A Step beyond Positive Thinking

A positive attitude is a great benefit. With a positive outlook, we can psychologically reap the advantages of happiness without relying on necessarily positive results. Even if things fall apart, our positive outlook regarding how good things will be in the future keeps us satisfied. For example; if we are successful, we have been blessed. If we have bad luck, it's God's will and there is a good reason for it. Either way, with a positive attitude, we remain psychologically happy all the time. It's a win-win situation.

So when the Buddha says that life can be suffering, this First Noble Truth seems depressing, and flies in the face of positive thinking that regardless of what happens, it is God's plan and is always for the best.

Since I am always attempting to build bridges across our various beliefs, hoping that we can come together in compassion and understanding, I will go out on a limb here and say that the First Noble Truth, as well as the statement that all is well if we believe that God has a plan for us, is no different. Both scenarios point to the fact that things won't always go our way, and this is okay; that there is a bigger plan beyond our individual desires.

Both ways are just different ways of looking at it. In the end, there is agreement that we must not rely on only our individual desires for happiness, and must at times let go of our clinging to whatever success we have. We must rely on seeing beyond that, which in the case of Christianity is God's will, and in the case of Buddhism is relying on our own mind's wisdom and awareness of what is. This is admittedly a small difference, only a difference of belief. The main thing is that we both see beyond relying solely on the power of our ego, our "selves," for our happiness, and rely on something else.

This step beyond our selves, for Christians, is relying on God's judgment for what is good for us. Worry is the greatest sin, some say, and this is true. If a Christian worries about their life, then they really don't trust God. Sometimes the greatest suffering brings a Christian closer to God, and Christians in traumatic times may have a religious experience regarding God that changes their lives. Happiness and ease sometimes take people further from God, as they get mixed up in money and power, politics and business, which rarely culminates in religious experience.

The step beyond ourselves in Buddhism is an investigation of the "self," itself, until the self is seen through as an illusion. This is in lieu of a belief in a God. It is a quasi scientific/philosophical/religious approach regarding examining our thoughts and emotions and how they affect our lives. This is done by meditation and awareness practices. The important thing is that both methods, Christianity and Buddhism, are designed to limit the reliance of our selves, a self-reliance that takes a Christian away from God, and takes a Buddhist into illusion.

Where a Christian might surrender themselves to God, a Buddhist realizes that a fundamental self does not exist, and surrenders in that way. Either way, there is a surrender to something greater, which if done sincerely results in humility, self-effacement, and compassion. These are the trademarks of a religion that is working. These are the fruits of the practice. Self-righteousness, hatred, division, fighting and greed are indications that one's religion isn't working, and are harbingers of the many wars that have been fought throughout history.

Perhaps it is time to look toward each other, and to look toward our political and religious leaders in terms of compassion, self-effacement, and humility, other than in terms of their color, gender, or their religious beliefs . Maybe it's time to look at our own actions and attitudes rather than our ideals, or what we are supposed to be.

What are we now? What do we say to each other now? What do we think about each other now? These are what will play out in our actions later.

It's time to come together. The idea or separateness; grabbing as much as we can before someone else gets it, belongs to fear, which results in survival of the fittest, and which is doubting that God will take care of us. This is not Christian; this is not what Jesus would do. He gave Himself to the world, as did the Buddha.

When we think of others instead of only fearfully thinking of ourselves, wonderful things can happen with our faith. It is time for great changes in our way of thinking, a coming together that will bring peace in the world. The present system doesn't seem to be working well. We must find a way to be peaceful, and not fearful or violent or separate from our fellow human beings. We must find a way to really live what we profess.

This would be a step above merely a positive outlook. This would be positive action.