Fred Hampton Is New Here

[Brian37]

Welcome. I like Sam Harris too, but his Buddhism fetish gives me a lip twitch like any other religion does. 

Be sure to barbecue kittens, record the NFL without their permission and rip the tags off of your mattress.

Meditation is a technique, not a religion, IMO.  Sound advice though, re the kittens, I'll take note of that.

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Care to explain how rutabagas can cure a broken arm?

Boru

I'll play the straw man card here.

Yes meditation is a technique and? Buddhism is a religion still. They have temples and holy people and monks and prayers and different sects that do not agree as to how to follow the writings.  Buddhism is a spin off of Hinduism fyi. It's hero is also rooted in superstiton, magic and mythology. The earliest depictions  of the first Buddha have him born from Royalty in Queen Maya, who is told by the divine world that she would give birth to a gift to the world. He also avoids the birth canal and is born out of her side. Buddhism is a religion, period.

Asia also has Jainism and Taoism and? Those are religions too. Sam's fetish about Buddhism is no different to me than if Ben Carson claimed Jesus was real because he is a neurologist. The "self control" that the west gets so hung up on is stupid to focus on. Navy Seals also get trained to endure too and I doubt very many of them are Buddhists.

I get this same argument dodging the word "religion" from every religion. I've seen Jews do it and even Christians do it. Buddhism is a religion.