Sage-Tips

Can you be both a Christian and Buddhist?

Short answer: No. You can make the claim to be both, but they are mutually exclusive at many points.

Can you be a Zen Buddhist and a Christian?

So is it possible to be a member of two religions? Possibly. Of course if they have teachings that contradict each other it is probably not possible, but I do not see any major contradictions between Zen Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhist do not have a God.

Can a Christian go to a Buddhist temple?

Absolutely, anyone can visit a Buddhist temple. Buddhist temples do not convert people from other religions to Buddhism. Anyone can go and listen to sermons or participate in meditation sessions or just make a visit.

Can a Buddhist go to church?

Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple. It is not considered essential to go to a temple to worship with others.

Does Buddhist believe in heaven?

Buddhists do believe in a form of life after death. However, they don’t believe in heaven or hell as most people typically understand them. The Buddhist afterlife does not involve a god sending someone to a specific realm based on whether they’re a sinner.

What does Buddhism have to do with Christianity?

Michael once told me that Christianity is long on content but short on method and technique. So I think Buddhism is providing Christians with practices, with techniques, by which they can enter more experientially into the content of what they believe. What are the needs among Christian believers that you think Buddhism is addressing?

Does Buddhism affirm the existence of God?

Buddhism does not affirm the existence of God. It has been described as an “atheistic” religion. How can it have significance for a theistic religion like Christianity? We’ve got to be really careful with how we use the term “atheistic.”

How has Buddhism helped you in Your Life?

Buddhism has helped me to rediscover, to deepen what it means when, in the New Testament — maybe it’s the only definition of God that we find in the New Testament — when it says that “God is love.”

What is the difference between Buddha and Jesus?

Buddha was enlightened; Jesus was divine. That’s a big difference, isn’t it? Yes. It’s a big difference. When one looks at, first of all, the language that we Christians use to talk about the mystery of Jesus the Christ, perhaps the two primary words that we use — or doctrines that we attest to — are Jesus is Son of God and Jesus is Savior.