EricH Posted November 5, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 366 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,933 Content Per Day: 1.57 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/21/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted November 5, 2007 i do a lot of things to prevent her worshipping the Buddha but does not work i am very worry about it .............. what can i do Only God can change a human heart. Your job is not to "stop her form believing in Buddha". Your job is to love her and let her see the reality of Jsus living in you. Share the gospel when the occassion arises, and let God work on her heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgesbluegirl Posted November 5, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 30 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,234 Content Per Day: 0.17 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/17/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/10/1987 Share Posted November 5, 2007 If you don't mind me asking, what school of Buddhism does your mother follow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeCajunboy Posted November 6, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 113 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,430 Content Per Day: 0.22 Reputation: 33 Days Won: 1 Joined: 12/24/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 06/28/1952 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i do a lot of things to prevent her worshipping the Buddha but does not work i am very worry about it .............. what can i do The first thing that came to my mind is for YOU to just be the best Christian you can be and set the example. This is much of what we do when we come across the many others who sin against God or honor false gods. I am discerning that when our God is ready to move your mother.....HE WILL! in HIS own time. But you must continue to show God your trust and love in HIM. This is the best thing you can do for your mother. Blessings Cajunboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricia1 Posted November 6, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 44 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,858 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 9 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/24/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/23/1957 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i do a lot of things to prevent her worshipping the Buddha but does not work i am very worry about it .............. what can i do The first thing that came to my mind is for YOU to just be the best Christian you can be and set the example. This is much of what we do when we come across the many others who sin against God or honor false gods. I am discerning that when our God is ready to move your mother.....HE WILL! in HIS own time. But you must continue to show God your trust and love in HIM. This is the best thing you can do for your mother. Blessings Cajunboy hello there ... excuse me cause i giggled..It is harder to be a buddhist than a christian, You are not even supposed to sleep in a comfortable bed or I should say luxurious, whatever that may have been to the eastern beliefs back then. I am sure it is a handed down familiarity of beliefs. There is nothing you can do except for praying for her Salvation and leave her at the foot of the cross. Jesus will work on her heart slowly and probably is now. Even If she sees what you are saying to be truth she will not give you the benefit. Be a silent witness. Pray for others who are former buddhists into her life who are now christisn. Leave it alone and get on with the business Jesus has given you. She will be wooed to Jesus by the Holy Spirit the same as everyone else has. Have peace in knowing this ...Sylvia...Seek peace in the assurance Our God Jesus will not fail you or her.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forrestkc Posted November 6, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 114 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 4,015 Content Per Day: 0.60 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 1 Joined: 12/15/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted November 6, 2007 i do a lot of things to prevent her worshipping the Buddha but does not work i am very worry about it .............. what can i do Buddhists don't worship the Buddha. Buddha simply means an enlightened one. There have been several buddhas. Buddhism is in many ways more philosophy than religion. The moral values of Buddhists are not incompatible with Christianity at all. The problem is how Buddhists look for redemption: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricH Posted November 6, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 366 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,933 Content Per Day: 1.57 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/21/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted November 6, 2007 Probably the best route to go is to point out the similarities between the beliefs of Buddhism and Christianity, and try to bring your mother around that way. In the end, there is a fundamental change in belief for a Buddhist to become a Christian. However, a former Buddhist could still practice the Buddhist philosophies and still be a Christian. This is a very good approach. There is an amazing amount of agreement between the major world religions in terms of what constitutes morality. They agree we should not lie, kill, steal, etc. Most people will agree also that in terms of the moral requirements, the world in general is not doing very well. Where the world religions disagree is how people should deal with it, when they don't live up to the moral requirements that all of them agree upon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgesbluegirl Posted November 6, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 30 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,234 Content Per Day: 0.17 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/17/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/10/1987 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i do a lot of things to prevent her worshipping the Buddha but does not work i am very worry about it .............. what can i do Buddhists don't worship the Buddha. Buddha simply means an enlightened one. There have been several buddhas. Buddhism is in many ways more philosophy than religion. The moral values of Buddhists are not incompatible with Christianity at all. The problem is how Buddhists look for redemption: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeilanS Posted November 6, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 158 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,763 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/14/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/23/1990 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I agree with Forrest here, I think many Christians can actually grow in faith by taking a look at Buddhist principles. Especially since we know that we cannot redeem ourselves alone, so we don't have the pressure of trying. I would tell your mom that Buddha taught an excellent way of living your life, but he was wrong in that we could find our own salvation. Only Christ gives salvation. You could also point out that Buddha never claimed to be a god, nor did he command his followers to worship him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning_Ember Posted November 7, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 21 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 2,009 Content Per Day: 0.29 Reputation: 100 Days Won: 3 Joined: 09/20/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted November 7, 2007 Whatever you do, don't ask her to make you a hotdog. She'll make you one with everything. (Told to me by a Buddhist.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisMindinme Posted November 7, 2007 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 14 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 255 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 4 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/08/1963 Share Posted November 7, 2007 i do a lot of things to prevent her worshipping the Buddha but does not work i am very worry about it .............. what can i do As I understand it, Buddhism "... is about freeing ourselves from psychological restraint and responding to each situation." The author I found went on to say, "Their view of ethics is different from that of Christianity whereas Buddhist views of ethics is about contributing to one's own well-being and that of others, including in sexuality." In one sense, Buddhists actually have it right. Our "psychological restraint" (mental enslavement) is to our natural and carnal mind. So, what I am suggesting is that you find common ground with your mother. Her religion (such as it is) is teaching her that her mind is a self-made prison of thoughts. In this one small point, her Buddhism is correct and perhaps you can use this much as Paul did when he said: Act 17:23 For as I passed by and saw the things you worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Not knowing then whom you worship, I make Him known to you. Paul was doing precisely what I am suggesting you to do. He took note of something in what they already found acceptable that was actually correct within Christianity and then used it as a point of agreement to get their attention and deliver the gospel (good news of Christ). You have a similar situation. Your mother believes her mind and thoughts are imprisoning her. She wants to step away from her thoughts, become the watcher and observer and in the state of "presence" or "the moment" she feels deep peace and enlightenment. What she does not see is the rest of herself, her flesh, the lusts of her flesh, her carnal mind enslaved to her flesh, the thoughts producing emotions and her feeding on them. She doesn't see what God is offering her chiefly because she thinks that by meditating she can "fix herself." (i.e. she doesn't need a Savior -- she can be her own savior through meditation). Nevertheless, you have a point of truth in what she believes: Psychological Restraint and getting free from it. The only TRUE freedom is that offered by God through Christ and Him writing, imprinting, inscribing and transforming our minds to be like His own and from THIS mind then comes the capacity for being godly (like God), which is what she wants anyway (whether she knows it or not). So, that is what the Lord has placed in me and stirs in me as I read your words and respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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