heh, Homer...

specific questions plz. "comparative religion" is a hobby of mine. i could go off for days.

yes, islam is highly fractured like christianity. the Sunni's and the Shia's fight worse than protestants and catholics in ireland.

here is a quote you might enjoy.

"Dear Lord, the gods have been good to me. As an offering, I present these milk and cookies. If you wish me to eat them instead, please give me no sign whatsoever.
(...short pause...)
Thy bidding will be done. {(Munch munch munch.)}" - Homer Simpson

that's a good homer quote happy one of my favorites.

I"m not really sure what exactly I'm looking for. Maybe just what a typical Budist perspective would be on some of the questions already posed.

hmm i never new thats what msak stood for. Somebody wanna take a stab at otf for me.

Old Trusted Friend

there are different branches of buddhism as well (like denominations of christianity).

so some of the things i'm about to say actually won't apply to all.

but basically, buddhism teaches that to achieve enlightenment one must end the cycle of wanting. which in a nutshell is desiring something, attaining that something, realizing all the happiness that you thought that something would bring did not materialize, and then being even more dissatisfied than you started...thus wanting even more things that will only propagate the cycle.

the way to end this cycle of wanting it so follow the 8-fold path.

1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration

i'm not going to get into each one. but long story short, if you stop wanting things, you can stop your own suffering.

Buddhism version of reincarnation is different than the hindu version (where you remain human but go into a different caste ie social class) in that you can become an animal or a plant or a bug even. although reincarnation is not believed by every branch of buddhism.

its very different from most religions in that it encourages challenging everything (including its own dogma). there is no eternal home of torture for the non believer...really, no fear based marketing strategies at all.

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."
~The Buddha

thank you for the Budist contribution happy.

So, am i anybodies OTF or am i just not trust worthy enough on the tables?

heh,

you f'd me for an entire month det. gonna take a long time before i have any trust for you.

haha yeah thats pretty much how i play though, so dont be offended.

God is a DJ.

&life is a dance floor.