Running head: CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
1
Buddhism and Biblical Worldview
Neil Giese
Liberty University
CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
2
Buddhism and Biblical Worldview
When comparing religions, it is often relative that one may find many similarities
between Christianity and Buddhism, but the distinct difference is knowing what you believe, and
the factual evidence to back it up, seeing is believing.
Origin
In Buddhism, there is no concrete foundation on how life began, so there is no Genesis
1:1 and even Buddha made the claim that he also does not understand how life truly began, but
he wants an individual to reject that there is an all-powerful God. From scripture, we can see
from the first page of the Bible creation taking place “God created the heavens and the earth”
(Genesis 1:1 New Living Translation). So, this notion that the world just existed and that it was
here gives not attribute then to humanity.
Identity
Buddhism believes “that no continuous self exists” (www.dictonary.com)as
expressed in the anatta, so to be human is life, death, and rebirth and it’s a continuous same cycle
repeatedly. Christianity on the other hand we have a sole, the Holy Spirit living inside of us
defining who we are as human beings, teaching us right from wrong through the laws of the
Bible. Sanskrit, anatman is teaching that they’re a bunch of sole less human beings that are to die
to individual self. Animals in Buddhism, have the same human nature there is no classification
between the two “Not merely not killing, but preserving lives is the first of Buddhism’s
commandments.” (Thurman Robert) In contrary, “God said to subdue the earth and have
dominion over it”(Genesis 1:28 King James Bible) as Christians we do not classify animals as
the same has humans we eat and raise them even for profit.
(Word count 284)
CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
3
Meaning/Purpose
Mankind exists in Buddhism to reach this infinitely high state of being of Nirvana to
reach the goal of enlightenment and to have all things cease, or to the extreme void that there is
no concept of one’s self being, in other words complete emptiness. Buddhism for mankind is to
ultimately reach or attain “fully enlightened Buddha”. Now with Christ we are born out of Love
and Love covers why a devout Christian is alive. We have a savior who died and led us from the
grave, into the life-giving message of the Bible. We exist to go out into the world “Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19 King James Bible) where Buddhism is very
self-seeking or selfish teaching for one’s own enlightenment.
Morality
Since Buddhism does not believe in God then they also do not believe in the 10
commandments. Then it can be interpreted that the new commandments that were given by
Jesus, in the New Testament to love yourself and to also love your neighbor as yourself would be
farfetched in Buddhism. In Buddhism, there is the five precepts based on a Buddhist morality the
way to stay in Nirvana seeking continued enlightenment. Wisdom and love in Buddhism is a
very set in stone teachings, there is no gray matter either you do things out of the human wisdom,
that is given by the Buddha and you do not refrain from it. Buddhism is rooted in worldly love
and it does seem that everything needs to have a love value placed to it from all creation, to
human beings everything deserves that same love no separation. Jesus again tells us to love our
neighbor as our self, he does not add love the neighbor’s dog just as yourself so there is a direct
distinction between humans and animals in Christianity.
(Word count: 308)
CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
4
Destiny
In Buddhism from the teachings of the Buddha all will pass away eventually from this
earthly body, but the spirit will go and attach itself to another being, but during this reborn
process the spirit from the old earthly body will be judged per its karmic actions, this process of
rebirth is continual never-ending process. Christianity tells us that we’re dead to this body and
that it will return to dust from which it came, but that our spirit goes to be in Heaven with our
Father the creator of all. This is a done deal, we do not have to live in this perpetual vortex of
rebirth, after rebirth basically living forever like in Buddhism.
(Word count: 117)
CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
5
References
•
Tyndale House Publishers.2004.Holy Bible:New Living Translation.Wheaton,III:Tyndale
House House Publishers.
•
Anatta. (n.d.) . Dictonary.com online. Retrieved from
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/anatta?s=t
•
Thurman Robert, Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness.New
York, Penguin Putnam,Inc., 1998; pg. 123.
•
THE HOLY BIBLE,King James Version. New York:American Bible Society:
1999;Bartleby.com,2000.www.bartleby.com/108/.
