Questions to Uncover

Ask questions instead of assuming you know what they believe. Realize that beliefs of individual Buddhists often differ from Buddha's teachings. There are many folk beliefs (i.e. praying to Buddha for help in the struggles of daily life).

Questions to Ask

1. Ask them why they have personally bought into the ideas of Buddhism?

2. What does Buddhism teach about who we are?

3. What do they believe happens to us after we die? 

4. What does Buddhist teaching do for them personally? 

5. What problems does this teaching solve? 

6. How does this belief make their life better? And in what ways.

Understand How Their Worldview Colors Their Conclusions

The Apostles had different methods of evangelism depending on who they were trying to reach. With Jews and God fearing Gentiles Paul merely showed that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Prophecies about the Messiah. In Acts 17 when Paul was talking to the Stoic philosophers, Paul didn't assume they believed in a Messiah and showed that their worldview didn't make sense. How could they create this wooden gods and at the same time these gods create them. In this way the Apostle Paul held up a mirror and pointed to their inconsistencies.

"They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."

Acts 28:23 (NIV)

"While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see the city was full of idols. .. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands."... He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.... For in him we live and move and have our being....Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone'an image made by man's design and skill. Acts 17:16, 24,25, 28, 29

A Worldview is like a pair of sunglasses. For example:

- A Christian thinks truth is something to know, live for, and is non-contradictory

-

- A Buddhist feels truth is something to explore, without ever coming to conclusions

Understand Their Worldview

Does the resurrection of Christ really prove Jesus is God?

If you are looking at the evidence from a different worldview perspective other than Theism?

"I believe we all have the power to do what Jesus did."

Hindu Grad Student, U.T. Austin

Understand Their Conclusions

"Even if you could prove to me that Jesus rose from the dead, it does not prove that Jesus is God. In a naturalistic world Jesus' resurrection would just be considered an anomaly."

Grad Student, U.T. Austin

1. Buddhism denies that the self and world exists. In doing so, Buddhists deny the undeniable.

If God exists and I don't, then who is making the statement?

Example: Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh knocks on Mr. rabbits door saying, "Any buddy home? Mr. Rabbit does not want to get eaten out of house and home says, "no buddy home." Winnie the Pooh scratches his head and says, "There is got to be someone home to say there there is no buddy home." It is undeniably true.

2. Why aren't we conscious that we are less than real if we are really an aspect of God?

3. How did this metaphysical amnesia arise and come to pervade and dominate our whole experience?

It is obvious that all is not an illusion. In fact, one cannot know all is an illusion (not real) unless he knows what is real.

4. There is no verifiable miraculous confirmation that the Buddhist scriptures are from God.

5. Buddhism is built on the subjective feelings and philosophies of men rather than on any verifiable objective reality. But feelings alone are an inadequate test for truth.

6. Pronouncing evil as illusory or less than real is not only hollow to those who experience evil, but it is philosophically inadequate as well.

If evil is not real, what is the origin of the illusion?

7. Agree there is a right and wrong. Then ask, "By what standard?"

Without an unchanging Moral Law giver (which Buddhism denies) there can be no objective Moral Laws. Yet Buddhism assumes such laws exist (10 Precepts, Eightfold "Right" path, reincarnation based on actions).

8. Karma implies that there is no grace.

If the death of Christ totally satisfied the punitive demands of the righteous laws of God, then what need is there for more payment? (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17; I John 2: 2; 4:17-18).

9. It is impossible to eliminate suffering by eliminating all desire because such a goal involves the desire to eliminate all desire.

What about the desire to have children, help others, enjoy life, go to Nirvana?

11.

Point out to them that the solution to pain and suffering is not to eliminate desire but create right desire (Matt. 5:6)

Solve Their Issues

How would you respond?

1. Doesn't reincarnation answer the problem of evil?

2. Aren't there many paths to God?

3. Why is Jesus unique?

4. How can we have real joy?

Solution1. (Evil) Doesn't reincarnation answer the question of evil?

Karma doesn't solve the problem of evil:

It solves the dilemma of the innocent suffering by saying that anyone who suffers is not innocent.

If it is not the individual who is reborn then why should someone pay for the karmic debt left by someone else.

It doesn't explain how suffering began in the first place.

The law of karma only postpones the solution to the problem of evil and suffering without ever confronting or solving the root of the dilemma.

Solution 2: Many paths to God

How many ways are there to restore a relationship that has been damaged in some way?

Only really one. That is to ask for forgiveness

(See Dean Halverson's chapter on Buddhism in his book, "A Compact Guide to World Religions' for an informative discussion of this point)

When you marry your spouse, you separate yourself from every other possible mate but one. So exclusiveness is not necessarily a bad thing. The question is what are you excluding and including and why?

Solution 3: Is Jesus Unique

"It seems to me that Buddha claimed to point to the way, Muhammad claimed to be a prophet of God, but Jesus Christ is the only major religious leader that ever claimed to be God, and then proved it by dying on the Cross and rising from the dead. So He alone has the power over life and death. He alone is the one we should follow."

Solution 4: Can we have real Joy

Point out to them that the purpose of this life is not fleeting happiness, but the knowledge of God that will brings permanent happiness in the next life.

See 2 Cor. 4:17; Php. 3:19-20

Point to the joy that we have in Christ that is beyond our circumstances.

Heb 12:2; Php 3:1; 4:1

Solution 5: Turn to find common ground

Turn them around:

(Some suggestions partly taken from Dean Halverson's book, A Compact Guide to World Religions)

Turn their worldview to the Gospel

You should start from different places with different people.

Theist Bible -> Jesus -> Salvation

Atheist God -> Bible -> Jesus -> Salvation

Truth ->God ->Bible -> People -> Jesus -> Salvation

Turn them to seek the truth

Truth is not just questions to ponder but facts to affirm

Not everything that claims to be spiritual truth is

Truth matters, and truth is exclusive of error

Truth is not doing things because it cannot hurt and might help

You must commit to the reality you know is true.

Truth goes beyond reason but not against it.

Turn Them to God:

God is a Holy Being

We believe in a personal God, who is the Only True God.

God is permanent, He does not shift or change.

There is no way to get to His Heaven, except through Jesus Christ. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Tim 2:5)

God created the entire universe with a definite beginning and purpose.

Turn them to God's Word:

The Bible is the revelation God gave us.

Rather than us having to sort through a "flea-market" looking for ideas of truth, God chose not to leave us in the dark.

He chose to give us clear revelation, confirmed by prophecies and miracles.

His words are not just suggestions to ponder, but life-giving commands to be obeyed.

Turn them to see their sin:

People Need a Savior

Everyone has fallen short of what we know is right; we need forgiveness.

Nobody is pure enough to get to Heaven on their own merits. (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Jms. 2:10; Gal 2:21)

You cannot work hard enough to earn it.

God does not just arbitrarily forget some sin. He must be absolutely just and deal with our sin.

Turn them to see Christ:

Jesus our Savior was sent to ransom us from our sins.

God provided this mercy through Jesus Christ volunteering to die on the cross for our sins.

Jesus said that no one comes to God except through Him. There is no other way except through Jesus.

Turn them to accept Christ:

We Must Confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior

Learning Christian truth might make you live wiser, live a bit longer, or be happier on earth, but these benefits are nothing compared to dwelling forever in eternity with God.

You must step out and choose to give your life over to Jesus.

Pray to ask Jesus into your life to forgive you of your sins and take control of your life as your leader.

Sharing with Buddhist

For more info please contact Christian Debater™ P.O. Box 144441 Austin, TX 78714 www.BibleQuery.org

by Steven M. Morrison, PhD.