June 30, 2023 – A

I recommend having nothing to do with the Buddha
or with Jesus. 

The Buddha hated women
and abandoned his wife and child
in order to "seek enlightenment."
How enlightened was that?

He opposed women having leadership positions
over men,
and it was due to strong opposition
by his male monks 
that they were welcomed at all
within the Buddhist ranks.

Jesus didn't know whether he was coming or going.
He contradicted himself at every turn
and canceled himself out at every opportunity.

For instance there is "Do not think I have come
to destroy the Law and the Prophets."
And, "You have heard it said,
but I say unto you."

He forgives a guilty woman "taken in adultery"
(What about the man?),
and he curses an innocent fig tree
for not having figs out of season.

He says, "Depart from me!
I never knew you Evildoers!"
and he says, "Father, forgive them,
they know now what they do."
And, he says, "If you know what you are doing,
you are blessed,
but if you do not know,
you are cursed as a breaker of the law!"

He tells the parable of the prodigal son
where the son's father welcomes him home
and holds a feast for him 
because he was "Lost and now he is found,
he was dead and now he is alive."

And he tells another parable about a man
holding a feast and inviting everyone to come,
and then kicking out a man for not 
wearing the right party clothes.

He says, "Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you,"
and then lauds the wise bridesmaids for having
enough oil for their lamps
and not sharing it with the foolish bridesmaids
who didn't think to bring extra oil for their lamps.

He says, "Be a compassionate neighbor to everyone,"
and then tells a story about an unjust landowner
who pays workers the same amount for different
hours of work, saying, "Can't he do as he wants 
with what is his?"

And this in direct contradiction to the terms
of justice established by Abraham with his question 
to God, "Shall not the judge of the universe do right?"

It is all too contrary to worry with trying to figure out!

My recommendation is to
live out of your own authority,
squaring yourself with your own
determination of right and wrong,
so that you are a light to yourself,
aligned and in sync with yourself,
true to yourself and transparent
to who you are and how you live,
and let that be that.

If you can do better than that,
by all means, do it!

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