How others chose my faith

[vlyons]

44. Have you studied Buddhism, or read extensively in Buddhist literature?

For starters, Buddhism is non-theistic, never discusses god(s). It is concerned only with how to be happy and not suffer. Buddha's very first teaching after enlightenment was the 4 Noble Truth about the cause of suffering, its possible cessation, and the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. The very first form of Buddhism was Hinayana, which is concerned with ethical morality as the path to happiness.

Buddhism is also a philosophy about the epistomology of how do we know what we know, and a psychology of how the mind works.

In the Dharmapada, Buddha instructs us NOT to believe in holy scripture, or some authority figure's claims about a god, or our community's traditions, but to use our very own mind to reason for ourselves, and to practice loving kindness and generous point of view.

I suggest that you at least be open-minded and entertain the possibility that Buddhism is a philosophy and psychology, rather than a theistic religion. Buddhist literature on how the mind works is well worth reading, and you can judge for yourself.