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Debate Info

37
30
yes no
Debate Score:67
Arguments:60
Total Votes:71
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Argument Ratio

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 yes (34)
 
 no (23)

Debate Creator

RandomDude(1286) pic



Can an atheist pratice Buddhism?

yes

Side Score: 37
VS.

no

Side Score: 30
2 points

Technically yeah. Though the reasoning behind atheism typically goes gainst budhism in any spiritual sense. But anyone can be an atheist for any reason, and a lack of belief in god doesn't mean you can't believe in anything else. I could believe in every mythical creature, every mythical spirit entity, every mythical being, I can believe that every alien ever imagined already exists (there is a reason to think life out their exists we have already found bacteria and I would say ourselves counts as evidence but no reason to believe in specific aliens to exist.), alien UFOs, every movie is based on a true story, the after life, karma, every conspiracy theory ever made, every cartoon, anime. Videogame is based on another realm, any thing you can possibly imagine but not god and still be an atheist. Would be one nutty atheist but would still technically be an atheist. There are people who calls themselves Buddhist atheists, there are people describing themselves that way. Personally I don't see what reason there is to believe in karma or reincarnation, or Buddha, etc but hey do whatever makes you happy man. I think Buddhism out of all religions is one of the best out there, and seems to have developed the most humanitarian of all philosophical biases of all religions.

Side: yes

i dont believe in god any more and i was thinking about becoming buddhist i have read about it but im still confused can i be buddhist?

Side: yes
1 point

I think that buddhism is kinda weird but it is your choice. There is nothing holding you back.

Side: yes

thank you Mr Nooo, i think i will meditate on it

Side: yes
1 point

Buddhism is primarily atheistic in nature. :)

Side: yes
TheAshman(2299) Disputed
2 points

Buddhism is more nontheistic rather than atheistic.

Although it is not as straightforward as that and all depends on the type of Buddhism.

Side: no
zephyr20x6(2387) Disputed
1 point

Technically I'd say anything nontheistic is atheistic.

The prefix A means not or without and is synonymous with non. Though typically atheists aren't spiritual, that is only typically. Iv meet some people who claimed to be atheists and still were spiritual, technically it isn't a contradiction. I would say logically yeah but that's typical from an atheist like me.

Side: yes
Sitara(11080) Disputed
1 point

Stop trying to start stuff. You disagree just for spite .

Side: yes
1 point

Buddhism s more Agonistic then atheistic.

Side: yes

Atheism: "The theory or belief that God does not exist."

Buddhism: "a religion, originated in India by Buddha (Gautama) and later spreading to China, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeast Asia, holding that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject."

The way I see it, atheist choose atheism for a sense of realism in life, considering Christianity and most other religions too vague or preposterous. Where as Buddhism appears to be as realistic as it gets while still maintaining some possibility that you must change.

Most atheists go super logical and claim that everything is science, so I don't expect to see a great rise in Buddhist atheists but, I guess it's possible.

Side: yes
zephyr20x6(2387) Clarified
1 point

That defenition is inaccurate my friend sorry to be nit-picky.

A is a prefix meaning not or without

Theism means belief in a god.

Not all atheists believe god doesn't exist but all atheists don't believe he does. It may not be a relevant difference a lot of the time but when it comes to the burden of proof and whoever is making the claim it is.

Also everything isn't science, science is just a discipline used to understand everything. Everything has science behind it.

Side: yes

I got the definition from google, but what you told me is good to know. Also I said most atheists i know. The ones I'm friends with always tell me their scientific theories when anything is brought up against them.

Side: yes
1 point

Buddhism can be quite complicated and is more nontheistic in nature than atheistic. Buddhism really hinges on the beliefs of the practioner some people just follow the Philosophical side of things without the supernatural side, which i'm guessing is what you've been reading about.

There is also a supernatural side some Buddhists deify the Buddhas, the original Buddha taught against this as he felt he was just a man not a God but to be Buddha literally means to be enlightened in some Buddhist temples the Monks will tell you that the Buddha on the altar is yourself as we all have the power within to become Buddha/enlightened. It can be argued that to be truly enlightened is to be Godlike, you literally know everything there is to know about everything my personal view is I dont think that enlightenment is possible during life, I dont think we could handle that amount of knowledge. Maybe people become enlightened after death or after we have lived many lives and reach Nirvana but that is straying into the supernatural.

I think yes an Atheist or anyone of any religion can follow the teachings of Buddhism without compromising their own beliefs and yes I think they can learn a lot from them.

Taoism is also an interesting religion similar to Buddhism in that it is more nontheistic than theistic and is grounded more in philosophy.

Side: yes
1 point

I would say yes, Buddhism is a philosophy and not a religion. This is why is was able to coexist with Taoism in Japan, and therefore an Atheist can practice the Buddhist philosophy.

Side: yes

You clearly have misunderstood Buddhism, Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, if anything you have to be an atheist to be a Buddhist.

Buddhism teaches nothing can save us but ourselves and that worshiping worldly Gods can not lead to salvation.

No one saves us but ourselves,

No one can and no one may.

We ourselves must walk the path,

But Buddhas clearly show the way.

The Dhammapada, 165

Gripped by fear men go to the sacred mountains, sacred groves, sacred trees and shrines, but these are not a secure kind of refuge.

The Dhammapada, 188

Side: yes
1 point

Now you're Buddhist? Oh good grief!

Side: no

no Mr Hellno i am not but i am looking into it. but thank you for your inquiry and have a nice evening

Side: no
1 point

A Buddhist can practice atheism, but an atheist cannot practice Buddhism.

If you can understand what is meant by this, you are already well on your way to Bhuddahood.

Side: no

screw the Buddhism thing its too confusing to me

Side: no

Can a chicken cross the road?

But thats not the REAL question here is it?

IS IT?

<3

Side: no
RandomDude(1286) Disputed
1 point

what ?

Side: yes
1 point

like a chicken crossing the road why did the atheist want to become a buddhist?

Side: no