I recently read this incredible article titled “Confession of a Buddhist Atheist”
We all ask ourselves the big questions. We all want proof, some kernel of hope, some idea or belief that makes this life more then what it is. Is there a Just God, a heaven, a hell?…..No one truly knows.
I now believe it best to forget all questions, to stop all seeking and to deal with what is right in front of us, right here, right now.
I’m not a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu or a Buddhist.
I am a lover of what is, this present moment, today!
Living life one day at a time, lovingly and patiently.
But, it wasn’t always this way.
Does God exist?
I do not know, and I would not trust anyone that claims that they know the answer to “that” question.
I am finally content with not knowing, and in fact, I have found that to sincerely not know anything is to finally know it all…..
Thank GOD!
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“Buddhism is different from nearly any other religion in that it doesn’t require a belief in God.
Many Buddhists do believe in God. But the Buddha never answered the question on whether there was a God or not. When asked such questions, the Buddha maintained the Noble Silence. He said they were questions “not tending toward edification.” Meaning that there are questions. like does God exist?, that are not really helpful.
The Buddha instead gave an analogy of a person being shot with an arrow, and there were those that wanted to help remove the arrow. But the wounded person would not remove the arrow until he found out who shot the arrow, where the person came from, why he wanted to shoot him, and other questions that would not help remove his arrow and thus his suffering.
Buddhism doesn’t require a belief in God to remove the arrow of suffering. Rather, the Buddha asks humanity to see things as they really are and to think and act in helpful ways for all of life. He wanted people to experience the truth so that they wouldn’t be misled by sources of information that are not in compliance with the truth.
Books and people can tell you of experiences of God and revelations. But each of us ultimately have to experience the truth to know the truth.”