What is your religion?

I wanted to post something not so crappy like my usual post for a very long time. But i feel crappy, if not emo, everyday this lately. Today morning, i find myself reading some blogs, talking about their religions.

I'm a Buddhist. I'm proud of it.

You might think that Buddhist worship some stone-carved images of someone who said he is Buddha.

You might also think that Buddhist light joss-stick & giant size incense by the road side during some occassions.

If you thought that Buddhist is something like that, than most probably you might also believe that Buddhist cannot eat meat.

If you seriously took the above 3 examples as what you think of what Buddhist do, then think again.

I remember when i was still studying in primary school and secondary school, i filled up my religion as Buddhism. I wasn't a Buddhist at that time, but i thought i was one. In fact, most Chinese people who isn't Christians upon birth, would believe they are a Buddhist. Why not? I mean they light joss-stick to their ancestors, they arrange fruits & pray to the deities, some even got the image of Lord Buddha on their shrines. But are they really Buddhist?

I came to learn of the Dharma, the priceless teachings of Lord Buddha when my grandmother passed away. She was a devoted Buddhist. I didn't even know that until she was gone. This was the first step i took to get closer to the Dharma. When i started to learn about it, the more i find the ideologies that people had in their mind about Buddhism is not what Buddhism really is.

For starters, i would "thank" TV, especially HK dramas, for spreading the idea that all Buddhist are vegetarians. Some even to the extent that all Buddhist eventually will become a monk. That is not true.

Again, we Buddhists don't light joss-sticks & burn giant incense, we don't worship stone images as well. I'm not going to talk about all the Dharma in this post because it's just too many things to write about. If you are really interested, find them.

I strongly believe that there is no such thing as my-religion-is-better-than-yours scenario. I'm sorry if this is sensitive to you, but i have to say this. It is never the religion's fault that people think those who practice that certain religion are terrorists. It's those small bunch of extremists who spoil the name.

If you think i'm trying to force my ideologies down your throat, i must first apologize. I'm not trying to prove that my religion is above the rest. i have no intention or whatsoever in doing that. All i wanted to point out is, someone who label themselves as a devotee to certain religion should not be bound with laws they don't understand.

For instance, i label myself a Buddhist, but i don't do anything i don't think is logical to me. I don't practice rituals without understanding the true meaning. I seriously don't put blind faith in my religion.

In fact, Buddhism encourages people to have their own mind, their own thinking, their own decissions, rather then just blindly follow what the teacher tells us.

But in the end, it doesn't really matter what religion you are in. Most of my best friends are Christians and they don't find any problems hanging out with me. I will say that, a religion mold a person, but people mold a religion as well.

Be more open minded. Being extreme only brings you to terrorism.

ChiM