The influence of Catholicism etc on one's becoming a BK

As far as I can see, the various schools of "Buddhism" in the East play almost exactly the same roles (for good and bad) at very similar level to that which the Vatican does in the West.

I would underline the one obvious difference thought, and I would have thought it was a major influence in this topic's thesis ... that of the one realm and the one angry, jealous, megalomanic monotheistic God - which the BKs have adopted - versus the more accommodating pluralism of the many gods and many realms that comes up in various Hindu, Buddhist and, yes, Hellenic, Nordic, Celtic and so on schools. The Pagans you speak of. How I have come to loath that insane Middle Eastern tribal god Yahweh ... and all his would be 'pretenders to the throne' like ShivBaba.

As an aside, this also come up in the news recently. Would anyone really care and listen if they did not have all those huge pieces of real estate in Rome and elsewhere in the world.

Catholic confession is not therapy, Vatican warns

Confessing in the Catholic church has long provided material for Hollywood screen-writers, with a dark wooden booth, a priest's stern silhouette glimpsed through a screen and the uttered phrase "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." But, according to the Vatican, real life confessions are in danger of turning into cosy counselling sessions, which is why priests are to be issued with a handbook instructing them to give their flocks a sharp reminder of what sin is all about.

Explaining the initiative, an official at the Vatican office on clergy told Vatican Radio that ... "an ever decreasing number of people see a clear difference between good and evil, between truth and lies and between sin and virtue, and therefore fewer are taking confession," said Archbishop Mauro Piacenza.

"It's not always easy to find a priest ready to listen to the confessions of the faithful for hours," he said. Recent studies showed that only about 40% of Italian Catholics and 55% of American Catholics go to confession. Of that total, 12% confess once a year and only 2% confess once a month or more.

The Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican court, did its part last year by publishing a list of new sins, including genetic manipulation, experiments on humans, polluting the environment and taking drugs.

Perhaps one of the reasons there is a total of three Italian Brahmins in Italy is because the Italian population has already dealt with the biggest religious cult in the world- the Vatican. Italians are either hardcore Catholics or hardcore skeptics, neither of which fits the psychological make-up of a Brahmin.

You have to fall between the cracks in order to be interested in the BK philosophy about God. That is, you have to reject Catholicism, rebel against the convention of confession, but still be searching. The hardcore Catholics cannot entertain any other God but Jesus and the skeptics generally stop searching, usually out of disgust.

Welcome back rayoflight, I have been missing your posts.

Perhaps one of the reasons there is a total of three Italian Brahmins in Italy is because the Italian population has already dealt with the biggest religious cult in the world- the Vatican. Italians are either hardcore Catholics or hardcore skeptics, neither of which fits the psychological make-up of a Brahmin.

Italian culture has changed incredibly since 1945 - huge economic growth & prosperity, a high standard of education, aesthetics and culture, very influential and active left wing politics, a strong secular tradition, and a large emigration of its poorer and less educated (mainly from the more "religious" south) to the USA, Australia, Canada etc.

It's very interesting to hear that after all these years, the BKs have only managed 3 converts! I would also guess that Greece, Turkey and Spain also have low conversion rates - maybe this goes back to ex-l's point about the effect of climate, culture and environment has on 'love of life' in the 'here and now', and therefore towards religion?

Welcome back rayoflight, I have been missing your posts.

Thanks searcher. It's good to be back

maybe this goes back to ex-l's point about the effect of climate, culture and environment has on 'love of life' in the 'here and now', and therefore towards religion?

If you were filled with contentment of mind, body and soul, would you go searching for something else?

An Italian Brahmnin once said to me, "if there is good food at home, why go somewhere else?" I thought it was sort of ironic on many levels but mostly that the origin of this quote came from the late Paul Newman when he was asked why he stayed faithful to his wife and he replied, "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?"