RightGalaxy wrote:
I'll start. I found the greatest spiritual identification with Buddhism. I was born a Catholic but realized a pull to Buddhism when I was 12 years old. It started, believe it or not, from a 1970's televison show starring David Carradine. He played the part of a wayward Buddhist monk. It was called "Kung Fu". After studying Buddhism, Catholism was all but a memory. Besides, it was way too social for me. Buddism provided me with solitude and I liked looking "within" for answers to life's questions. Being Christian/Catholic meant going to church and spreading the word. Too social for me. Buddhism gave me adequate space where Catholism suffocated me with "other people". Buddhism forced me to examine my own head and heart instead of blindly following "commandments", not eating meat on Fridays, and going to Hell.
I inherited a religious tradition from my parents. I can't rightly say I embrace it in the sense of wanting to give it a loving hug. If I had my druthers I would be a
ben Noach, one who follows the Noachic Laws (there are seven). Compare that with the 613 commandments found in the TNKH (Hebrew Bible) plus hundreds and hundreds of rabinnic laws found in the Talmud.
The laws are:
The seven laws listed by the Tosefta and the Talmud are:
1. Prohibition of Idolatry: You shall not have any idols before God.
2. Prohibition of Murder: You shall not murder. (Genesis 9:6)
3. Prohibition of Theft: You shall not steal.
4. Prohibition of Sexual Promiscuity: You shall not commit adultery.
5. Prohibition of Blasphemy: You shall not blaspheme God's name.
6. Dietary Law: Do not eat flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive. (Genesis 9:4)
7. Requirement to have just Laws: You shall set up an effective judiciary to enforce the preceding six laws fairly.
And that is it! Even an atheist can keep these laws. Why? Atheists would not worship idols nor would that blaspheme an entity whose existence they either do not believe or which they deny. They rest are just rules of good behavior.
Other customs could be added such as being charitable to the needy and generally polite to people. Number 6, above, can be extended to not committing cruel acts upon animals.
ruveyn