Can you be a Christian Buddhist?

[Tirisilex]

Can you be a Buddhist and a charistian? and do the deity practices that they have? Like the Bodhisattva Buddha of compassion Chenrezig. He has been described to me that he isn't a God but a Celestial Being. The Buddha never asked to be worshipped even though some Buddhists do. It has been misinterpretation That the use of the word deity when it is more accurately translated Celestial being. Deity is synonymous with God and these beings are not Gods. Can a Christian still do these practices?

[Miss Hepburn]

Can a Christian still do these practices?

Well, what practices do you want to do?

Hmm, I would say believing in dieties is no problem, but the worship of them could be.

I've pointed this out many times that: since Jesus came there has only been ONE definition of what a Christian is.
No one anywhere has ever changed that definition.

As we know in the 4th century CE /AD - there was so much civil unrest with all sorts of groups saying and doing different things
considering they were followers of Christ. It was a problem - fighting and everything.

So Constantine pulled together a 'committee' of wise men of that day to come up with ''What is a Christian?"
And if you believed in that - you could call yourself a Christian. Period.

Today, people think all sorts of things - that you must go to church to call yourself a Christian ...or all
you have to do is believe in Jesus to be a Christian...and so on.

So the definition was and is The Nicene Creed, and if you do not believe in all of it, you are not a Christian, nothing is said about
you can not believe in other 'Celestial beings' or unicorns- found online:
The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I've pointed this out many times that: since Jesus came there has only been ONE definition of what a Christian is.
Today, people think all sorts of things - that you must go to church to call yourself a Christian ...or all
you have to do is believe in Jesus to be a Christian...and so on.
So the definition was and is The Nicene Creed, and if you do not believe in all of it, you are not a Christian, .

“When we become advocates of a creed, something dies; we only believe our belief about him.” Oswald Chambers

I have my doubts if all that believe the Nicene Creed have it memorized….are they still Christian if they cannot recite it word for word ? What about the churches that do not require the Creed but simply accept a confession of faith ? Are they real Christians ?

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Molearner

I have my doubts if all that believe the Nicene Creed have it memorized….are they still Christian if they cannot recite it word for word ?
What about the churches that do not require the Creed but simply accept a confession of faith ?
Are they real Christians ?

You can read it one time and know if you believe in it all.

Look, I didn't write it or say that is the definition an official Council did, they decreed it...but, not one church or even the Vatican, that changes often,
has ever refuted it or amended it
It stands.
No one has to agree, of course.
I can start a church and accept anyone into that church that says they love Jesus ---an example.

I'm talking about calling yourself a Christian...according to history's only definition.
Say, you don't think Jesus was born of a Virgin ...then forget about it ---
it stands that you can't say you're a Christian.

I'm just passing on the info, remember..I'm not the enemy, everybody.

Doesn't mean you don't adore Jesus and follow him, (Ha! Maybe even more than the Pastor himself!
Or anyone else you know.)

From the Nicene Creed……”I believe in one, holy, catholic(universal) and apostolic Church”…..( universal my insert for catholic)

In reality declaring this is simply playing lip service to the Creed. The proliferation of denominations clearly indicates the lack of belief in one universal Church. Instead there is much pride in not being universal. Our disagreement is very important and significant for us.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Molearner

The proliferation of denominations clearly indicates the lack of belief in one universal Church.

These modern Christian groups do not believe in the trinity so they would not believe in all of the The Nicene Creed: the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Christadelphians, Christian Scientists, Dawn Bible Students, Living Church of God, Oneness Pentecostals, Members Church of God International, Unitarian Universalist Christians, The Way International, The Church of God International, the United Church of God, and Armstrongism. Also, Unitarian Christians believe that the Father is the sole deity and the Savior was not God. Unitarian Christians do not believe in the holy ghost.

A Christian group like the Witnesses believe in one God, not the Trinity. Like most Christians, they believe that Jesus Christ died for humankind's sins, however they do not believe that he was physically resurrected after his crucifixion. They believe that he was only spiritually resurrected.

An interesting side note is a Bishop in the Church of England said he did not believe in the virgin birth in the late 90's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial...%20 Nazarenes.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I'm talking about calling yourself a Christian...according to history's only definition.

I'm not sure what you mean by history's only definition. The first Christians were the followers of a Jewish religious sect that emerged in Judea during the late Second Temple period (first century AD). These Christian Jews believed Jesus to be the prophesied Messiah, and blended his teachings into the Jewish faith, including the observance of the Jewish law. Jewish Christianity is the foundation of Early Christianity, which later developed into Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I'm not sure what you mean by history's only definition.

Hi, I have known or heard this decades before the internet;
that this was the standard, the definition of a Christian, period...had to believe the entire thing, period.
Was I lied to? Sure. Maybe.

I found a lot of things online making up all sorts of definitions, each one diff from the other - non official.
Here, I'll make one up now: A Christian is a person who loves Jesus.

Here's an interesting link, tho.
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/t...-still-matters

NO one has to believe or follow what the Nicene Council came up with at all!
If they don't then
anyone can consider themselves Christian believing Mary and Joseph had pre marital relations or
that Jesus NEVER ascended into Heaven or
that he was NOT the son of God, but a cool teacher ---
that never died, but was revived in the tomb...still honoring and loving him, see?
All sorts of things and still may call themselves Christian.

But that would not be according to that definition above.
.......
To stay on topic...I think it's fine to be a Christian Buddhist...however many Buddhist do not believe in God ...so what do I know.

This is the problem with labels...I place no such labels on myself.
I think it would be more accurate for the starter of the thread, MAYBE,
call himself a Christian that follows or incorporates many Buddhists beliefs.
Much simpler.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Tirisilex

Can you be a Buddhist and a charistian? and do the deity practices that they have? Like the Bodhisattva Buddha of compassion Chenrezig. He has been described to me that he isn't a God but a Celestial Being.

Yes you can and I personally know many Christian Priests who use the Buddhas Philosophy in their daily lives.
Without getting to much into Buddhism on a Christianity Section, the 'Diety' Chenrezig is not a Person but the mode of being of the mind that is the union of emptiness-oneness and love/compassion….He/She represents the 'awakened' nature of each being's own mind. All deities in Buddhism represent 'States of mind' and attributes etc:

Originally Posted by Tirisilex

Can you be a Buddhist and a charistian? ?

Tirisilex,

It, IMO, depends on how one defines ‘Christian’. In Matthew 7:15-27 Jesus spoke at length about being known to God by the fruits that one produces. Verse 21….”Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who DOES the will of my Father who is in heaven”…….it seems to me that the Good Samaritan was doing the Father’s will…..the Buddhist or anyone else can do likewise.

These verses represent the litmus test of Jesus…..not some recitation of a creed…