Christian Priest to Atheist to Buddhist

[Angrboda]

Buddhism is a greatly varied practice, having as many differences as to basic beliefs as other religions like Christianity. I find it amusing that you appeal to the "No True Scotsman" fallacy to attempt to purify the image of Buddhism, but for every Buddhist about whom what you said is true, there are a dozen others for whom it is false. There are many ways to slice up the Buddhist pie, and I think the differences between eastern and western Buddhism are quite telling. Western Buddhism tends to be sanitized of the religiousness of eastern Buddhism and is fertile ground for the "No True Buddhist"' style of apologetic. Regardless of east or west, there is a core of hagiography surrounding Siddhartha and his teachings with all the trappings that follow from deification of a mortal. In one Buddhist chant you find the refrain that the way of the Buddha is unsurpassable. How would you know, except through faith and idolization of Siddhartha? To my view, Siddhartha was just another religious charlatan, who packaged up a "method" and sold it to the yokels. And the attempt to sell the faith to the yokels continues to this day.

One of my favorite quotes about Buddhism comes from a former member, Rhythm. He said, "The monk and the priest both smile from the door of the temple. They're not actually smiling, they're just baring their teeth."

I didn't intend to get into this, but some of the religious silliness of Buddhists, combined with the ever present attempt to white wash Buddhist beliefs, just irritates me.