 "Brilliant in Deception and Lore" | 2009-07-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A33LM0CNFZN1N |
Dr. Zacharias is one of the most compelling, interesting, and thought-provoking scholars on Christianity. It is no surprise that he writes a book that utterly dismantles the foundations of the Buddhist perspective. That is, if this is your only exposure to Buddhism.
What is surprising is how blatant and shallow Dr. Zacharias is in his deception and pursuit to move the reader to Christianity. I have read other reviews here that call the book fair. I suppose from a defensive Christian perspective, maybe that appears to be the case.
Dr. Zacharias personifies Gautama as narcissistic, ignorant, defensive, argumentative, confused. He personifies Jesus as confident, soft, patient, all-knowing, yet condescending.
He sets it up as a schoolboy trying to debate the teacher. Predictably, Gautama gets schooled by Jesus.
He interchanges Hindu gods (plural) with God (the One) when trying to point out Gautama's inconsistencies, underscoring his own lack of understanding of the Buddha. For instance, Dr. Zacharias says that Buddha claimed to know more than even God. Yet, for that to be true, Buddha would have to accept that there is a God.
In his writing, he positions the Buddha as trying to "obliterate relationships" by rejecting ego-ness, the self, in favor of the perspective that we are all interconnected, that we are all one. Yet, isn't that the essence of relationship? Our interconnectedness?
He accuses the Buddha of eliminating all hope for people by saying "You took God away from them, Gautama, so they live in fear of the spirit world." The irony here is profound since most people's fear of the spirit world centers on the concept of Hell.
There is further inconsistency when he accuses Buddha of establishing too many rules, then admonishes him for not establishing an "abiding authority."
Ultimately, Dr. Zacharias is brilliant. He has written a book that Christians can affirm and Buddhists can acknowledge. Yet, if you are a seeker who wants to understand the fundamental and true differences and similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, this is not the book for you.
It is profound in its deception of Buddhism and defense of Christianity. It is profound in that it has and will continue to stir debate.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to know what a philosophical Christian, one whose life has been compelled to defend that which he asserts as absolute truth, thinks of Buddhism. |
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 "A good, quick overview of Buddhism" | 2009-02-15 |
| - Reviewed By btgoodlin |
| What a great book and an easy read. For those who would like to start reading books by this author, but are intimidated because of how intense some of his other books are - this book is for you. I look forward to more of Dr Zacharias' books. I learned much about the Buddha and how stark the differences are between Buddhist and Christians. The book focuses more on Jesus asking Buddha about his beliefs and stances than the other. |
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| "Gentle yet Genuine" | 2008-10-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3R4ZH8S9Z9SRT |
Deals solidly with the core tenets of two faiths and why Christ can credibly provide the real answer.
He brings in the the role of a young lady to tangible express the case of dispute in point. It was genttle and yet geniune engagement with an ending well refined to its logical conclusion. |
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| "This book changed my life. One of my favorites" | 2008-09-07 |
| - Reviewed By afiireinsideme |
| When i was practicing Buddhism and other eastern philosophy, i found this book. It displays a imagined dialog between Jesus and Buddha. Both offer their way to Priya, a girl that was born into life of prostitution, in Thailand. br /br /So Priya asks both many questions, and both figures give very different answers. br /br /Though Buddha offered salvation through looking within. Jesus offered himself as the way to be set free. br /br /Some might not agree or believe in Jesus's way, about believing and living for him, and then after physical death, spending eternity with him, who claims to be the son of God. br /br /Buddha would of warned against relying in Jesus , citing that to him, Jesus was only a man, and if he were indeed God, that even a God was imprisoned by sense pleasures and was on the wheel of continual suffering ,and there by cant offer much assistance in the form of salvation or liberation. Sinse, in theory, God is conditioned and a sentient being must not attach to the conditioned, the temporary, for it only brings more suffering and further imprisonment to the cycle of suffering, in his view.br /br /My conclusion, as a Buddhist, and understanding what i did of Christianity and the Bible, was that Jesus was everlasting, he rose from the dead, since he is God and God , in my view, being the author of the laws of time and space and the entire natural order, can interveen and make things happen.br /br /Buddha's world view was absent of a creator, he thought it was fantasy probubly, but i dont think God is a fantasy, i think its likly there is a grand architect of the universe, a supreme intelligence that jumped started life and keeps everything moving. And if the Bible is true that this God is eternal, then my reliance of this higher power would be a wise move, since He isnt conditioned. That was my understand.br /br /So having trust in Jesus was not an un-skillful move. but actually solved the problem of the wheel of suffering, in my eyes. That suffering wont be erased in this life, but is used as a way to strengthen and mature and bring one closer to their creator.br /br /And with this, i followed Jesus. br /br /I believe Buddhism doesnt necessarily have to be void of God or a higher power. Understanding that God can be a reality to an idividual, and it doesnt have to be fantasy. To them, this could be as real as the nose on their face, but even more so sense it isnt subject to decay and old age, remembering that this God is above time and space, not being subject to the very laws he put into place. Everlasting. br /br /Even the Dhali Lama noted that Buddhism will go where ever the truth leads, and if the future shows reason to believe that a creator indeed exists, which mainy think they have great compelling evidense, that Buddhism should adapt and evolve. br /br /This is an honest policy. But as Buddhists, are we really ready to follow where ever the truth takes us? I dont know.br /br /But as for me, as i followed Prince Siddharthas own instruction....following truth where ever it goes....it took me to Jesus Christ. br /br /This is me though. You may differ in how you took this book. But it fairly shows the differences between the two people. Its also somewhat of a humorous and witty book. Painting a picture for us as the two and priya sail atop the water. br /br /The author actually used to be a high caste Hindu , and is now a Doctor and Christian Apologist. He is very intelligent and found out about Jesus himself, in turn having some backlash by the commnity and family he was in, but he followed the truth where it led also i think.br /br /He comes from the east, and is well read and crediable source for debate or insight into eastern religion. Which he interviewed various monks for the making of this book. br /br /He actually wrote this based on while he was in Thailand, and imagined how a conversion between Jesus And Buddha would carry out.br /br /Even if you are not Christian. Or not Buddhist, and just interested in these two as historical figures, its still interesting to see how they would possibly answer certain questions and offer their own solutions to problems the girl presents to them, concerning life, death, morality,spirituality and so on.br /br /Very interesting. Whether or not one will agree on the conclusion in the book. I personally agree with the conclusion, but if you dont, it doesnt matter, becouse in the end, Buddha still has is final say for the girl, presenting his middle way, and Christ gives his way to freedom from what he calls sin.br /br /Interesting read none the less. I recommend it. It had a big affect on me becouse it opened my eyes to somethings many years ago, while i was in the midst of my study of buddhist and other eastern teaching. |
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 "Impressive!" | 2008-07-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: A27EQBFXR8XP46 |
I am impressed with Dr. Zacharias' work on two fronts. His love and deep understanding of his Christian faith shines through and is truly inspiring. Equally impressive is his confusion of many key Buddhist concepts. The Buddha likened his teachings to a finger pointing at the moon and cautioned not to confuse the finger with the moon. It is apparent that the Buddha's finger has been thoroughly put in its place, but I wonder what has become of the moon? The Buddha also compared his teachings to a dangerous snake, and that if they are not handled correctly they may cause harm rather than help. Telling a person close to death and in great suffering that her life is an illusion and that it his her fault is an example of using the teachings to cause harm.
I am not going to create a point by point defense of Buddhism, nor a critique of Christianity. The Buddha taught that in order to understand his teachings, one needed to try them out and decide. Please note the key is to try the practices, not to grasp them with the intellect. All concepts in Buddhism are practices to open the mind. Once the mind is open, those concepts need to be let go of, too.
I give the book two stars because of its misrepresentation, but also because it is thought-provoking and written with respect. |
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 "One Closed Mind" | 2007-09-15 |
| - Reviewed By dpdesert |
| This book has nothing to do with Buddhism, it's intended as polemic against Buddhists and Buddhism. I could write a book about Christ and put words in his mouth to make him seem foolish but that would have nothing to do with what he taught!! |
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