Commentary: Are all Buddhists atheists?

[rug]

By JUDY SILBER • DEC 2, 2016

In the comments on our Nov. 21 story, "Some, None or Done: A Zen Atheist," listeners discussed whether Buddhism is theistic or non-theistic. We asked John Nelson, a scholar of religion who serves on The Spiritual Edge's academic advisory committee, to help us understand the issue:

"One of the most common assumptions about 'Buddhism' that persists in places without a long social history of Buddhist institutions is that it is optional for Buddhists to believe in deities. Since there is no such thing as 'Buddhism' in a singular, monolithic sense, we can find numerous examples in diverse cultural settings where a dizzying array of deities is valued, venerated, and absolutely central to religious practice.

"The first bona fide Buddhist temple in North America was very much in this tradition. Dedicated to the Buddha of the True Pure Land (Amida Buddha), who was believed to be a deity promising salvation, the Buddhist Church of San Francisco was established in 1898 by Japanese immigrants living in the San Francisco area.

"Both historically and in contemporary times, the key to understanding what deities are emphasized within a certain type of Buddhism depends on how this tradition gets domesticated and practiced locally, as well as what themes are emphasized (or marginalized) in the process of maintaining religious institutions and cultural identities.

http://kalw.org/post/commentary-are-all-buddhists-atheists#stream/0

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1218239922

[Doreen]

1. I am Buddhist with a strong Theravada base.

We are not Atheist's. GOD: There is no omnipotent creator God of the sort found in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Gods exist as various types of spiritual being but with limited power.

[rug]

2. A belated welcome.

[guillaumeb]

3. Recommended. Interesting post.

And at this point:

We have seen in recent years through the publications of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris that some atheists may be as extreme and righteous in their beliefs (promoting rationalism supported by hard evidence) as religious fundamentalists are in their godtalk and holy scriptures.

my own previous comments about atheistic fundamentalists applies.