Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Life After Death( Afterlife ): Buddhism Christianity and Politics

I wonder, when you talk about afterlife ( life after death ) Buddhism and Christianity have something in common. I know almost all the Christians / catholics don't believe in afterlife, but there are evidences in the bible to support afterlife. If you are a christian, just refer to terms 'gigul' or 'ibur' in new testament. ( Celtic christians believed in gigul ). But why this concept suppressed in Christianity?.

The main reason for that as I can see is the past politics. The later Roman emperors, both Western and Byzantine, were tyrants who owned their subjects body and soul. Anyone who opposed them was sentenced to a slow and painful death. This kingdom was extrapolated into the eternal spiritual realm by theologians, who imposed the blackmail of the doctrine of ever-lasting hell and its torments for defiance of authority.

These versus are from Judaism....

Matthew 16:15-16 When Yahshauah came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his Talmidim, "Who do people say the Son of Man (Ben Adam) is?" They
replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Eliyah; and still others,
Yemeryahu or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do
you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Mashiach, the Son of the
living Elohim (Adam Kadmon)."


Woe be unto you, ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the most high
YHWH: for if you increase it shall be to your destruction. And if you be born, you
shall be born to a curse… Ecclesiasticus 41:8-9, edition Apocrypha


( published in All About Buddhism blog )

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't understand what you have read that leads you to believe that Christianity does not refer to the afterlife. A huge basis for the christian faith is that one day Jesus will come back and make all things new - kind of like "perfection on earth." If christians die before this then the christians will "go to heaven" if they know Jesus. Jesus says in Matthew that "he is going there (heaven) to prepare a room for us." And John talks frequently about going to be with him. Etc...what do you think? please email me: Matthewamanda@cox.net

Anonymous said...

Yes you are right.
we should try to teach people about real buddhism. we are also trying this to do the best portal on buddhism http://www.buddhabihar.com and calling you to join this movement.
Namo Buddha
http://www.buddhabihar.com

Anonymous said...

I am currently studying Buddhism and have been chanting for a while. I was raised Catholic, which I have put on the back burner for a while.
I would like to make clear that in the original article, there was reference to "...Christians/Catholics..." Just wanted those who are not so educated on this subject to know that Catholics ARE Christians.

Anonymous said...

It's so refreshing to see a clearly intelligent person who is Buddhist. Thank you for your contributions to the web.

Unknown said...

Actually, almost ALL Christians believe in an afterlife. It's kind of a central tenet of their faith.

Buddhist Jewelry said...

It is interesting to think about all religions in regards of after life. They all look like they sort of believe in it and that's the purpose of their religious practices.

Anonymous said...

親爱的佛教信士.
佛教之地,都是要善伩修守戒律, 但令人痛心的是 Samnak Sambodhi Buddhist Association No: 19 Jalan 38 Taman Desa Jaya 52100 Kepong Selangor, Malaysia.三宝寺却不以身作則。他们允许缅甸外劳庆祝佳日,隨心所意,在当地杀鱼.鸡. 猪.羊及飲洒作乐,醉身萝死耒污垢佛教神聖之地.至今 已引起居民的反感.

針对以上的题,身为佛教伩徒,也是前任理事会成员,我 依佛礼的教海,据理力争。但孤学难呜,却被一手遮天,以商叶利益为重的马华公会,鹅嘜区会主席叶金福(Yip Kum Fook), 把我排除在外,其用意, 一目了然,想完全控(Yip Kum Fook)制甲洞帝沙再也,三宝寺耒达到私利賺钱.现在, 他应用外耒和尚主持三宝寺,其目的,也更清楚,因为外耒者不知内幕,不能久留,无杈过向.

回顾10年前之事,由本地吉兰丹和尚仼壇主兼顾问之時, 此种现象,是不曾发生的,为何到了叶金福(Yip Kum Fook)的領导乏下,却帶耒如此違反佛教的文化?难怪,前仼壇主 也一声不言就远离了,必有其苦衷。

为了佛教的遵严,我不忍看它沦落为醉身耒萝死之地, 让人耻笑,在此, 我只好通过现代的管道,泣声敬请,佛 教伩仰者及马耒西亜佛总能加以关注, 并给予该理事会劝导,尽速觧决此事,以免这种污点影响整体的佛教良好形象。