I think you can separate meditation from Buddhism. A lot of different traditions embrace meditation; Buddhism isn't a necessary part of it.

I've flirted with Buddhism over the years. I've come to the conclusion that it's pretty on the outside, but the center is filled with woo. Plus, I find Buddhists are often egotistical. In my own mind, I see Siddhartha as a failed ascetic. He set out to find enlightenment but failed, and settled for a teaching career instead. I don't think he ever reached enlightnment. But you suggest anything of the sort to dyed-in-the-wool Buddhists, and you get a lot of faith based blowback. His teachings are useful, as far as that goes, but because he never finished his framework, the gaps are filled in with metaphysical speculation. As a moral guide, it's admirable; as a statement of truth about life, it falls short.

I think Buddhaism is a beautiful way to live, labeling yourself an atheist and jumping on every belief system is ugly and clinical. There is more to life than what any of our senses can ever reveal, we are life itself, we are all connected to everything there is. To be aware of this connection and to even experience this connection is to truly live, to live outside of this connection is to live your life in fear, this fear is what questions everything, and because of this questioning of everything you never truly live.

(July 27, 2014 at 7:41 pm)Deidre32 Wrote: Just wondering. I've been reading a lot about it, and there's so much richness to it. So much goodness. And it's so vastly different from anything I ever was 'taught.' I read a little every day about it, and find it fascinating on many levels.

I'm an atheist, but exploring Buddhism...is that acceptable?

No!

How can you call yourself an atheist and have an interest in Buddhism?

OMD, woman. What sort of atheist are you??

On a serious note, however, there's nothing wrong with reading up on Buddhism. From the little I've read it is far superior to the Abrahamic religions.

And many of its adherents are atheists, judging by some I've encountered.

(July 29, 2014 at 5:51 pm)psychoslice Wrote: I think Buddhaism is a beautiful way to live, labeling yourself an atheist and jumping on every belief system is ugly and clinical. There is more to life than what any of our senses can ever reveal, we are life itself, we are all connected to everything there is. To be aware of this connection and to even experience this connection is to truly live, to live outside of this connection is to live your life in fear, this fear is what questions everything, and because of this questioning of everything you never truly live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y

(July 29, 2014 at 5:51 pm)psychoslice Wrote: I think Buddhaism is a beautiful way to live, labeling yourself an atheist and jumping on every belief system is ugly and clinical. There is more to life than what any of our senses can ever reveal, we are life itself, we are all connected to everything there is. To be aware of this connection and to even experience this connection is to truly live, to live outside of this connection is to live your life in fear, this fear is what questions everything, and because of this questioning of everything you never truly live.

You kind of lost me after saying that there's more to life than what our senses reveal. While I agree with that, I can't say questioning things keeps us from living. I would expect the exact opposite. How do you keep from becoming stagnant if you don't question everything?

(July 28, 2014 at 7:44 pm)Polaris Wrote: I studied it, but didn't care enough for it to try because I viewed it as a punishment fitting of Hell.

really? you're being serious i think?

care to explain more?

(July 28, 2014 at 7:50 pm)ShaMan Wrote: Skip it. You have more understanding inside of you then you can learn from another. Find your own path there, and don't feed the animals on the way.

This...is really something. We have more understanding insude of ourselves that we can learn from another. That's pretty profound. I wonder if we are the sum total of what we've learned from one another though, recycled through our own world view? Thank you for the comment.

(July 29, 2014 at 3:17 pm)RobbyPants Wrote:

(July 27, 2014 at 7:41 pm)Deidre32 Wrote: Just wondering. I've been reading a lot about it, and there's so much richness to it. So much goodness. And it's so vastly different from anything I ever was 'taught.' I read a little every day about it, and find it fascinating on many levels.

I'm an atheist, but exploring Buddhism...is that acceptable?

First of, studying anything like this isn't bad in and of itself.

As for believing it in its entirety: I could see looking at the ethical teachings to see what you want to take away from it, but at the end of the day, they're going to make a lot of nonfalsifiable assertions about spiritual things. While it might not be talking about "God" specifically, it's still nonfalsifiable woo.

This was very helpful, thanks!

(July 29, 2014 at 3:38 pm)JesusHChrist Wrote:

(July 27, 2014 at 7:41 pm)Deidre32 Wrote: I'm an atheist, but exploring Buddhism...is that acceptable?

Not sure that is permitted.

We should take this up with the Atheist Central Committee.

lol

i knew that term wasn't really the one i wanted to use...but i went with it. :p

(July 29, 2014 at 5:27 pm)rasetsu Wrote: I think you can separate meditation from Buddhism. A lot of different traditions embrace meditation; Buddhism isn't a necessary part of it.

I've flirted with Buddhism over the years. I've come to the conclusion that it's pretty on the outside, but the center is filled with woo. Plus, I find Buddhists are often egotistical. In my own mind, I see Siddhartha as a failed ascetic. He set out to find enlightenment but failed, and settled for a teaching career instead. I don't think he ever reached enlightnment. But you suggest anything of the sort to dyed-in-the-wool Buddhists, and you get a lot of faith based blowback. His teachings are useful, as far as that goes, but because he never finished his framework, the gaps are filled in with metaphysical speculation. As a moral guide, it's admirable; as a statement of truth about life, it falls short.

You always manage to put things into great perspective. I think this too, and from this point of view, I think that it's ok to explore it, but to ''become'' a Buddhist isn't probably what I'm heading towards. Thank you for your input!

(July 29, 2014 at 5:51 pm)psychoslice Wrote: I think Buddhaism is a beautiful way to live, labeling yourself an atheist and jumping on every belief system is ugly and clinical. There is more to life than what any of our senses can ever reveal, we are life itself, we are all connected to everything there is. To be aware of this connection and to even experience this connection is to truly live, to live outside of this connection is to live your life in fear, this fear is what questions everything, and because of this questioning of everything you never truly live.

I like how you worded this and appreciate the thoughts to this.

(July 29, 2014 at 6:09 pm)Beccs Wrote:

(July 27, 2014 at 7:41 pm)Deidre32 Wrote: Just wondering. I've been reading a lot about it, and there's so much richness to it. So much goodness. And it's so vastly different from anything I ever was 'taught.' I read a little every day about it, and find it fascinating on many levels.

I'm an atheist, but exploring Buddhism...is that acceptable?

No!

How can you call yourself an atheist and have an interest in Buddhism?

OMD, woman. What sort of atheist are you??

On a serious note, however, there's nothing wrong with reading up on Buddhism. From the little I've read it is far superior to the Abrahamic religions.

And many of its adherents are atheists, judging by some I've encountered.

It makes more logical sense to me than Christianity, or the Abrahamic faiths ever did. It doesn't require blind faith, it requires discipline moreso, and a desire to improve. I find that admirable.

Of course, at first, I thought you were being serious at the beginning of your post. lol

Thanks everyone for your feedback. BRB...moving to Tibet!

(July 29, 2014 at 6:36 pm)Chad32 Wrote:

(July 29, 2014 at 5:51 pm)psychoslice Wrote: I think Buddhaism is a beautiful way to live, labeling yourself an atheist and jumping on every belief system is ugly and clinical. There is more to life than what any of our senses can ever reveal, we are life itself, we are all connected to everything there is. To be aware of this connection and to even experience this connection is to truly live, to live outside of this connection is to live your life in fear, this fear is what questions everything, and because of this questioning of everything you never truly live.

You kind of lost me after saying that there's more to life than what our senses reveal. While I agree with that, I can't say questioning things keeps us from living. I would expect the exact opposite. How do you keep from becoming stagnant if you don't question everything?

Being stagnate can be questioning everything, you can stay in that mind frame and never truly experience life, as I said we are all one, we are life itself. We can never truly know all the answers, we can only know what our senses can reveal.

I don't believe in a Christian god, but I do feel that what we all are connected to, is something life a higher consciousness, or source, or god if you want to use that word.

Its like love, we can understand how the body reacts in the experience we call love, but no matter how much we understand this, that understanding is never love, and this goes with everything else.

(July 29, 2014 at 10:13 pm)psychoslice Wrote:

(July 29, 2014 at 6:36 pm)Chad32 Wrote: You kind of lost me after saying that there's more to life than what our senses reveal. While I agree with that, I can't say questioning things keeps us from living. I would expect the exact opposite. How do you keep from becoming stagnant if you don't question everything?

Being stagnate can be questioning everything, you can stay in that mind frame and never truly experience life, as I said we are all one, we are life itself. We can never truly know all the answers, we can only know what our senses can reveal.

I don't believe in a Christian god, but I do feel that what we all are connected to, is something life a higher consciousness, or source, or god if you want to use that word.

Its like love, we can understand how the body reacts in the experience we call love, but no matter how much we understand this, that understanding is never love, and this goes with everything else.

Are you channeling Confucius? Seriously, I've been going through something lately, and what you post here has been so timely for me.

(July 29, 2014 at 10:16 pm)Deidre32 Wrote:

(July 29, 2014 at 10:13 pm)psychoslice Wrote: Being stagnate can be questioning everything, you can stay in that mind frame and never truly experience life, as I said we are all one, we are life itself. We can never truly know all the answers, we can only know what our senses can reveal.

I don't believe in a Christian god, but I do feel that what we all are connected to, is something life a higher consciousness, or source, or god if you want to use that word.

Its like love, we can understand how the body reacts in the experience we call love, but no matter how much we understand this, that understanding is never love, and this goes with everything else.

Are you channeling Confucius? Seriously, I've been going through something lately, and what you post here has been so timely for me.

People like Confucius, the Buddha and many others, are connected to their inner being, they experience what is beyond the mind body organism. We are all one, and when each one of us also comes from their inner being or higher consciousness, then we also talk like the Buddha, Confucius, or whoever. This is something that those who call themselves atheist cannot understand, they are too much in the mind, and that's where they stay.

(July 28, 2014 at 3:51 am)Pickup_shonuff Wrote:

(July 27, 2014 at 7:41 pm)Deidre32 Wrote: Just wondering. I've been reading a lot about it, and there's so much richness to it. So much goodness. And it's so vastly different from anything I ever was 'taught.' I read a little every day about it, and find it fascinating on many levels.

I'm an atheist, but exploring Buddhism...is that acceptable?

It is perfectly acceptable if you accept Nietzsche.

"I hope that my condemnation of Christianity has not involved me in any injustice to a related religion with an even larger number of adherents: Buddhism."

"Buddhism is a hundred times more realistic than Christianity: posing problems objectively and coolly is part of its inheritance, for Buddhism comes after a philosophic movement which spanned centuries. The concept of "God" had long been disposed of when it arrived. Buddhism is the only genuinely positivistic religion in history. This applies even to its theory of knowledge (a strict phenomenalism): it no longer says struggle against sin" but, duly respectful of reality, struggle against suffering." Buddhism is profoundly distinguished from Christianity by the fact that the self-deception of the moral concepts lies far behind it. In my terms, it stands beyond good and evil."

"Buddhism, I repeat, is a hundred times colder, more truthful, more objective. It is no longer confronted with the need to make suffering and the susceptibility to pain respectable by interpreting them in terms of sin — it simply says what it thinks: "I suffer."

"One should not mix up Buddha's 'religion' with so pitiable things as Christianity."

I do like Nietzsche, how didja know?

Just an update...I've really been further exploring Buddhism, and I'm most interested in Mahayana Buddhism. It's been an interesting journey, and I want to see it through.

It's one of those things that you have to somewhat immerse yourself in, before you can make an informed decision. Thanks for the thoughts to this, everyone! Been very helpful.