Religion #2

[Indadhanu]

Well, I've red through 19 pages of threads.

I am a Buddhist... associated with a majorly Mahayanan Tibetan temple/monastery, so don't really know where I fit in this conversation... so I haven't said anything, as I'm not sure where exactly I would fit.... it does seem to be very focus on Christianity and a belief God. But I was really excited about a religion thread because I really love (respectfully) discussing religion. All religions, as I have always been interested, and learnt a lot when trying to work out where exactly I fit in the scheme of faith and spirituality.

But I really don't have a lot to contribute I guess, but I really wanted to say I'm extremely impressed by the compassion and tolerance everyone has displayed I've never seen a more civilised and open-minded conversation about religion!!!!!

I guess I can say a few things... I studied science for 3 years at uni before deciding I was interested, but not enough to want to work (lol, yep, 3 years) and didnt really major but dabbled in chemistry, biology, and biomedical science.

Science really helps compliment my faith... I think they don't have to be separate. For me they are interrtwined, and it actually deepened my faith even more. I learnt a lot about evolution, and I believe in evolution, it seems to work (in my mind) and makes more sense than creationism (again, thats just what I believe).

As for which festival/celebration I enjoy most... I enjoy them all... but I especially like Visakah Puja, which is the Buddha's Birthday Celebration (first full moon in May). Lots of fun!

Buddhist have a lot of holy days though. Most of them, bar a few, and about prayer, meditation, and listening to talks about the Dharma and other scriptures. We give offerings to the temple/moanstery, or to the needy, and sometimes we feast.
I am struggling to name any that officially involve giving gifts .... oh, Magha Puja, or Sangha, Day you can give gifts sometimes...

Ummmm..... we have holy days, a few each week, that depend on the lunar calendar, but they aren't like celebrations... more like a Christian going to Church for Sunday or somethng like that. 3/4 Precept days, and 4 Puja days. Which are about prayer and meditation, and preept days are reaffirmation of faith (basically).

Well, I'll stop rambling... I found something to contribute!

Oh, I forgot to mention... in addition to holy days each month, we have inauspicious days... like...
days where we can't strt a new business activity, no community events, no funerals, cremations, memorias or wakes, no inviting guests for a party, no starting to build a ew house, no medical procedures, no weddings, and also unfavourable days combining Earth, Air, Water and Fire elements...

Its not exactly "law", but more like guidelines... Though I like to keep them.
It does make doing assisted conception difficult!!! Especially since no medical procedures on days 4, 8, 11, 15, 18,22,25,29 of every Tibetan month... The IUI hasn't fallen on it yet, so it habn't been an issue...!!!!!