I assume the popular and ‘fundie’ Christian package being sold to Tiger Woods from those like St. Hume of Fox (i.e., Brit Hume of Fox News) is if you believe in Jesus, through faith alone, his atoning blood will wash your sins away permanently. So why struggle with Buddhism? Switch—’cause Buddhism is hard! Become a Christian and enjoy eternal salvation on the cheap.
Let me further add, that if Tiger professes his belief in Jesus there is nothing more required of him after this—and certainly not good works! By means of faith alone, God will not only erase all of Tiger's past sins but will not see any of his future sins.
Put even more simply, according to Southern Baptist Christians like Dr. Charles Frazier Stanley, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta, when you receive Christ’s atonement, based on faith alone, God is purblind to your sins. You can still sin, but it is not real sin. (Such salvation almost amounts to a license to commit evil.)
Sounds like a great deal—no more sin or error—which, incidentally, is probably the reason why many Americans are flocking to Christian mega churches. I am sure this is the way St. Hume of Fox looks at Christianity and everything he does, as a Christian. But of such Christianity, I can say it is just repackaged antinomianism and thus, heretical, according to most sober Christians.
My advice to Christians like those who look up to St. Hume of Fox is antinomianism is the wrong path. If you don’t believe me, then read The Epistle of James, especially note this pericope which says, “faith (pistis) without works (ergon) is dead (nekra)” (2:20). Indeed, no salvation in Christianity is possible through faith alone. This is religion on the cheap.
I should mention that faith in Buddhism (shraddha) is somewhat different than in Christianity. It is less about belief or conviction and has more to do with achieving metanoia which ties in with the awakening of Mind (bodhicitta). This faith, because it is the immediacy of the Mind of Thusness still needs to be worked out or the same, perfected (paramita). It is like seeing through a glass darkly eventually, over time, seeing clearly. Or the same, it is like seeing the moon hidden behind some clouds. Final verification comes when the clouds part and the moon is seen in an of itself, devoid of clouds.
For those on the Buddhist path, faith and its perfection are not easy. There is no cheap and easy salvation in Buddhism like there is in popular Christianity. It takes a lot of work to awaken faith and even more work to perfect it. If Buddhism has works (ergon) they involve the Bodhisattva striving to perfect Mind to the level of Buddhahood.
What Christians like St. Hume of Fox are really doing to their religion is a scandal. Tiger Woods would fare no better in a real Christian tradition where works are required—not just faith. Instead of a failed Buddhist, he would become another failed Christian with no chance of forgiveness—although with St. Hume’s help he might delude himself into believing that Jesus has washed his sins away and he has eternal life!
Comments