1

I am kind of new here. Can Christianity allows to study other religions provided not worship any other God and Obey God's command. I understand multi religions questions seem disallow here but do let know how to edit the question cause i need some helps here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_science --> Buddhism seems related to science and it's interested subject. Can i just pick up the subject relevant to Buddhism-Science only for knowledge purposes?

Buddhism has no God existence yet worship to Buddha statue is not appropriate by the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYlQ0UZ1C2I&t=87s

I try to understand other culture, avoid discrimination and learn to have mutual respect. I believe misinterpret of Word of Gospel or lack of understanding of other religions could be quite an issue.

Kindly provide some general guide what is can and what is cannot example on the matters. I am living in multi culture environment so many of culture is relevant to other religions.

Improve this question
5
  • Of course Christians can study other religions - how else could we effectively communicate and share the Gospel with people from other religions? I don't really understand what you're asking about Buddhism and science though.
    – curiousdannii ♦
    Aug 6, 2020 at 6:12
  • @curiousdannii This might be obvious to some Christians, but not to everyone. For example, if some of the more extreme denominations disallow e.g. listening to secular music, I can see them being critical of studying other religions. SE seems like exactly the right place to be asking these sorts of 'obvious' questions.
    – Korosia
    Aug 6, 2020 at 7:17
  • That said, I agree the question could use a little more focus. @Wayne97 Is there a particular denomination you want answers to focus on?
    – Korosia
    Aug 6, 2020 at 7:19
  • Upvoted +1, but with caution (see my answer below).
    – Nigel J
    Aug 6, 2020 at 8:50
  • imb.org/2019/01/22/studying-other-religions
    – wildmangrove
    Aug 6, 2020 at 13:28

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

God told Adam that to 'eat' of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was wrong and was deadly :

...of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of it, for in the day of thine eating of it -- dying thou dost die. [Young's Literal Translation of Genesis 2:17]

The serpentine spirit later misrepresented those words :

... of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said, Ye do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest ye die. [Young's Literal Translation of Genesis 3:3]

It is neither forbidden nor fatal to 'touch' the knowledge of good and evil, that is to say to reach out and handle the knowledge of what is good and what is evil.

But it is catastrophically fatal to partake of such things - as a means of sustaining life, as a means of imbibing into oneself something in order to maintain life.

Great care must be taken in handling such things. One must realise that to 'eat' of them is absolutely dangerous and deadly.

But yes, they can be 'touched'.

Personally, I prefer not to, unless it is very necessary.

Improve this answer
1

The study of Christianity includes the study of Judaism to some extent, which in itself de facto is another religion, so I think that answers your first question.

As for Buddhism, gods are considered irrelevant in the practice of meditation to attain Nirvana (lit. "blowing out", that is, to perceive the world without preconceptions). It is considered a method, a tool to reach this goal. Buddhism invites inquiry & study on basic principles that are to some extent compatible with the scientific method. The Kalama Sutra for example states:

  • Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.
  • Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
  • Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.
  • Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.
  • Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.
  • Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
  • Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.
  • But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

Those tenets are similar to those of scientific inquiry. Prominent Buddhist figures, like the Dalai Lama, have stated repeatedly in the last half century that "if there is conflict between Buddhist doctrine and science, science wins".

If you want to do this kind of study, I have some recommendations from my comparative philology studies I hope you will consider:

  • be careful with translations, especially those written during the colonial era. They tend to use Judeo-Christian words to translate completely different concepts, making you miss the actual way a practitioner would perceive this concept
  • if possible, learn some of the basics of the language, it clears up so many things "lost in translation"
  • make sure you also study the origins and history of the religion. For example, in Buddhism, the concepts of "god realms" and "hell realms" actually comes from the Hindu cosmology, which was the prevalent world-view in the Buddha's time and geography
Improve this answer
6
  • concepts of "god realms" and "hell realms" actually comes from the Hindu cosmology, --> there is no God concept (Creator of the Universe) in Buddhism, but there are hell and heaven. There is a word of "God" in translation of English version of Sutra but it's totally different meaning in the original Pali language was written. I am just looking into something base on supportive of Science. That made a lot of misconception also. Well, many thanks for the info and appreciated.
    – Wayne97
    Aug 6, 2020 at 8:44
  • @Wayne97, there are god concepts in Buddhism, what you call "heaven" and "hell" are just some of the realms on the Wheel of Samsara. This comes straight out of Hinduism. It includes the realm of Deva (same Indo-European root as the word "divine"). But as mentioned, gods are irrelevant to the goal of Buddhism.
    – Codosaur
    Aug 6, 2020 at 11:59
  • @Cododaur i understand that God in Christ and God in Buddhism are totally different. If you would ask me, they should not share the same writing in English because carry very different meaning. let me get back to u on this with more info. I only recognise the person call Buddha as philosopher n just a teacher like in normal school for science and psychology subjects. For those people worshipping statue eventually is inappropriate. U may ask some this on Buddhism forum too.
    – Wayne97
    Aug 6, 2020 at 13:43
  • Of course the conception is different, but both are concepts. And I'm actually a regular contributor to that forum, also did my thesis on Buddhist philology. I'm quite familiar with the distinction you assert, but this is not universally attested nor accepted in Buddhist texts or philosophy. Both Buddhism and Christianity have lay-oriented and more esoteric practices and denominations.
    – Codosaur
    Aug 7, 2020 at 9:47
  • means study in depth both Buddhism and Bible can be allowed ? ? ? many commented seems not appropriate so i stop by study on Buddhism but more on supported by Science only
    – Wayne97
    Aug 7, 2020 at 9:50

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .