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Originally Posted by KSig RC
I do feel like I should have a chance to 'defend' (as it were) the hundreds of millions who practice Buddhism and disagree completely with your characterization of it as something less than a religion - it would be somewhat odd that the fourth-largest religion in the world is, in fact, not a religion at all. Your inference that Buddhism and Christianity can work together, which stems from this belief, is not nearly as 'troublesome' (I'm not here to tell people what to believe), but at the same time there are fairly distinctive differences that I can't see reconciling. Help me if you'd like - or continue to abase others' faiths, then hide behind the aegis of "no one respects my viewpoint" or "I dont' have time." Personally, I KNOW how much my time is worth, and I'm willing to put in the time - and I'm willing to listen, if you can provide points above and beyond an opinion article or 'theology people' you've spoken with.
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This is exactly the problem - I never said that Buddhism is less then a religion. I said it wasn't a religion, but I didn't say it was less then one. It's like me saying that the Chess Club isn't a fraternity. That doesn't imply that the Chess Club isn't any more or less important then a fraternity, it just isn't one. According to the Western (including the US, where we live) definition of "religion" Buddhism does not fit, because it lacks a deity or creator. It's a seperate (not greater or less) thing. And before someone says it, I realize that Buddhism is an Eastern world thing, and that's why it doesn't fit the Western defintion, but that's exactly my point. I would like to know the exact translation for "religion" in Chinese, because I'm sure the word has different implications and definitions then it does in English.