Individual,

I'm not talking about working parents - most of whom
have no choice but to work as these days one salary
is not enough to raise a family on so cuts in salaries
would not work. Nursing homes are usually a last resort
for most people. However, those who are retired or don't
work and have less obligations could perhaps give up
some of their free time to visit Nursing Homes as time
allows. One day, the need may just be your own.

Dear Paul,

«An atheists can be a Buddhist, but can't be a religious with a non belief in a supreme deity(s).»

An atheist can be religious even without any belief in deities - it is how you live which counts, rather than the specific formulas that you hold in your mind.

---

Dear Runner,

«Jesus is the Only One who can forgive sins. Not Buddha. not Mohammed or any of the millions of HIndu gods.»

We could indeed argue whether or not Mohammed belongs in this list, but as I noted in my previous post, Jesus and Buddha are no different since they both recognised their true self as God.

You correctly spelled 'gods' with a small 'g'. While Hinduism uses many gods for representing God (though "millions" seems an exaggeration), it acknowledges the Truth and oneness of God (with a capital 'G').

Dear Not_Now.Soon,

Your attempt to compare Buddhism with Christianity is commendable.

«The issue is that throughout all of this nowhere is there mention of God.»

Because introducing the concept of God within the particular culture and period in which Buddha worked, was deemed to be unhelpful and likely to send his students on an unwholesome tangent. Teachers ought to be mindful of their audience. This does not imply that Buddha himself did not know God.

«But the issue with Buddhism is that it doesn't even acknowledge that God exists (at lest until, it gets to karma and reincarnation and possibly coming back as one of many gods)»

Note that Buddha did not deny God either.

As for "many gods", this has little to do with God. Perhaps 'angels' would make a better translation.

«Without that part there is a blindness that holds many people in not knowing, not recognizing, or just not accepting that God is real and part of the world we live in.»

This can and sadly does happen with or without being intellectually informed about God. The purpose of religion is to actually know God and unite with Him, rather than to merely obtain information, correct as it may be. In some circumstances information helps, but in other it does not.

«the tenets of Christianity is to be good as a part of following God.»

Same with every other religion. If you follow good then your life will be comfortable and you will have the physical, emotional and mental space to pursue God, otherwise your life will be beset with troubles and you will have no time and energy for God.

«if the premiss of multiple lives exist, then that is a hard reality to exist.»

Hard indeed, but we do not get to choose the reality.

«At the epicentre of Buddhism is ones own mind.»

At the epicentre of Buddhism and every other religion, is God.
Our mind is an obstacle, so Buddhism focuses on its removal. Once the mind no longer obstructs, God will easily be revealed, regardless how you name Him (if at all).

Yuyutsu, I have had an interest in Buddhism for over 20 years. A friend with the odd name of Buddha first took me along as a guest in Sydney and I have had an interest, off and on, ever since. I have visited a centre here in Brisbane to "catch up" recently. I have found this particular centre of Tibetan Buddhism most rewarding. We attended one of their "get to know us" afternoons and have called in at other times, they have a very good library of books and other reading material. I am presently reading Lama Yeshe's work 'Ego, Attachment and Liberation' which covers a five day meditation course which opening ones mind to self help.

Religion is supposed to be about people being decent yet, with several billion people belonging to religions, the whole of humanity is in perpetual turmoil !
Either it is religion that screws their mind or they're not really taking much notice of their religion's teachings.
Either way, something's not working to plan.

'Religion is supposed to be about people being decent yet, with several billion people belonging to religions, the whole of humanity is in perpetual turmoil !'

can't argue against that but certainly the small amount of atheist have certainly left their putried mark on this planet. From Stalin to Mao to the murder if millions of unborn babies. Probably head by head the atheist has done much more harm. It certainly has not turned out many 'decent' people. Look at the current day godless feminist Marxist. What a nasty violent mob.