Gnosticism and Buddhism

[eliyahu]

I am reading alot about Gnosticism and Buddhism here lately. My wife works with a man who claims to be an ex-Christian who now embraces some kind of Gnosticism. He gave me a book to read entitled "Life Transformed" by Leo Lefebure. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with Transformers (as I am a big fan). It is a drudgery to wade through. It respectfully and honestly brings some pretty good comparisons and contrasts between orthodox Christianity and the major streams of Buddhist philosophy. It thankfully does not attempt to actually synchronize them. In fact it shows clearly that such cannot truly be accomplished.
Does anyone have any particular on-line reading recommendations or advice that might help prepare me to meet with this man? I meet him Thursday to have dinner and specifically discuss spiritual things. I hope he is sincerely a truth seeker. He knows the basics of the Bible, I'm assuming. I have a new security job working 11 hours in front of computer screens and camera monitors. I have a lot of reading time. Whew!

[Richard Amiel McGough]

I am reading alot about Gnosticism and Buddhism here lately. My wife works with a man who claims to be an ex-Christian who now embraces some kind of Gnosticism. He gave me a book to read entitled "Life Transformed" by Leo Lefebure. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with Transformers (as I am a big fan). It is a drudgery to wade through. It respectfully and honestly brings some pretty good comparisons and contrasts between orthodox Christianity and the major streams of Buddhist philosophy. It thankfully does not attempt to actually synchronize them. In fact it shows clearly that such cannot truly be accomplished.

Does anyone have any particular on-line reading recommendations or advice that might help prepare me to meet with this man? I meet him Thursday to have dinner and specifically discuss spiritual things. I hope he is sincerely a truth seeker. He knows the basics of the Bible, I'm assuming. I have a new security job working 11 hours in front of computer screens and camera monitors. I have a lot of reading time. Whew!

Hey there Eliyahu,

I don't have any reading recommendations, but I do have some advice and I think this whole question is a great idea for a thread.

I think the most important thing when talking to folks who really are "seeking the truth" or at least "interested in spiritual things" as it appears this person must be, is to acknowledge and build upon whatever truth they recognize. We know that Christ is the Truth, so when we preach the Truth we are preaching Christ. Maybe not explicitly at first, but still, the Spirit of God abides in the Truth and the Truth will ultimately lead him to an explicit knowledge of the Lord. And besides, he may have lost his faith not in Christ so much as in false teachings he mistook for Christianity, or simple misunderstandings about what the Bible really teaches, or maybe he never really had the faith in the first place. Rather than "arguing" or "opposing" anything he says, I would begin with a genuine interest in his spiritual experience. Did he every really have faith in Christ? What was the nature of the faith that he professed? What was it that caused him to leave it? What is it about Gnosticism or Bhudhism that he finds appealing? There are a thousand very interesting questions to ask as you get to know each other.

And during that converstation, you will get a lot of information about where he is coming from and the Spirit of God will be able to guide your conversation.

Well, those are just some thoughts to get the conversation going.

Richard

[eliyahu]

Thanks a lot. I think that what you said is just right on. It is different to speak in person with someone than posting things on a forum back and forth. I really feel that I should try to know him as a person and discover where he is coming from and why he feels drawn to his type of spirituality before even beginning to challenge much of anything. God is after him for salvation and eternal communion, not after his philosophy or worldviews so nearly as much being that they are more by-products of our spiritual walk with God or lack of it. I can't expect anything out of just one meeting with someone. Although with God, anything is possible. I just pray that my wife and I can be a witness of Jesus unto this man in whatever way God would desire to reach out to him.

[deb]

BE VERY PRAYERFUL ELI. I have met many Gnostics and one Buddhist who were all former church members, at least one of them rival some of the most committed believers I've ever met in fervor for the Lord... before walking away. Remember that it is God's Spirit, not knowledge or logic that will lead them to faith... and you need to realize that they want you to see "truth" now that they have found it outside of faith. In my experience... FRIENDSHIP EVANGELISM DOES NOT WORK with such a person. They need the gospel, they have friends. Personally, after spending so much time with three in particular, I would LOVINGLY, RESPECTFULLY give the gospel and then be ready for the blast of why they left the church and the reasons they usually have for why the Bible itself cannot be trusted.

Keep a prayer partner
Keep the faith.
Keep your eye on the Lamb

[eliyahu]

Thanks a lot Deb, I will soberly consider this. Come to find out, we dont even know if he was ever a Christian. Chances are he was, but we will find out. I won't pull any punches. But I will be loving, sensative to the Spirit and receptive to him (not his false ideas) as a person. Where do all these Gnostics live?