Free Buddha and Jesus: Could Solomon Be the Missing Link? by R. E. Sherman

to those I have toward people who dabble in Christianity. I bite my tongue, and it hurts terribly.
    The media has long presented Buddhism in glowing terms, almost as if its followers were above the foibles common to all people. We have seen in this book that Buddhists are susceptible to scandal and corruption, just as followers of Christianity, or indeed any religion, are. Comprehending that is healthy. It provides a necessary grounding in reality.
    One way of wrapping up this book is to recap the strengths and weakness of Buddhism and Christianity. Each has many strengths, yet with each one is a corresponding, related weakness. We summarize all this for each religion in turn.
    Buddhism: Strengths and Weaknesses
    Self-Improvement. Buddhism provides a mechanism for self-improvement. However, as with all self-improvement systems, actually producing major change is, at best, a very slow process.
    No Need for God. Buddhism frees the individual to develop spiritually without having to submit to some Higher Power. However, treating God as extraneous or irrelevant presents its own risks. Shouldn’t God be the natural source of strength on which people can draw in order to grow and change? Avoiding that source could well undermine any substantive efforts to improve as a person. Further, if a personal God exists who cares about peopleand desires to relate to them, then shunning such a God leaves one vulnerable to whatever responses God may have to those who ignore his existence and role in human affairs.
    A Mind Trip. Buddhism appeals to highly intelligent, very disciplined people. However, the very elements that make it appealing to such people also make it inaccessible to those with normal attention spans and mental discipline. In this sense, it is a very narrow way.
    Charting a Path. Buddhism gives the aspirant the opportunity to chart his or her own path. However, the path the aspirant chooses may not be a wise one. Also, it not unusual for self-made people to suffer from arrogance.
    Liberation from Suffering. Buddhism seeks to liberate its aspirants from the misery caused by their desires and attachments. Yet, the antidote offered is to seek to destroy the notion that each person has a soul.
    Self-Denial. Buddhism requires a commitment to practicing self-denial, and this can lead to greater happiness. On the other hand, the necessity of repeated periods of protracted deep meditation is daunting and difficult.
    Reincarnation and Karma. These Eastern beliefs provide a ready explanation for why bad things happen to people: You did something bad in a prior life (or in this life) and now you are paying for it. This view does have the benefit of seeming just, and it encourages good behavior in people. On the downside, there is no escaping the negative consequences of past misdeeds. Mercy, grace, and forgiveness (either from a personal God or from other people) are not available as a way of breaking free from the consequences of past negative actions.
    Truth Within. Buddhism teaches that real truth lies deep within, negating the need to seek outside counsel. The risk is that such a perspective leaves the aspirant quite vulnerable to self-delusion and the rationalization of moral choices that might be questionable, unwise, or immoral.
    Compassion. Buddhism stresses the need to exhibit compassion toward others. However, since such efforts are primarily a means to self-improvement, the compassion expressed can seem shallow.
    Adaptability. Buddhism facilitates and encourages getting enmeshed with different religions. In Asia Buddhists have incorporated elements of many indigenous religions, accepting a wide range of superstitions, occult beliefs, and practices. These practices include worship of idols, magic, sorcery, witchcraft, divination, animism, making sacrifices and offerings to various spirits, and occult sexual practices to accelerate progress toward enlightenment.
    Christianity: Strengths and Weaknesses
    Quick Conversion. In