Hi everyone :)

[Mystical]

Hi there! Can you explain how you can be an athiest Buddhist? I'm so confused, I thought Buddhists believed in a god! Personally I think spirits may exist too (or I hope so!).



Ps. I'm a sucker for graphics, and a graphics search on Buddhism turned out some nice shots for me thank you

[Jackie]

Hey everyone, I am new to this forum and I just thought I'd say hello and tell you a little about myself. I've identified as atheist for about 6 years now, though honestly I don't think I really ever believed. I decided when I was 12 for two reasons. One, I had an epiphany moment where I couldn't even tell someone what it was I believed in. And two, I realized that God had never done for me what wouldn't or couldn't have happened anyway.

So now I identify as Buddhist Atheist, because I have faith that we have souls, but that's as far as it goes. My rational side can't be put aside to believe in God. But I do have some faith in humanity left. But I'm young, I'll probably lose that too someday

Anyway it's nice to be here and I hope to get to know some of you soon

By the way, my name is not because I'm violent or mean or anything. It's a band.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...-1,00.html

No we do not have souls.

[KichigaiNeko]

[Angrboda]

Speaking of graphics, are you familiar with the Bodhisattva/Immortal Guan yin? ()

One Buddhist legend ... presents Guanyin as vowing to never rest until she had freed all sentient beings from samsara or reincarnation. Despite strenuous effort, she realised that there were still many unhappy beings yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, her head split into eleven pieces. The Buddha Amitabha, upon seeing her plight, gave her eleven heads to help her hear the cries of those who are suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, Avalokitesvara attempted to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that her two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, Amitabha came to her aid and appointed her a thousand arms to let her reach out to those in need.

And a few of my favorites....

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[TheViolentFemme]

Hi there! Can you explain how you can be an athiest Buddhist? I'm so confused, I thought Buddhists believed in a god!

There are some sects of Buddhism that do have a god, but the general practice is more of a philosophy on simply how to live your life. The Buddha who created the religion was an actual person and though there are figures and idols of him, we don't worship them. But the philosophy is based on his teachings about how to live your life and reach a state of enlightenment. The root of all the teachings is simply to better yourself as a human being. And I don't know everything about the practice, I wasn't born into it and I've never gone to temple, but basically I try to follow it because I like the message. And the fact that the real message actually gets across to its followers correctly.

[KichigaiNeko]

TVF