ly different. But in their deepest spirit I find no difference. They are interdependent. Buddhism has had a strong influence on some Christian theologians and vice versa: there are priests and pastors who have influenced Buddhism. Both influences have been profound. In essence, it comes down to one and the same religion” (What are, 1999, 1).
As opposed to Buddhists, Christians profess belief in Jesus as the Christ, the human incarnation of the Holy Father who redeemed man from sin through his death on the cross, setting up the all important Christian trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The precepts and lifestyle of Christianity is based on the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament was written by prophets who predicted the coming of a Messiah. Jesus was seen by his followers as the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets. The New Testament houses the four Gospels covering the events of Jesus’ life. Love, kindness and humility are key concepts of Christian faith, and the supreme tenet is a belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God. Christianity professes redemption from sin and eternal life after death in the kingdom of God for all those who accept Christ into their hearts and lives. Jesus taught of God’s redeeming love for all of mankind, the crucial importance of repentance and the duty of the individual to God and all mankind. Similar to the Eightfold Path to Righteousness, Christians profess a lifestyle in accordance with the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, allegedly delivered to Moses directly from the mouth of God. These commandments are still at the core of Christianity, to the point of recent debates concerning posting them in public schools. They include:
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
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