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This post has been altered and more text added. I think it is more stream lined now.

Although now a new issue is that the question is too broad. It has multiple questions and some of them seem heavy to answer.

Should this post be reopened or remain closed?

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3 Answers 3

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In a comment the OP wrote,

I tried to make the question narrower. Hope that makes it conformimg to the rules.

It seems to me that this site doesn't have many rules; but one of those few rules is that the question must be about Buddhism.

Is this question exactly (only) 50% about Buddhism? Earlier question have been slightly asymmetrical:

  • Can a Buddhist practice Christianity?
  • Can a Christian practice Buddhism?

Because of their asymmetry, each of those questions can be answered from a primarily Buddhist point of view.

IMO some problems with the current question include:

  • Because the OP doesn't explain their motive for asking the question, therefore you can't guess what additional information they might find useful in an answer, i.e. how to approach the question.

  • Because this question is symmetric between Buddhism and Catholicism; it might need as much expertise with Catholicism and with Buddhism to answer.

    An article like 'I wanted a faith that was deeper': Jesuit priest and Zen master with someone who is, allegedly, both a Jesuit priest and a Zen roshi implies it's possible to make room for both in one's life ... but it's also easy to list ways in which (or to find quotes which prove) that they're incompatible ... so, who's right? What's worth saying on the subject?

  • The question is asking for "contradictions and inconsistencies".

    I don't know what the OP wants. Should I list the "top ten" ways in which Buddhism seems to contradict Catholicism or vice versa? Is it worth mentioning any ways in which they're similar, or even any ways in which they're compatible?

  • In this comment Andrei wrote,

    A bad question is inclined toward flamewars.

    He was talking about discussions of "C versus Pascal" as a programming language; but by analogy was talking about discussions which put "one school of Buddhism versus another". If "one school versus another" shouldn't be asked because it's not "inclined towards" useful answers then IMO the same is true for "one religion versus another".

I wish I could suggest how to improve the current question (but I can't, I don't know how to).

The current answer quotes the Buddha's distinguishing Buddhism from a faith-based God-worshipping religion. Is that a good answer to the question, is that all it takes to answer the question?

That simple answer generated 10 comments between two people. Maybe this a question that's better suited for a discussion forum than for a Q+A forum. In any case I'm not in a hurry to reopen the question as-is:

  • It's already been more-or-less answered in the dozens of previous questions which those tags
  • It's only 50% about Buddhism
  • It encourages discussion not answers
  • It requires expertise which various users of this forum aren't likely to have (e.g. the Jesuit priest I mentioned above presumably knows vastly more about Catholicism than you or I do)
  • It's biased towards incompatibility (asking about incompatibility without asking about compatibility)
  • It might be better if it were different somehow, but I don't know what changes to suggest (because I don't know why the OP is asking, whether they're read those earlier questions and answers, how much or what if anything they know already about Buddhism and/or Catholicism, etc.)
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    Thank you for a comprehensive answer! Just the info i needed. I agree with you on several points, especially the 50% buddhism aspect, that it has answers in many more questions, that it's difficult to know what OP wants in an answer and most importantly the question tends towards discussion which our forum is not suited for. Based on the above i will review the question to be "remained closed".
    – user2424
    Commented Jun 30, 2015 at 15:35
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I think I'm on the permissive side when it comes to questions but I would personally vote to reopen this question. I'm a supporter of questions and I've argued for them here. I think there are valid questions to be asked and the contradictions between Christianity and Buddhism is a fair topic that will have definite answers. I have to say that the number of comments on the only answer is concerning but there have been many questions where people get a bit chatty on the comments (then are moved over to chat itself).

That said I'm not going to really argue for this one. I respect Chris's answer and it is typically well argued. Unfortunately as a mod my vote is binding so I'm unable to vote to reopen without it being very undemocratic. If I wasn't a moderator and had a normal vote I would vote to reopen this one.

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  • Would you personally be able to answer the question, answer it well, if it were open? My main reason for closing it was that IMO it wouldn't attract good answers (or that user5380's answer might be sufficient already). For example I thought Ryan's comment about faith was more Protestant than Catholic, but I'd like to avoid debating Catholic doctrine on this site: I think that subject is off-topic. I respect what you say about a binding vote. Unless you can answer it yourself, let's see what other people say, and whether anyone else posts here to explain how they might answer it.
    – ChrisW Mod
    Commented Jun 30, 2015 at 20:49
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I asked this question to know what fundamental difficulties arise when someone decide to keep its religion while adhere to the Buddhism. Or is it possible at all to accept both teachings.

For an example, A Muslim must sacrifice a sheep in the sake of God. while killing a sheep is against the Buddha teachings. then one might say it is impossible to be Muslim and Buddhist at the same time.

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