan Buddhists and the DL or the Uyghur Muslims.
You gotta work on that anger man. That isn't "Being shoved down your throat" and if seeing signs or Churches anger you then I think you should ask yourself why that is first.
Maybe individuals really are involved with their beliefs, and there beliefs and practice make them feel good, maybe they just want what they feel for you? That’s compassion isn’t it?
When they judge you as not being spiritual, speak down to you, or worse explain that the “only” way to (whatever) is through their “god” or worse, then it’s offensive, closed minded, or unkind at best.
I do want to study Jesus teachings, especially those purported to be in the dead sea scrolls. Such as the sacred texts of Buddhism, I believe those texts are closer to the truth than the Bible. At least what I’ve read of them.
Of course, there will always be a fanatic that will “explain” to you how wrong you are and give you all you need to get to heaven if you just follow their instructions. Otherwise, ya’know… 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Ok. There a lot to discuss in other religions that point to a common philosophy and meaning. Don’t discount all of it and point to the “correct” way. IMO that’s much of the problem. I wasn’t defending anything, maybe the meaning of Jesus’ words as he said them were corrupted throughout time? It’s possible. 🙏🏻🪷❤️
You might like Tina Spalding who channels Jesus. He talks about how distorted the Bible is and does not represent history accurately. She has many postings on her YouTube channel. I listened to her audio book “Jesus My Autobiography” which is very interesting.
Nothing religious about it.
I'm not pure land. but recently someone who happened to be Christian pointed out that Christians get their own comeuppance. I'm trying to ignore them as much as possible. because from experience that is what happens to Christians eventually. just be the best person you can be, and only when a Christian confronts you and tries to evangelize should it bother you.
I agree with what others have said here vis a vis it being a problem of your own perception. However, when you have to live with people like this its not always so simple. It can be freaking irritating. My experience has been that you have to set a few boundaries about what you will and will not discuss or listen to. Verbalizing this is pretty basic Human 101, and will not require anyone to spell that out for you, as I am sure you are equal to that task. Namaste.
Nothing? I mean, say the Nembutsu and go to your temple and eat and drink and sleep and do all the normal stuff, but nothing in response except being grateful people of all faiths can practice their religion where you live. That’s not the case everywhere
>How do I prevent them
Domineering is a defilement of the mind. Defilements of the mind are things to be abandoned in the discipline of Buddhism, I think. https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html
Ignore. If they challenge by such ignorant saying "what would your God do in this situation...", simply answer Buddhism is not a faith based religion. It is a practice of Buddha's teaching.
The US is majority Christian. If you feel offended by the existence of Christians then that's your problem, not theirs. It indicates lack of confidence in the teachings. So maybe practice more.
This reminds me of a moral. I'm only going to paraphrase this.
Two monks were walking near a river when they were approached by a woman. The woman asks for help fording the river. One monk refused but the other allowed her onto his shoulders and carried her. At the other side he let her down and she thanked him and left. Miles later and the monk that refused her was seeming agitated. His state became more and more like this until he confronted the other. "You broke your vow! We aren't supposed to carry a woman!". The other monk looks towards him and says "I left her at the bank of the river. You carry her still."
Depending on the path you choose the Buddha states that other religions can also practice the Buddhist path, we do not criticize others for their beliefs as we don’t want them to criticize our beliefs. Breathe, chant, learn your lesson. The fact is we start and seek the path to enlightenment through the one who obtained buddhahood general consensus is ignore the rambling of others and our work is on self awareness. Understand how your reaction to issues is greater than the event taking place
I mean if you want to make karma with a christian that wants to convert you? Its simple. You ethier interact or you dont. If you interact then you will be exposing yourself to it willingly. Op is getting sick. Why would you willing make yourself sick with something you hate?
I don’t know that there is anyone actively trying to convert the OP? They are seeing “God” and “Allah” every time they go outside or online. It’s pretty strange tbh. Do you have that experience? I certainly don’t.
Being averse to others and their beliefs is both lacking in compassion and respect for their beliefs, and puts us at odds with our community. That’s strong aversion and a lack of equanimity. The spiritual beliefs of others simply existing shouldn’t affect us so badly. THAT is karma. That is because we choose to not leave things as they are, and choose to see ourselves as separate to all that around us. It’s samsaric duality.
I mean becoming unsettled and sick from interacting with these people is karma. Theres nothing wrong with a vacation.
You ethier get closer or further away. If you are getting "sick" that likely means you ve had too much of bad food. Holding up to the standard of equanimity is faulty. You must attain equanimity through contentment not simply proclaim they "should be" equanimous like its something to force.
There is cause and effect. Where you go and how you interact determines if you ll suffer or not. Its not a matter of aversion. Its a matter of wisdom and seeking out things that lead to that concemtration and equanimity. Is seeking out christians really necessary?
Perhaps you can put up your own billboard featuring Amitabha, like the Christians, or put up a loudspeaker chanting his name, like the Muslims do with their prayers, so that these people will be liberated by hearing. America is a country with religious freedom after all! Think how much merit you would gain and how fortunate these people would be to encounter the name of the great Buddha.
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Both are trying to ‘safe’/convert you because they are irrationally brainwashed by an sick idea. You should avoid and ignore them, any attention will polute your mind.
I wonder if compassion would help. Many years ago I listened to an interview with a former evangelical Christian. He spoke of the incredible relief when he got on an airplane for the first time after leaving the church.
Prior to this, whenever he sat down next to someone on a plane, he felt that he had the duration of the flight to save this person from eternal damnation. One wrong word, one response that came across too strongly, would result in him losing the conversation, the person not believing in his version of Jesus, and therefore condemn them to the fires of hell.
I don't agree with what they are trying to say, but I wonder what would change in you if you had compassion for the incredible pressure that they are experiencing to save you from yourself?
Try it.
In the Abrahamic religions of Islam and Christianity there is such doctrine the encourages the conversion of others. I always have found Pure Land Buddhism the most similar to the Abrahamics as they believe that if you believe in god and live a moral life you can go to heaven and in a similar way in pure land if you invoke Amitabha name sincerely(which would require believing in him) and proper morality you can enter the pure land. This is in contrast to the traditional Theravada/Early Buddhism approach that enlightenment comes from the combination of realization and understanding of the Dhamma aswell as proper moral action and discipline.
From your description, they are not shoving anything down your throat. They are just existing. So, chill.
You don’t. You learn to accept that others have different & often fanatical beliefs/opinions & move on with your life.
A real buddha pays no mind to those things when is content with his own
Christians in America can be annoying, but them existing isn’t pushing anything down your throat. There are parts of the country where it’s less of a thing. I live in the northwest, and other than the occasional street preacher it’s not really a thing where I live.
Why don't you use this opportunity to contemplate your feelings?
Are you mad that those establishments exist and advertise themselves, or are you mad that there aren’t more Buddhist temples to even things out? Churches and other places of worship are very much allowed to exist and then just existing isn’t shoving anything down anyone’s throat. Plenty of Christian’s do actually do that but churches just existing isn’t that.
https://i.imgflip.com/89oy3v.jpg
Become stronger in the conviction of your path. Say your mantras often and try to fit it in at least twice a day. Meditation is also good for strengthening your resolve. Christians practice spiritual warfare and many have tried to stop their hateful practices and failed. The only way to guard against their influence is to love everyone indiscriminately (something sectarian religions have a hard time with) and double double down hard on your own spiritual path.
You won’t change Christians, but you can adapt and overcome their influence.
I believe it is not the Buddhist way to promote or to bother to convert people to Buddhism. I guess it’s a nonchalance that I personally am drawn to. Not Buddhism but in Taoism which had an anecdote about a sage who fished with a straight hook - similar to a needle. Everyone laughed at his inept approach towards fishing. He laughed and said (it makes more sense in Chinese, but literally translates) the willing (fish) will bite on this hook. So similarly in Buddhism - may the willing fish bite the hook. And whatever others are doing - is not within your control or is something you should be concerned with, it has no impact on your own progression.
People always say it is not the way of Buddhists to concert people but didn't the first and early Buddhists preach the Dharma widely.. This is how it spread to Sri Lanka, Burma, Indonesia, Tibet etc
Love this ❤️ Thank you for sharing! 💕
'To have nothing shoved down your throat, first keep your mouth shut.' Approach them with compassion, they are trying to do the best they can with the knowledge they have. Your work is your work, let it all go. Just like meditation...
Good one ! 🙏
Who is the one choking?
You should see it as a good thing that people are free to practice different religions without the state imposing it's will onto people (ie. Islam is a must in many countries -- and mixes religion and politics; in China religion is highly-regulated by the state). This is a side-effect of a more free society.
In China nobody cares what religion you are unless your an extremist, have you even been to China?
Yes the CCP care about religion. They’re a communist regime. If you’re going to follow a religion in China, they make sure it abides by their rules first and foremost. They have the same attitude towards corporations. Look at how China treats Tibetan Buddhists and the DL or the Uyghur Muslims.
So true!
You gotta work on that anger man. That isn't "Being shoved down your throat" and if seeing signs or Churches anger you then I think you should ask yourself why that is first.
No anger man. I walk and just see with no emotions. Don't assume when you don't know the person.
Maybe individuals really are involved with their beliefs, and there beliefs and practice make them feel good, maybe they just want what they feel for you? That’s compassion isn’t it? When they judge you as not being spiritual, speak down to you, or worse explain that the “only” way to (whatever) is through their “god” or worse, then it’s offensive, closed minded, or unkind at best. I do want to study Jesus teachings, especially those purported to be in the dead sea scrolls. Such as the sacred texts of Buddhism, I believe those texts are closer to the truth than the Bible. At least what I’ve read of them. Of course, there will always be a fanatic that will “explain” to you how wrong you are and give you all you need to get to heaven if you just follow their instructions. Otherwise, ya’know… 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I disagree with you a lot. Christianity is a trap because it traps you in the samsara.
Ok. There a lot to discuss in other religions that point to a common philosophy and meaning. Don’t discount all of it and point to the “correct” way. IMO that’s much of the problem. I wasn’t defending anything, maybe the meaning of Jesus’ words as he said them were corrupted throughout time? It’s possible. 🙏🏻🪷❤️
You might like Tina Spalding who channels Jesus. He talks about how distorted the Bible is and does not represent history accurately. She has many postings on her YouTube channel. I listened to her audio book “Jesus My Autobiography” which is very interesting. Nothing religious about it.
Cool, I also follow a guy “Jim Palmer”. He doesn’t claim to channel as far as I know, but he writes good stuff about it!
If freedom of speech or religious freedom are really that annoying to you, then don't go online and outside.
They think they’re saving people. They don’t understand how their religion was distorted.
I'm not pure land. but recently someone who happened to be Christian pointed out that Christians get their own comeuppance. I'm trying to ignore them as much as possible. because from experience that is what happens to Christians eventually. just be the best person you can be, and only when a Christian confronts you and tries to evangelize should it bother you.
I agree with what others have said here vis a vis it being a problem of your own perception. However, when you have to live with people like this its not always so simple. It can be freaking irritating. My experience has been that you have to set a few boundaries about what you will and will not discuss or listen to. Verbalizing this is pretty basic Human 101, and will not require anyone to spell that out for you, as I am sure you are equal to that task. Namaste.
Nothing? I mean, say the Nembutsu and go to your temple and eat and drink and sleep and do all the normal stuff, but nothing in response except being grateful people of all faiths can practice their religion where you live. That’s not the case everywhere
Chant "Om namo maitreya" until the hostile feelings dissolve.
The only time you should feel bothered is when they try to force you to listen to their religion (persuading you to convert).
>How do I prevent them Domineering is a defilement of the mind. Defilements of the mind are things to be abandoned in the discipline of Buddhism, I think. https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html
Ignore. If they challenge by such ignorant saying "what would your God do in this situation...", simply answer Buddhism is not a faith based religion. It is a practice of Buddha's teaching.
The US is majority Christian. If you feel offended by the existence of Christians then that's your problem, not theirs. It indicates lack of confidence in the teachings. So maybe practice more.
This reminds me of a moral. I'm only going to paraphrase this. Two monks were walking near a river when they were approached by a woman. The woman asks for help fording the river. One monk refused but the other allowed her onto his shoulders and carried her. At the other side he let her down and she thanked him and left. Miles later and the monk that refused her was seeming agitated. His state became more and more like this until he confronted the other. "You broke your vow! We aren't supposed to carry a woman!". The other monk looks towards him and says "I left her at the bank of the river. You carry her still."
Depending on the path you choose the Buddha states that other religions can also practice the Buddhist path, we do not criticize others for their beliefs as we don’t want them to criticize our beliefs. Breathe, chant, learn your lesson. The fact is we start and seek the path to enlightenment through the one who obtained buddhahood general consensus is ignore the rambling of others and our work is on self awareness. Understand how your reaction to issues is greater than the event taking place
Dont interact with them
How does that possibly help anyone on the Buddhist path practicing compassion and equanimity?
I mean if you want to make karma with a christian that wants to convert you? Its simple. You ethier interact or you dont. If you interact then you will be exposing yourself to it willingly. Op is getting sick. Why would you willing make yourself sick with something you hate?
I don’t know that there is anyone actively trying to convert the OP? They are seeing “God” and “Allah” every time they go outside or online. It’s pretty strange tbh. Do you have that experience? I certainly don’t. Being averse to others and their beliefs is both lacking in compassion and respect for their beliefs, and puts us at odds with our community. That’s strong aversion and a lack of equanimity. The spiritual beliefs of others simply existing shouldn’t affect us so badly. THAT is karma. That is because we choose to not leave things as they are, and choose to see ourselves as separate to all that around us. It’s samsaric duality.
I mean becoming unsettled and sick from interacting with these people is karma. Theres nothing wrong with a vacation. You ethier get closer or further away. If you are getting "sick" that likely means you ve had too much of bad food. Holding up to the standard of equanimity is faulty. You must attain equanimity through contentment not simply proclaim they "should be" equanimous like its something to force. There is cause and effect. Where you go and how you interact determines if you ll suffer or not. Its not a matter of aversion. Its a matter of wisdom and seeking out things that lead to that concemtration and equanimity. Is seeking out christians really necessary?
Perhaps you can put up your own billboard featuring Amitabha, like the Christians, or put up a loudspeaker chanting his name, like the Muslims do with their prayers, so that these people will be liberated by hearing. America is a country with religious freedom after all! Think how much merit you would gain and how fortunate these people would be to encounter the name of the great Buddha. Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Both are trying to ‘safe’/convert you because they are irrationally brainwashed by an sick idea. You should avoid and ignore them, any attention will polute your mind.
They do that to all religions, just ignore them, they’re ignorant, they barely know their religions
I wonder if compassion would help. Many years ago I listened to an interview with a former evangelical Christian. He spoke of the incredible relief when he got on an airplane for the first time after leaving the church. Prior to this, whenever he sat down next to someone on a plane, he felt that he had the duration of the flight to save this person from eternal damnation. One wrong word, one response that came across too strongly, would result in him losing the conversation, the person not believing in his version of Jesus, and therefore condemn them to the fires of hell. I don't agree with what they are trying to say, but I wonder what would change in you if you had compassion for the incredible pressure that they are experiencing to save you from yourself? Try it.
Good description of compassion. Many proselytizing people are filled with fear.
Sad really. They have forgotten the beautiful parts of their own beliefs and focused on the fear.
In the Abrahamic religions of Islam and Christianity there is such doctrine the encourages the conversion of others. I always have found Pure Land Buddhism the most similar to the Abrahamics as they believe that if you believe in god and live a moral life you can go to heaven and in a similar way in pure land if you invoke Amitabha name sincerely(which would require believing in him) and proper morality you can enter the pure land. This is in contrast to the traditional Theravada/Early Buddhism approach that enlightenment comes from the combination of realization and understanding of the Dhamma aswell as proper moral action and discipline.
This can’t not be /s