11 thoughts on “Chapter 3: And a Stick to Beat the Devil With, page 17”

    1. Naahh. Buddism still has that stink of orginised religion, even though its far more relaxed than most westernised religions. There’s still a Hell Clause, as I call them, as with all major religions. (‘If you dont follow us, you’re doomed to an afterlife of suffering; albeit a horrible lifetime as an animal, instead of writhing in a pit of flames as per the peoples of the book.)

      Taoism! (Regarded as ‘Lazy Buddism’ by some Buddists) Now Taoism is a soothing philosophy. And closer to a true philosophy than Buddism. Less ritualistic trappings and there are genuinely next to no people able to garner authority, money or power through its teachings.

      1. Buddhism is more about alleviating suffering. They identify things that cause suffering, and practice things (like non-attachment) that would make you susceptible to it.

        Besides . . . they don’t believe in an afterlife, they believe in reincarnation.

        Further besides, Buddhism tenets concerning life in this world are perfectly capable and acceptable to take as a discrete philosophy, without indulging in the religious trappings concerning the afterlife.

        That’s the difference between a religion and a philosophy in my opinion – a philosophy can and should be mined for those bits and pieces of insight that you feel apply to you. A religion should be taken whole, or not at all. If you are looking for a philosophy, just take from it what you like.

        1. I can’t agree with that at all, actually, because that is not how religion works where i live. See, in my native nation, Sweden, we are not exactly religious (largest amount of atheist to remaining population ratio of pretty much everywhere) so most of the religion that does happen is pick-and-chose, at least on the Christian side. Not a single actual Swedish Christian I’ve met has even read the Old Testament, or does particularly care what it actually says. The majority of habits that are otherwise associated with Christianity are ignored if deemed to troublesome.

          1. All religion is pick-and-choose. Nobody lives by every letter of the Bible (practically impossible, anyway, given how frequently it contradicts itself). All people assemble their own personal fondue pots of beliefs and values from a multitude of sources; religion is just the practice of over-emphasizing one particular source over all others.

      2. It’d be closer to say that Taoism (or Daoism depending on how they’re romanizing the Chinese language this month) is just as much a religion, but is one that lacks any reference to the afterlife. It’s a religion oriented around conduct in this world with no apparent reward or punishment.

    2. Personally, I prefer Jedi. All the guiding morality without any of those annoying, restrictive, and generally incompetent deities. Also you get a lightsaber.

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