'Twas the night before Christmas and all through my house
Wasn't shit going on because I don't celebrate Christmas.
My socks were on the floor because I threw them there
In the hopes that maybe tomorrow I'll feel like doing laundry.
The cats were acting shady in the shadows of night
Just to trip me up when I tried to go to the bathroom.
My woman in her afro and I in my drawls
Were watching crappy sci fi movies from the library.
When outside my door, there arose such a clatter
Who's that peeking in my window?
Pow. Nobody now.
The End
Friday, December 26, 2014
Have Merthy
Thanks to Tekhen for finding this on the internet. :)
A new poem by Blue entitled "Have Merthy"
Hath he not given uth
enough laughs to lath
a lifetime? Doeth hith unique
fathe and voith not offer
retributhon enough
for the ear he hath bitten,
the women he hath hitten,
and the skullth he hath splitten?
There onth wath a time and spathe
when we yelled hith name
in the threeths. A time when
he wath the champion
of the world. And
we were confident
that there would be no other.
But alath, he ith now the meme
that reprethenth a void.
An emptineth.
A relinquithing of reathon
When we have
nothing
intelligible
to thay.
Even Robin Giventh hath
moved on.
Have merthy.
Love,
Blue
A new poem by Blue entitled "Have Merthy"
Hath he not given uth
enough laughs to lath
a lifetime? Doeth hith unique
fathe and voith not offer
retributhon enough
for the ear he hath bitten,
the women he hath hitten,
and the skullth he hath splitten?
There onth wath a time and spathe
when we yelled hith name
in the threeths. A time when
he wath the champion
of the world. And
we were confident
that there would be no other.
But alath, he ith now the meme
that reprethenth a void.
An emptineth.
A relinquithing of reathon
When we have
nothing
intelligible
to thay.
Even Robin Giventh hath
moved on.
Have merthy.
Love,
Blue
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Differentnessness
"Different" people exist through the world, being who they are for no particular reason, getting pointed out for various reasons by people who are struggling to come to conclusions about their own life experiences. Different people are shamed for not admitting that they are different, as though they are expected to see themselves from the perspective of someone else's insecurities. "Allies" think that by calling themselves "allies" they're doing "different" people a favor, not recognizing that "different" people are only a "problem" because the "normal" majority insists that "different" means "wrong". What if the "different" person wasn't trying to fight the "normal" people? What if the "different" person wasn't on another "side"? What if this person was just eating breakfast? What if the "ally" simply said "I'm different too?" Then, we could all be different and unique and live life every day watching the sun come up and go down while eating good food, dancing, singing, and loving each other. And when we live in this kind of love, we can see clearly what's really going on:
Bullies want everyone and everything to cater to them and their worldview in order to feel a sense of control over their own lives. People become bullies for all kinds of reasons. Some were abused or violated early in life. Some were indoctrinated. Some grew up in a homogenous environment with no understanding of diversity. Regardless of the bully's history, the ultimate goal is control. When that sense of control is violated, the bully attacks. If there is no one to attack, the bully self destructs.
I was an abused person who aimed to gain control of everything around me in order to prevent anyone from violating me. With the help of loving friends, I quickly discovered that this only hurts other people. I didn't want to be a bully, so I began the process of learning to set boundaries, make choices that result in the type of life I want to see, and take control of my own destiny. Today, I strive for enlightenment within myself. It is an uncomfortable process, marred with failure and embarrassment. But with each awkward failure, I become more comfortable with awkward failure. To be comfortable with awkward failure is to be free to make mistakes while others are watching. This is true freedom and liberation from oppressive cycles.
I found a way out of the bully cycle. It starts by looking inward long enough to recognize that life has nothing to do with what I think. Furthermore, no one else's life or lifestyle has anything to do with me. I have to create and intentionally live the life that I want and if I don't, I'm the only one responsible for my misery. It's ok to be wrong. If I discover that I am wrong, I will not die. I will live to be wrong tomorrow. We are all different. We are all unique. We all live differently, wake up at different times, work different jobs, eat different foods, wear different clothes, have different friends, seek different help meets, have different parents, grow up in different households with different sibling dynamics, have different health concerns, grow hair in different places with different textures and colors, come in different sizes, have different shapes, have different skin tones and textures, and respond to different strokes. There's no such thing as "allies" when we're not fighting a war against bullies. Because bullies are not a real threat. They're just afraid of their differences.
Love, Blue
Bullies want everyone and everything to cater to them and their worldview in order to feel a sense of control over their own lives. People become bullies for all kinds of reasons. Some were abused or violated early in life. Some were indoctrinated. Some grew up in a homogenous environment with no understanding of diversity. Regardless of the bully's history, the ultimate goal is control. When that sense of control is violated, the bully attacks. If there is no one to attack, the bully self destructs.
I was an abused person who aimed to gain control of everything around me in order to prevent anyone from violating me. With the help of loving friends, I quickly discovered that this only hurts other people. I didn't want to be a bully, so I began the process of learning to set boundaries, make choices that result in the type of life I want to see, and take control of my own destiny. Today, I strive for enlightenment within myself. It is an uncomfortable process, marred with failure and embarrassment. But with each awkward failure, I become more comfortable with awkward failure. To be comfortable with awkward failure is to be free to make mistakes while others are watching. This is true freedom and liberation from oppressive cycles.
I found a way out of the bully cycle. It starts by looking inward long enough to recognize that life has nothing to do with what I think. Furthermore, no one else's life or lifestyle has anything to do with me. I have to create and intentionally live the life that I want and if I don't, I'm the only one responsible for my misery. It's ok to be wrong. If I discover that I am wrong, I will not die. I will live to be wrong tomorrow. We are all different. We are all unique. We all live differently, wake up at different times, work different jobs, eat different foods, wear different clothes, have different friends, seek different help meets, have different parents, grow up in different households with different sibling dynamics, have different health concerns, grow hair in different places with different textures and colors, come in different sizes, have different shapes, have different skin tones and textures, and respond to different strokes. There's no such thing as "allies" when we're not fighting a war against bullies. Because bullies are not a real threat. They're just afraid of their differences.
Love, Blue
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Pedicabo Mundi
I had just finished writing The Tao of Pimpin' and decided to start
working on an album for a label I wanted to work with. So I went to
Joseba's house and said "help!" and he said "ok" and I recorded this at
his studio. Then, I didn't release it. Last night, I realized that the
only way people would understand the creative direction I'm headed in is
if they heard the context. Because not too many people have read the
book. And hearing a song is easier than reading a book.
So to catch people up to where I'm at in my head in order to prevent their discomfort when I have to respond "go masturbate, you harmless inchworm" to their requests that I say or do something other than what I'm saying or doing for no other reason than to appease their insecurities, I present to the world PEDICABO MUNDI! It's Latin for "fuck the world."
The concept of this track is a play on Aguas de Marco. A lyric heavy Brazilian Portuguese song that I learned in order to increase my Portuguese vocabulary. Matt, the guy who owns the label I spoke about earlier, suggested that my version of Aguas de Marco would sound something like this. I thought that was funny, but I wasn't going to do it...but I couldn't help myself. Suggestion is a powerful force. And really, the suggestion just helped provide a framework for my inevitable "Fuck Everything" themed art project.
So to catch people up to where I'm at in my head in order to prevent their discomfort when I have to respond "go masturbate, you harmless inchworm" to their requests that I say or do something other than what I'm saying or doing for no other reason than to appease their insecurities, I present to the world PEDICABO MUNDI! It's Latin for "fuck the world."
The concept of this track is a play on Aguas de Marco. A lyric heavy Brazilian Portuguese song that I learned in order to increase my Portuguese vocabulary. Matt, the guy who owns the label I spoke about earlier, suggested that my version of Aguas de Marco would sound something like this. I thought that was funny, but I wasn't going to do it...but I couldn't help myself. Suggestion is a powerful force. And really, the suggestion just helped provide a framework for my inevitable "Fuck Everything" themed art project.
Eastern versus Western philosophies and Taoism
Yesterday, I wrote about the difference between Christianity and
Buddhism with marginal eloquence. Today, I'm going to attempt to write a
succinct distinction between Eastern and Western religious traditions
and then juxtapose Taoism from the more cultural forms like Buddhism and
Hinduism. It will be short. Maybe.
Western religious traditions and philosophies function under the idea that the individual is alone on their own path toward a particular goal. That others are stumbling blocks, competitors, or helpers on the path towards one's own salvation. One implication of the ultimate dichotomous reward of eternal life or eternal damnation is that each person is on their way towards one or the other, so the Westerner's goal is to separate herself from wrongdoers and coalesce with the righteous in order to increase her likelihood of being on the side that doesn't spend eternity wailing and gnashing their teeth. Westerners are more likely to eject a perceived wrongdoer from their family or community in an attempt to improve their chances of avoiding an afterlife of endless suffering that is assigned by a single Godhead who presides in judgment over all living things. The Godhead is stern, ultimately fair, and wants the best for his followers. However, his judgment is absolute. The Catholics have found a way out of the dichotomy by creating multiple places where people can go, like limbo and purgatory...neither eternal happiness nor eternal damnation, but some space in between. I do, sometimes, wonder what God thinks of all this. But I digress.
In contrast, Eastern religious traditions emphasize interdependence or collectivism. As a result, the fate of families and communities is intertwined which creates a sense of accountability and collective movement towards an inevitable outcome: a perpetual changing of seasons and circumstances that are the effects of causes. In Eastern traditions, there are concepts of continual process, birth-death-birth cycles, karmic forces, and an inability to escape one's connection from every other living thing in nature. The individual's evaluating force of good and evil is represented in types of karmic forces: like a bank of good and bad deposits which are distributed throughout a person's lives as they pursue their personal path towards enlightenment, which could arguably last forever if they never reach it. This takes the emphasis off of looking at others as causes for good or bad in one's life, and places the emphasis on one's own choices, disciplines, and behaviors. Instead of a single Godhead, there are many higher beings who exist to challenge or assist the human on their path toward enlightenment. This eliminates the absoluteness dichotomy, presenting all sentient beings on various points of a continuous path towards enlightenment that they will all ultimately reach.
In Taoism, there is no good and there is no bad. There are just causes of effects. Furthermore, the emphasis is not on a transcendental future of bliss or enlightenment, but on right now. The perpetual inner dialogue of the Taoist is "How am I doing right now?" Many Westerners are afraid of Taoism because it seems to suggest an "if it feels good do it" kind of irreverent hedonism that would disturb the hierarchy. However, this is not the case. The Taoist is an interdependent member of nature and does not exist to her own end. Anything that would be experienced as "karma" is happening to the Taoist in the moment, should she choose to pay attention to it. The Taoist could choose at any point to let go of all attachments, in which case she would no longer be subject to karmic forces. Her existence is already absolute and functions under the laws of The Tao, or The Way. Life, death, and suffering are accepted as natural and all that is left is what is. This makes Taoism seem like a cheat and leaves Taoists being accused by Westerners as "defeatists" and Easterners as "irresponsible". The Taoist holds that the human's desire to control and manipulate nature is a futile display of ego, since nature provided the human with the tools and the rules by which to "manipulate nature". Humans of the Eastern and the Western traditions seem to follow a human-centric model, arguing that we are responsible for doing things to make the world better. Taoism sustains that the world is just fine and humans, should they relinquish their desire to control and manipulate their surroundings, namely others' experiences, would simply operate in harmony with nature towards whatever end nature was headed toward anyway. A great analogy for this is a tsunami. Human ego can think that the tsunami wouldn't really do all that damage, but the water doesn't care what humans think. The idea that the human doesn't win over nature, or that a particular sect of humanity doesn't win over another sect of humanity is a very scary idea to competitive Westerners and disciplined Easterners. However, since the Taoist knows and accepts that nature ultimately wins no matter what humans think, she doesn't take the human ego seriously...not even her own. But also, the Taoist understands that humans are just another element of nature. So since nature wins and the Taoist is in harmony with nature as nature, then she knows that she wins.
In summation, Westerners run races with each other to get to heaven (hence, the existence of "race"), Easterners sit in lotus positions and chant in the hopes that the perpetual noise will prevent negative karmic thoughts and get them to enlightenment faster, and Taoists don't do shit.
Disregard this next paragraph. It's about African philosophies compared to Taoism and since I didn't put this topic in the introduction, you shouldn't read it. Taoism in its purest form, explains nature as an earth-centric event. Water and other natural phenomena are frequently used in Taoist texts to describe who nature is and how The Way governs earth's nature. This makes Taoism easy to explain to Western audiences. In contrast (but not really, as these things all work together and the goal isn't to beat each other, but to explain to children why they should just do what their parents tell them to), African traditions in their purist forms deal with nature as a cosmic event. The larger cosmic experience of nature allows for a greater understanding of possibilities, widens the playground, and includes the interaction and interdependence of nature with respect to its infinite influence. If the African refrains from attachments, the natural Way becomes the interdependent experience of all infinite possibilities existing in all living energetic forces throughout multiverses. For the Taoist, 1+1 is arguably 2. For the African, or Kemetic philosopher 1+1 depends on what is being added and by whom. For the Kemetic philosopher, time and space become unyielding infinities that go from microcellular energy to macro universal energy while all are the same experience replicating and influencing itself. Energies become much more influential than the sensual experiences humans are aware of. It is easy to think that this would lend itself to superstition, but superstition is developed out of attachments and the need to control outcomes.
At the end of the planting season, if any member of any religious tradition could relinquish control and live in the moment, their philosophy would work for them. It really doesn't matter what you believe. Just get on with it and be happy.
Love,
Blue
Western religious traditions and philosophies function under the idea that the individual is alone on their own path toward a particular goal. That others are stumbling blocks, competitors, or helpers on the path towards one's own salvation. One implication of the ultimate dichotomous reward of eternal life or eternal damnation is that each person is on their way towards one or the other, so the Westerner's goal is to separate herself from wrongdoers and coalesce with the righteous in order to increase her likelihood of being on the side that doesn't spend eternity wailing and gnashing their teeth. Westerners are more likely to eject a perceived wrongdoer from their family or community in an attempt to improve their chances of avoiding an afterlife of endless suffering that is assigned by a single Godhead who presides in judgment over all living things. The Godhead is stern, ultimately fair, and wants the best for his followers. However, his judgment is absolute. The Catholics have found a way out of the dichotomy by creating multiple places where people can go, like limbo and purgatory...neither eternal happiness nor eternal damnation, but some space in between. I do, sometimes, wonder what God thinks of all this. But I digress.
In contrast, Eastern religious traditions emphasize interdependence or collectivism. As a result, the fate of families and communities is intertwined which creates a sense of accountability and collective movement towards an inevitable outcome: a perpetual changing of seasons and circumstances that are the effects of causes. In Eastern traditions, there are concepts of continual process, birth-death-birth cycles, karmic forces, and an inability to escape one's connection from every other living thing in nature. The individual's evaluating force of good and evil is represented in types of karmic forces: like a bank of good and bad deposits which are distributed throughout a person's lives as they pursue their personal path towards enlightenment, which could arguably last forever if they never reach it. This takes the emphasis off of looking at others as causes for good or bad in one's life, and places the emphasis on one's own choices, disciplines, and behaviors. Instead of a single Godhead, there are many higher beings who exist to challenge or assist the human on their path toward enlightenment. This eliminates the absoluteness dichotomy, presenting all sentient beings on various points of a continuous path towards enlightenment that they will all ultimately reach.
In Taoism, there is no good and there is no bad. There are just causes of effects. Furthermore, the emphasis is not on a transcendental future of bliss or enlightenment, but on right now. The perpetual inner dialogue of the Taoist is "How am I doing right now?" Many Westerners are afraid of Taoism because it seems to suggest an "if it feels good do it" kind of irreverent hedonism that would disturb the hierarchy. However, this is not the case. The Taoist is an interdependent member of nature and does not exist to her own end. Anything that would be experienced as "karma" is happening to the Taoist in the moment, should she choose to pay attention to it. The Taoist could choose at any point to let go of all attachments, in which case she would no longer be subject to karmic forces. Her existence is already absolute and functions under the laws of The Tao, or The Way. Life, death, and suffering are accepted as natural and all that is left is what is. This makes Taoism seem like a cheat and leaves Taoists being accused by Westerners as "defeatists" and Easterners as "irresponsible". The Taoist holds that the human's desire to control and manipulate nature is a futile display of ego, since nature provided the human with the tools and the rules by which to "manipulate nature". Humans of the Eastern and the Western traditions seem to follow a human-centric model, arguing that we are responsible for doing things to make the world better. Taoism sustains that the world is just fine and humans, should they relinquish their desire to control and manipulate their surroundings, namely others' experiences, would simply operate in harmony with nature towards whatever end nature was headed toward anyway. A great analogy for this is a tsunami. Human ego can think that the tsunami wouldn't really do all that damage, but the water doesn't care what humans think. The idea that the human doesn't win over nature, or that a particular sect of humanity doesn't win over another sect of humanity is a very scary idea to competitive Westerners and disciplined Easterners. However, since the Taoist knows and accepts that nature ultimately wins no matter what humans think, she doesn't take the human ego seriously...not even her own. But also, the Taoist understands that humans are just another element of nature. So since nature wins and the Taoist is in harmony with nature as nature, then she knows that she wins.
In summation, Westerners run races with each other to get to heaven (hence, the existence of "race"), Easterners sit in lotus positions and chant in the hopes that the perpetual noise will prevent negative karmic thoughts and get them to enlightenment faster, and Taoists don't do shit.
Disregard this next paragraph. It's about African philosophies compared to Taoism and since I didn't put this topic in the introduction, you shouldn't read it. Taoism in its purest form, explains nature as an earth-centric event. Water and other natural phenomena are frequently used in Taoist texts to describe who nature is and how The Way governs earth's nature. This makes Taoism easy to explain to Western audiences. In contrast (but not really, as these things all work together and the goal isn't to beat each other, but to explain to children why they should just do what their parents tell them to), African traditions in their purist forms deal with nature as a cosmic event. The larger cosmic experience of nature allows for a greater understanding of possibilities, widens the playground, and includes the interaction and interdependence of nature with respect to its infinite influence. If the African refrains from attachments, the natural Way becomes the interdependent experience of all infinite possibilities existing in all living energetic forces throughout multiverses. For the Taoist, 1+1 is arguably 2. For the African, or Kemetic philosopher 1+1 depends on what is being added and by whom. For the Kemetic philosopher, time and space become unyielding infinities that go from microcellular energy to macro universal energy while all are the same experience replicating and influencing itself. Energies become much more influential than the sensual experiences humans are aware of. It is easy to think that this would lend itself to superstition, but superstition is developed out of attachments and the need to control outcomes.
At the end of the planting season, if any member of any religious tradition could relinquish control and live in the moment, their philosophy would work for them. It really doesn't matter what you believe. Just get on with it and be happy.
Love,
Blue
Me as a Motivational Speaker
My
young family members told me that I would make a better motivational
speaker than Hill Harper (who, though cute, bothers me simply because he
has 2 last names. I find that obnoxious).
My platform: how to do you and win! Stuff about how quitters make the best innovators by not getting attached to either outcomes or institutions, but remaining in so far in the forefront of creative thought they they are never in a place longer than they need to be, remaining fresh, enlightened, and transformational in both their leadership and perspectives. Stuff about how competition is for chumps because if you're doing you, you don't have time to know what somebody else is doing. Stuff about how progress is an illusion, so it's best to make your world better now, which has the residual effect of making the world better for everyone around you.
Many motivational speakers emphasize opportunity and preparation: taking advantage: being in the right place at the right time...all the mumbo jumbo that makes a person believe that if they're not kicking it with the popular folks, they'll never amount to anything. I disagree with all of that.
In fact, the most innovative and transformational leaders are folks who are surrounded by mayhem or stagnation, yet are able to quiet their minds long enough to see the missing links. Then, they create something that changes history's landscape. With this paradigm...the paradigm of paying attention to needs that aren't met...the leader is no longer concerned with being in the right place at the right time. She is the opportunity provider and, therefore, every place is the right place and every time is the right time.
Many motivational speakers emphasize the necessity of competition: looking at what the next guy is doing and working to go that much faster, harder or stronger than them...never giving up and getting the gold. I disagree with all of that.
Competition is for show. And if there is no field, there is no competition. The most transformational leaders are not the players on the field, but the providers OF the field. They created the point...the reason we're all here to begin with. They set the rules and gave the competitors an opportunity to show the audience something fantastic. The real transformational leader knows that competition only exists when there are many working toward the same goal. But there are many things that must be done and by not competing and comparing, she is able to clearly see the more valuable goal that everyone is missing.
Many motivational speakers emphasize working hard and trying: rising early and staying up late to be the first guy and the last guy on the scene. I disagree with all of that.
Why work hard when you can just consistently do great shit? Do what only you can do every day and eventually, you're the best in the world. Doing eliminates trying. Furthermore, when you're just doing what you're doing, consistently, you are able to regulate. You can get up at the same time every day, get your work done, eat a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner, play with your cats, and smoke all of the weed in Fiji while still accomplishing more than the guy who burns out after a year of sleep deprivation.
In conclusion, wash your ass and be yourself.
Love,
Blue
My platform: how to do you and win! Stuff about how quitters make the best innovators by not getting attached to either outcomes or institutions, but remaining in so far in the forefront of creative thought they they are never in a place longer than they need to be, remaining fresh, enlightened, and transformational in both their leadership and perspectives. Stuff about how competition is for chumps because if you're doing you, you don't have time to know what somebody else is doing. Stuff about how progress is an illusion, so it's best to make your world better now, which has the residual effect of making the world better for everyone around you.
Many motivational speakers emphasize opportunity and preparation: taking advantage: being in the right place at the right time...all the mumbo jumbo that makes a person believe that if they're not kicking it with the popular folks, they'll never amount to anything. I disagree with all of that.
In fact, the most innovative and transformational leaders are folks who are surrounded by mayhem or stagnation, yet are able to quiet their minds long enough to see the missing links. Then, they create something that changes history's landscape. With this paradigm...the paradigm of paying attention to needs that aren't met...the leader is no longer concerned with being in the right place at the right time. She is the opportunity provider and, therefore, every place is the right place and every time is the right time.
Many motivational speakers emphasize the necessity of competition: looking at what the next guy is doing and working to go that much faster, harder or stronger than them...never giving up and getting the gold. I disagree with all of that.
Competition is for show. And if there is no field, there is no competition. The most transformational leaders are not the players on the field, but the providers OF the field. They created the point...the reason we're all here to begin with. They set the rules and gave the competitors an opportunity to show the audience something fantastic. The real transformational leader knows that competition only exists when there are many working toward the same goal. But there are many things that must be done and by not competing and comparing, she is able to clearly see the more valuable goal that everyone is missing.
Many motivational speakers emphasize working hard and trying: rising early and staying up late to be the first guy and the last guy on the scene. I disagree with all of that.
Why work hard when you can just consistently do great shit? Do what only you can do every day and eventually, you're the best in the world. Doing eliminates trying. Furthermore, when you're just doing what you're doing, consistently, you are able to regulate. You can get up at the same time every day, get your work done, eat a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner, play with your cats, and smoke all of the weed in Fiji while still accomplishing more than the guy who burns out after a year of sleep deprivation.
In conclusion, wash your ass and be yourself.
Love,
Blue
Christianity versus Buddhism
I was raised Christian and I've always been fascinated by its ability to drive people mad. I've also been fascinated by Eastern religious traditions since I learned that they existed. I've been practicing Buddhism for just under a year now and through deeper study and practice, I've noticed some differences that haven't been pointed out to me directly. I'm sharing them here for those who may be interested.
This will be succinct because I'm getting ready to go wash my hair and that's going to take a while, so no time to waste. This is simplistic. There are way more differences. But hopefully, this will help to show an element of the fundamental difference in processing of the Christian vs. the Buddhist experience.
Religious systems help people collectively process impermanence and ultimately, our mortality. We're all gonna die. And our lack of knowing the details about that leaves us searching for answers. So religions, when practiced collectively, provide us comfort through faith as we march closer and closer to the grave.
The Christian Story
In Christianity, developed out of the Hebrew tradition, death is fundamentally bad. It is the punishment for sin, or wrongdoing. As a result, death is something that must be prevented. According to the apostles, through Jesus Christ, a man who lived from around 30 CE until 63 CE who demonstrated endless compassion, Christians are able to find eternal life and avoid death. Then, they can find the kingdom of heaven, which is popularly recognized as a place in the sky where the body is renewed and lasts forever in eternal bliss.
The Christian person believes that if she devotes her life to Christ (which means accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior), she will reap the eternal reward of everlasting life. Her path is personal and her salvation is uniquely hers. Furthermore, those who are not Christians or who do not devote their lives to Christ represent the ultimate fear that Christians have: eternal damnation. Out of this dichotomy arises judgment which helps (and I frame it this way intentionally) the Christian to evaluate good from bad and refrain from the path of the unrighteous. If a Christian does wrong, she must repent, but forgiveness is also promised as a result of Jesus's ultimate selfless life sacrifice for the sins of the world.
As a Western tradition, Christianity functions hierarchically, placing a king or Godhead at the top and various members of society at successive rungs on the ladder of righteousness. Christianity was historically used to keep women and slaves (or employees, depending on the master's disposition) in line and keep masters and husbands from abusing their servants or each other. The Christian tradition is easily transferable to Western society. It is the model of having a king that rules all things and delivers rewards and punishments to people who either obey or disobey his commands.
The Buddhist Story
In Buddhism, developed out of India, suffering (as opposed to death) is considered bad and should be avoided. impermanence and interdependence are accepted as fundamental parts of the sentient being's experience. A sentient being is recognized as a being that has transient life. Some Buddhists believe in a soul. Some don't. It depends on the school. Since impermanence is recognized as a part of the sentient experience, there is no expectation that the human (or any other being) will last forever in its form. Interdependence implies that though beings are wrapped in individual packages, enlightenment (also known as Nirvana or deliverance from suffering (among other things)) is only achieved all at once among all of us. So no one is enlightened unless everyone is enlightened. This creates a system of accountability for others beyond ministry because if I'm not enlightened, you won't be enlightened. There is a dichotomy of good and bad based in the 8fold path and 4 noble truths (google them). The more good stuff you do, the better a person you become and the less karmic crap you have to deal with, but ultimately, it's in everyone's interest to do the best they can.
The Buddhist person believes that it's better to do good than bad. Enlightenment does not happen in a place outside of the life that we live now, so suffering is predominately the result of attachments to greed, anger, and stupidity. At any moment, the Buddhist could simply do good and not reap the karmic consequences of bad, living in Nirvana and helping others to also find Nirvana (or as close as is possible until everyone reaches Nirvana together). The people who have reached this enlightenment are called Buddhas. There are over 180 different Buddhas in the history of Buddhism, so people choose which Buddha, or role model, they follow based on their personality type. Death is real, but in the paradigm of impermanence, death is just something else that happens. Essentially, a person could exist forever in suffering if they don't achieve enlightenment during their life (or lives...some Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Some don't), but why do that because it would just prolong the suffering.
As an Eastern tradition, Buddhism functions linearly, relying on each member of society to play his or her role towards the ultimate realization of Nirvana. Since there is no real hierarchy, there is no competition to get to "the top." A person of a lower class or caste may be dealing with previous life karma, so this creates a climate of acceptance of certain social dispositions. This also makes Buddhism more appealing to higher caste/class members of society: if you're doing socially well, it's the result of your good karmic practices, eliminating guilt for benefiting in a world full of suffering. However, due to the nature of interdependence, the Buddhist is not off the hook from helping others to achieve Nirvana.
In summation, Christians believe that this life is it. People make mad dashes to Christ to keep from going to hell before the buzzer. Buddhists believe that we're all in this together and that it all ends, but also all begins again and again. So there's no pressure to do anything in particular.
Hope this helps.
Love,
Blue
PS. This is not an invitation to tell me that I didn't talk about African traditions. It really doesn't matter what you believe. Just get on with it and be happy.
This will be succinct because I'm getting ready to go wash my hair and that's going to take a while, so no time to waste. This is simplistic. There are way more differences. But hopefully, this will help to show an element of the fundamental difference in processing of the Christian vs. the Buddhist experience.
Religious systems help people collectively process impermanence and ultimately, our mortality. We're all gonna die. And our lack of knowing the details about that leaves us searching for answers. So religions, when practiced collectively, provide us comfort through faith as we march closer and closer to the grave.
The Christian Story
In Christianity, developed out of the Hebrew tradition, death is fundamentally bad. It is the punishment for sin, or wrongdoing. As a result, death is something that must be prevented. According to the apostles, through Jesus Christ, a man who lived from around 30 CE until 63 CE who demonstrated endless compassion, Christians are able to find eternal life and avoid death. Then, they can find the kingdom of heaven, which is popularly recognized as a place in the sky where the body is renewed and lasts forever in eternal bliss.
The Christian person believes that if she devotes her life to Christ (which means accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior), she will reap the eternal reward of everlasting life. Her path is personal and her salvation is uniquely hers. Furthermore, those who are not Christians or who do not devote their lives to Christ represent the ultimate fear that Christians have: eternal damnation. Out of this dichotomy arises judgment which helps (and I frame it this way intentionally) the Christian to evaluate good from bad and refrain from the path of the unrighteous. If a Christian does wrong, she must repent, but forgiveness is also promised as a result of Jesus's ultimate selfless life sacrifice for the sins of the world.
As a Western tradition, Christianity functions hierarchically, placing a king or Godhead at the top and various members of society at successive rungs on the ladder of righteousness. Christianity was historically used to keep women and slaves (or employees, depending on the master's disposition) in line and keep masters and husbands from abusing their servants or each other. The Christian tradition is easily transferable to Western society. It is the model of having a king that rules all things and delivers rewards and punishments to people who either obey or disobey his commands.
The Buddhist Story
In Buddhism, developed out of India, suffering (as opposed to death) is considered bad and should be avoided. impermanence and interdependence are accepted as fundamental parts of the sentient being's experience. A sentient being is recognized as a being that has transient life. Some Buddhists believe in a soul. Some don't. It depends on the school. Since impermanence is recognized as a part of the sentient experience, there is no expectation that the human (or any other being) will last forever in its form. Interdependence implies that though beings are wrapped in individual packages, enlightenment (also known as Nirvana or deliverance from suffering (among other things)) is only achieved all at once among all of us. So no one is enlightened unless everyone is enlightened. This creates a system of accountability for others beyond ministry because if I'm not enlightened, you won't be enlightened. There is a dichotomy of good and bad based in the 8fold path and 4 noble truths (google them). The more good stuff you do, the better a person you become and the less karmic crap you have to deal with, but ultimately, it's in everyone's interest to do the best they can.
The Buddhist person believes that it's better to do good than bad. Enlightenment does not happen in a place outside of the life that we live now, so suffering is predominately the result of attachments to greed, anger, and stupidity. At any moment, the Buddhist could simply do good and not reap the karmic consequences of bad, living in Nirvana and helping others to also find Nirvana (or as close as is possible until everyone reaches Nirvana together). The people who have reached this enlightenment are called Buddhas. There are over 180 different Buddhas in the history of Buddhism, so people choose which Buddha, or role model, they follow based on their personality type. Death is real, but in the paradigm of impermanence, death is just something else that happens. Essentially, a person could exist forever in suffering if they don't achieve enlightenment during their life (or lives...some Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Some don't), but why do that because it would just prolong the suffering.
As an Eastern tradition, Buddhism functions linearly, relying on each member of society to play his or her role towards the ultimate realization of Nirvana. Since there is no real hierarchy, there is no competition to get to "the top." A person of a lower class or caste may be dealing with previous life karma, so this creates a climate of acceptance of certain social dispositions. This also makes Buddhism more appealing to higher caste/class members of society: if you're doing socially well, it's the result of your good karmic practices, eliminating guilt for benefiting in a world full of suffering. However, due to the nature of interdependence, the Buddhist is not off the hook from helping others to achieve Nirvana.
In summation, Christians believe that this life is it. People make mad dashes to Christ to keep from going to hell before the buzzer. Buddhists believe that we're all in this together and that it all ends, but also all begins again and again. So there's no pressure to do anything in particular.
Hope this helps.
Love,
Blue
PS. This is not an invitation to tell me that I didn't talk about African traditions. It really doesn't matter what you believe. Just get on with it and be happy.
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