Buddhists name three categories of suffering. The first category of suffering is physical or emotional suffering. The second is related to change or transition in one's life. The third category of suffering is the kind of pain brought about even in the midst of please. Buddhists would say that suffering comes when one posses the illusion that something or someone will bring pleasure, and that, in reality, it is illusory.
Catholics understand suffering as part of the finite human condition. Some suffering is through no fault of ones own, such as natural disasters and disease.
1. Christianity spread West and Buddhism spread East. Buddhism flourishing anew in the West while Christianity is making new inroads in the East. Very few Christians can be found in their land of birth, modern-day Israel, very few Buddhists can be found in India.
2. Siddhartha never claimed to be divine and Jesus is human and divine.Jesus was born of humble means and Siddhartha was born into royalty. Siddhartha was married, and Jesus was not. While Jesus' message about the Kingdom of God, Siddhartha's message was about the cessation of suffering.
3. The two religions both share the common theme of suffering, but they approach the topic with very different points of view. Buddhists all have not reached Enlightenment and Nirvana in this world are prone to suffer. Catholics understand suffering as part of finite human condition.
1. Both religions believe peace and compassion are good. they agree that they are to speak and act in kindness, rather than tear each other down with their words and actions.
2. Monasticism. Buddhist monks were led to establish monasteries to shelter themselves from the weather for months at a time. Christianity believes the monastic lifestyle developed in the fourth century when hermits began to populate the caves of the Middle East before forming the great monasteries of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.
3. Meditation. the content of meditation is very different between Catholicism and BuInterreligious dialogue between Catholic and Buddhist monks has occured for the past half century.
Celebrating Los Posada at Muskegon Catholic was a great experience for our school. It was a good way to have lots of students and teachers be involved in celebrating Christmas. In participating in Los Posada we were able to show other students the trouble Mary and Joseph had to go through to find a place to stay. We went around to nine classrooms singing then had Mary and Joseph knock on the doors and ask for a place to stay. Each classroom would tell us there was no room for us to stay and we would go on to the next room. This represented Mary and Joseph going from place to place and being told there was no room for them. After we went to all the classrooms we went to the nativity to put Mary and Joseph in the stable which is where they finally found a place to stay. Some of the classes came with us when we got to their class and followed us to the next room until we got to the nativity. Then we all sang another Christmas song before we went back to class. Los Posadas was a positive thing for us to do at Muskegon Catholic because it was a good way for our school to prepare for Christmas during advent together. It would be great if our school could celebrate Los Posadas every year.
Leslie Walters
John Paul ii is the spiritual inspiration behind the down fall of communism for a peaceful revolution in Poland. He gave the Polish people the courage to demand change. John Paul comforted the people with words such like, "Let your Spirit descend and change the image of the land... this land'. and "Don't be afraid". A solidarity revolution in Poland would have been difficult without John Paul II. He met with Gorbachev at the Vatican and they both should tremendous respect for the other and admiration. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize honoring his life's work trying to decrease Communism. Pope John II was also given the highest civilian honor in America, Presidential medal of freedom. Without John Paul's II efforts, love, and care towards the people the communism in the World today would not be the same.
Morgan Budde
Las Posada experience is a great experience not just for people at Muskegon Catholic Central, but for everyone in the community. Today, the Christmas season is covered with who can get the best present, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and all of the greediness. People do not truly see the really meaning behind Christmas anymore. With having posada at MCC, the students and faculty can see the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. For the Christmas season as Christians, we are supposed to be preparing for the birth of Jesus. Today, all people prepare for is there presents and their Christmas parties. We need to remind people the importance of Christmas. Posada is a great way for people to have that reminder. It reminds the people the trouble that Mary and Joseph had to go through in order to have some place for Jesus to be born. Mary and Joseph were desperate and suffering from all the walking they did. The birth of Jesus was glorious and magical. People need to start realizing this, and they need to appreciate it more. Another good reason for our class to do Las Posadas because is a great way for us to get involved and to get people aware. We are helping people become aware of the true meaning of Christmas. We are the ones showing the people and singing to the people. We are the ones showing them and presenting them the real Christmas. It is our job as Christians to make sure people are aware of the true meaning. We don’t want people to be uninformed about the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas has the word CHRIST in it. We need to start emphasizing that word during the season.
Morgan Budde
1.) Truth of Suffering- identifies the presence of suffering
2.) Truth of the cause of suffering- pleasure, material goods, and immortality are the cause of suffering
3.) Truth of the end of suffering- This has two meanings. The first is an end to suffering in Earthly life. The second is the end of suffering when one has reached Nirvana, where suffering and the birth cycle ends.
4.) Truth of the path that leads to an end of Suffering- There is an 8 step path, Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama around 560 B.C. He was a Hindu, born into the Warrior caste. His father was the king of a small village, and his mother was Queen Maya. His mother had a dream where an elephant touched her right side, and she conceived. The Brahmins believed that she would bear a great king or holy man.
As she was travelling, she stopped at to rest, and her son walked out of her side. Soon after, Queen Maya died, and Buddha was raised as a prince by his father, who shielded him from all the suffering in the world. When he was a teenager, he ordered his charioteer to take him to where his father didn't allow. He encountered much suffering on this trip, and later became a holy man, leaving behind his wife. He came up with the Four truths, which is a way to achieve Nirvana, or total bliss. He died from food poisoning at the age of eighty.
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