Letter to my Buddhist Brothers and Sisters

 

I respect your religion because it represents one of the oldest recognitions of the need of spirituality in mankind and its battle against materialism. It is curious to note some parallels between Jesus and Buddha, such as the temptation by the devil before starting their ministries, or the insignificance of an earthly status or gender as a requirement to receive the grace of God. Of course, for you the grace of God is enlightenment, which is achieved by denying yourself of the world. This is good to a certain degree, as Buddha himself discovered. Remember that Buddha initially began as an ascetic and later realized that this path was not the way to the truth, that in fact it is hurtful when denial is taken to the extreme. 

 

The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path are the culmination of Buddha’s quest for the truth. But this is a culmination of the maximum possible state for an earthly being. It is achieved though incredible personal discipline and dedication. But God created us to also enjoy life. He only asks us to maintain a relationship with Him. Buddhism appears to imply that the only way to have that relationship with God (to know the truth) is to overcome our attachments of material things through wisdom, morality, and meditation. This process is based solely on one’s righteousness. Where is God in this process? God requires perfection and not even Buddha was perfect because he was a man. An extraordinary man, but a man, nonetheless. How do we, which are much less than Buddha fit in all of this? It is wishful thinking that we will find grace with God by self-righteousness no matter how enlightened we think we are, even if we follow closely Buddha’s process.

 

We are all sinners no matter how much we deny ourselves the things of this world and how much time we dedicate to meditation. The only way to free ourselves of our sins is through the sacrifice of God himself. For that purpose, He sent his only son Jesus Christ. His blood washes us clean of sin. His righteousness makes us acceptable to God. This must happen first. The denials of this world (sacrifice) and meditation (prayer) would then reinforce your relationship with God. Most Christians are quick to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord but lack the sacrifice and prayer discipline that you have to maintain the relationship God wants with us. You would be better Christians than most that call themselves Christians. Pray to Jesus to forgive your sins, thank Him for dying for your sins, ask Him to be the Lord in your life and continue in your current path of pursuing the truth to be assured that your name is written in the Book of Life, which will be open at the end of times. Only those that have their name written will be allowed to remain near God. “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven”. These are not my words, but those of Jesus Himself through Matthew 10:33. No one living person has ever had the authority to say this. I pray that your eyes will be open to this truth. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.