This free essay is Part 3 of the series “Christianity vs. Other World Religions”. Visit THIS PAGE for links to the complete series, as essays are released.
See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me… (Deut. 32.39)
You may remember a National Day of Prayer following the 9-11 terrorist attacks, which included interfaith religious services taking place in several locations.
In New York City, Oprah Winfrey led one of those gatherings, where she “boldly declared that all people pray to the same God.” This is known as religious pluralism—“the view that all religions, certainly all major or ethical religions, are equally valid paths to God or to ultimate reality.”1
As Christians, when we understand the differences, it should be next to impossible to imagine that ALL religions are leading to the God of the Bible—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.2
Buddhism—
Siddhārtha Gautama (563-480 B.C.) founded the Buddhist religion. Born in Nepal, his father was an actual king. In the culture of that day, Siddhārtha would have lived a life of extravagance and luxury.
The story goes that Siddhārtha eventually grew discontented with a life of affluence and hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure). As a result, he set out on a journey to become a truth-seeker. What he discovered became the basis for the Buddhist religion.
Today, Buddhists are heavily concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region of the world, where 98% of all Buddhists live. Only 1% of the world’s Buddhist population reside in North America.
In 2010, I stepped off the plane in the country of Myanmar (in Southeast Asia) for the first time. The traffic, noise, and street markets reminded me of Haiti. The overwhelming poverty was reminiscent of Latin America. The culture shock of this trip were the signs of Buddhism at every turn.
On planes and trains, we saw monks in full dress. They walked the streets, carrying their container to collect alms from Buddhist followers. Several times a day, we’d hear chanting over the city-wide public address system (simultaneously, this played on the television in our hotel room)—a call to prayer in this place where the State religion is Buddhism.
A friend once took us to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist temple in Myanmar. “The main gold-plated dome is topped by a stupa containing over 7,000 diamonds, rubies, topaz and sapphires, the whole giddy concoction offset by a massive emerald positioned to reflect the last rays of the setting sun.”3 Climbing back into the taxi, I said to my travel partner, “I felt like we were just at an amusement park, except the people were there to pray!”
In his book, Perfectly Suited, J.D. Peabody shares a story from a ministry class he was enrolled in. “Most students in the class were young white males in pursuit of a pastoral career. One Korean woman sat in the back every week, listening. She spoke little, and when she did, her strong accent made her difficult to understand. To my shame, I quickly dismissed her as someone who had little to contribute.”4
As the weekly class continued, time came for a session on the topic of persecution. The teacher opened for discussion, and future preachers eagerly shared their opinions on…suffering for the faith. Then, the female student from Korea unexpectedly joined in.5
“I grew up in a Buddhist family in Korea,” she said. “I became a Christian, and every Sunday as I walked home from church, I knew that when I arrived my father would beat me for going to the service.” J.D. Peabody writes, “The rest of us sat in stunned silence, feeling humbled to be in this sister’s presence.”6
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In drafting this essay, I read over this woman’s words many times. I was moved to tears. I have dear friends born into the Buddhist culture in Southeast Asia who have lived a similar story, so this hit close to home. But also, I think God was reminding me that I’ve not really suffered for my faith—though there are Christians in the world who have, and who are now.
Commonalities—
One writer on Christianity and Buddhism said, “Christians believe that there is a God, whereas Buddhism has no god. The Buddha pointed the way, whereas Jesus said that he was the way. Christianity promises believers eternal life. Buddhism’s highest state, the state of enlightenment, is freedom from being reborn.”7 While I do not agree with everything the article presents, this statement is a near perfect description and leaves little room for commonalities between the two religions.
Here’s a brief list of what Christianity and Buddhism do share.
Both began with a single individual—Christianity began with Jesus Christ. Buddhism is traced to Siddhārtha Gautama (the Buddha or Enlightened One).
Both present a list of moral directives for followers—Christians: The Ten Commandments, as recorded in the Bible. Buddhists: The Five Precepts.
Four of the directives are the same in both religions: no killing, no stealing, no lying (bear false witness), and no adultery or sexual misconduct. It’s notable that the first three are ethical and, as a result, a part of most cultures around the world.
Major Differences—
It can be helpful to know the similarities, but it is key that we understand the differences between Christianity and Buddhism. Remember Oprah Winfrey’s statement, “all people pray to the same God?” This cannot be applied to the Buddhist religion.
But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. (Jer. 10.10)
#1. On the role of God— “Buddhism has been called ‘an atheistic religion’…” It’s said that “Buddha rejected all the gods of Hinduism which surrounded him” (being born into ancient Hindu culture).8 Buddhism acknowledges no god, including the God of the Bible. In contrast, Christianity is based on the belief that we serve the One who Jeremiah called the true God, the living God, and the eternal King.
#2. On the need for a Savior— Buddhists believe “the world keeps going through natural power,” thus, they have “no need…of a personal creator.” And since they have no god, Buddhists have “no savior.” 9 Christianity teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord receive his grace through the redemption that came by His death on the cross (Romans 3.23-24).
#3. On suffering— The foundation of Buddhism is found in the Four Noble Truths: 1) All “must suffer”; 2) “Suffering is caused by selfish craving”; 3) “Defeating selfish craving” leads to “Nirvana” (enlightened state); and 4) Nirvana is reached by following The Eightfold Path.10 The Christian view of suffering is wrapped up in 1 Peter 5.10: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (see also: Isaiah 43.2; John 16.33; James 1.12; 1 Peter 4.1)
#4. On eternity— Life, according to the Buddha, has no beginning or end. This religion teaches that “after beings die, they are reborn or reincarnated into a new form (deity, human, animal…).”11 Their mission is to live in such a way as to achieve a higher reborn state—again and again. The Christian faith is a message of eternal hope, as spoken by Jesus Christ, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5.24).
How to Engage?—
The Buddhist people I’ve encountered have been kind and peaceful, or this is the aura they give off. There are various sects of Buddhism and, as with most religions, they exhibit differing views and behaviors depending on which sect or denomination you encounter (remember the harsh treatment the Korean woman received from her father after she became a Christian).
Buddhists are extremely devout in their faith, especially those born into the religion. It is likely they will not be easily swayed to consider a different faith—especially the Christian faith.
My goal in sharing the series, “Christianity vs. Other World Religions,” is not to disprove other religions. We want to understand, so that we are prepared to engage those who practice a religion different from ours—that we might have an opportunity to lead them to Jesus.
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As you consider how to interact with those outside the Christian faith, remember these steps shared throughout the series.
Be bold—“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 5.16
Be respectful, kind, and wise—“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” —Colossians 4.5-6
Be willing to listen—“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3.15
Be open to extending an invitation—“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!” Psalm 66.5
In future editions of this free series, we will look at the Hindu religion, as well as the sects of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Scientists.
GO HERE to find the links to each post in the series.
Do All Religions Lead to God? by Kenneth Samples. https://reasons.org/explore/publications/facts-for-faith/do-all-religions-lead-to-god. Link effective 1/9/2025.
Matthew 22.32 is one Scripture that speaks of “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” However, there are references throughout both the Old and New Testaments.
Shwedagon Pagoda. https://www.theshwedagonpagoda.com/. Link effective 1/22/2025.
Perfectly Suited: the Armor of God for the Anxious Mind. Copyright 2022 J.D. Peabody. (see page 150)
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Christianity and Buddhism: more similarities than differences. by LaCroix International. https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/christianity-and-buddhism-more-similarities-than-differences/227. Link effective 1/15/2025.
World Religions Made Easy. Copyright 1999 Mark Water.
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Introduction to Buddhism. by Waka Takahashi Brown. https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/introduction_to_buddhism. Link effective 1/21/2025.