BUDDHISTS?

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Yep! Jung is a good one to add .

The buddhism of many westerners is eclectic and more or less 'part-time' buddhism. It's 30 minutes meditation a day, that's it. And ignoring homophobic and sometimes sexist views of eastern traditions. Better than nothing, these 30 minutes, for it makes people more harmonic and peaceful, but the real thing in buddhism is of course being 'full-time' monk.
For example, the tibetan buddhist leader the Dalaj Lama said homosexuality is unacceptable in buddhism. Its strange to see westerners accepting this from the eastern Wise Man but not the same view on homosexuality in the catholic church.
Buddhism is elitist: only the monks count. To me this is no problem but again, most westerners would not accept this in a non-eastern setting.
In western christianity mysticism has gone as a result of rationalism and the a-mystical jesuit tradition.

Without Descartes and Ignatius you'd find the same mysticism here...

I've been a practicing Buddhist for about 10 years. I primarily follow the Theravada tradiotion, though my favorite Buddhist writer is Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen (Mahayana) monk.

I look forward to the day when mysticism is gone from the face of the Earth and only reason and logic are Left Behind. The idea of Mysticism being Raptured fills my heart with glee.

ruveyn

That is the problem with religion. The teachings of one man become institutionalised and prevailing traditions, beliefs and social norms get heaped on top of them and you end up with a steaming pile.
I think that typically those of us in the west who become involved in Buddhism can usually see through the crap that has been heaped on to the original teachings over the generations and culture specific beliefs by particular commentators including the Dalai Lama. So no, homophobia and sexism is not acceptable from whoever speaks it, Dalai Lama, Pope or any other so called religious figure.

It is also why I feel it is necessary for people to find their own spiritual path. They can learn from various religions and teachers but need to keep their intellect and wits about them and not blindly swallow anything just because it is spoken by a so called expert or authority figure.

Amen. I have objections to the Dalai Lama's authority not just because of the homophobia thing, but because of the Dorje Shugden controversy (google it...acording to some sources, some Tibetan Buddhists have been guilty of some surprisingly uncompassionate behavior on this front). Actually, I have objections to anyone having incontestable authority, by dint of being a divine personage or any other way; the majority of spiritual teachers worth their salt have insisted they, personally, were nobody special, and their followers who thought differently were probably missing the point.

I think Buddhism does, nevertheless, have some valuable insights. Although, LeMesurier has a fair point in that there are elements of Buddhism (and other Eastern traditions) that can be found, if you dig deep enough, in Western spiritual paths; they just tend to have gotten covered up by other stuff over the years. Alan Watts is interesting in this context, in that while a Buddhist, he also trained in Christian theology; one of his books, Beyond Theology, looks at Christianity from a non-dualist viewpoint. It's quite interesting.

I've also , within myself, come to a position similar to TallyMan and That RedHairedGrrl!

Much reading with critical awareness of various philosophies doesn't produce a "blind adherant" ....something I find worthwhile is from the :

KALAMA SUTTA

"Do not believe in anything ( simply) because you have heard it"

Do not believe in traditions, because they have been handed down for many generations,"

Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many,"

"Do not believe in anything , simply because it is found written in your religious books,"

"Do not believe in, anything, merely on the authority of your teachers and elder,"

"But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is

conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."


On the back of this card is a calendar..... I've had this in my wallet since 1985. I still find it to be profound advice!

You should really look into getting some information on the history of Buddhism, like its Hindu origins. I hope you look for a better outlet than becoming yet another remnant of the hippy era.

And what's wrong with the hippy era?

It was a time when psychedlic music was far out and drugs were much cheaper and easier to get to and let's not forget how groovy woodstock was!!

Not that I would really know since it was before my time but still...