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Dear Joey,
I highly recommend that you read the Church document Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church:
There are legitimate needs and desires that people have to achieve inner peace and harmony. They often come across these pagan methods of meditation in popular media as proposed solutions to this lack of harmony. But these methods do not take into account the truths which Christians believe, and to pursue them presents a danger, not only of forsaking the faith, but abandoning the proper focus on Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and the source of all good, that constitutes the Christian faith. There is a radical difference between Zen and Christianity. They are not compatible. My question would be:
- Why practice Zen Buddhist meditation when Christ can provide everything you need, including the "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), and fullness of joy and happiness?
Some may find a degree of relief in Zen Buddhism, but true peace, joy, happiness, and satisfaction come from faith in Jesus Christ and devotion and prayer to him.
It's like buying Hamburger Helper when you have a five-star chef at your service. Or like foraging for food when there is a grocery store nearby. It just doesn't make sense.
As for the Three Jewels ceremony, according to Google:
"The ideals at the heart of Buddhism are collectively known as the "Three Jewels", or the "Three Treasures". These are:
- the Buddha (the yellow jewel),
- the Dharma (the blue jewel), and
- the Sangha (the red jewel).
It is by making these the central principles of your life that you become a Buddhist." |
To become a Buddhist would be to commit apostasy against Christianity because Christians make the person of Jesus the center of their life.
At best, Buddhism is a distraction from the truth, and at worst, results in apostasy and consequent damnation.
- Why not explore the riches of Christian tradition and prayer as a way of achieving inner peace and harmony?
Eric
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