Jesus E-mails and Spiritual Materialism

A friend who has known me for some time now sent me a Jesus slide show through e-mail today.

I know he meant well as I am used to his attempts at convert me.

But, being Buddhist makes the people not familiar with this philosophy, simply dismiss it as if I were not a form of spirituality. Slowly, it is starting to get to me....

Ironically, I don't think there is anything more at odds with most religions than being a spiritual materialist.

You've met them....

They pronounce their religion by the hour as if it would disappear if they did not bring it up.

They compare and contrast your spirituality to theirs constantly for it's all essentially a contest. And, it's imperative for them to constantly criticize others' spirituality in order to feel superior.

I need to figure out a better way to deal with these situations in which I unsuspectingly get swept up on some defense-of-Buddhism conversation every time I run into someone who does not respect it as a form of spirituality. It's time I stop cowering at these "attacks" and stand up for myself verbally.

Seems simple enough....you respect my religion and I respect yours. Right? WRONG!

Yet, just the other day, a man in his late 30's comes around dropping off advertisements for various construction tasks he could do in your home and in attempts to get information he starts up a conversation. At some point in the conversation he claims he is a "god-fearing man", he pronounces that he goes to church every Sunday and asks me, "Don't you believe in Jesus, the Savior". I hardly begin to explain that I'm a Buddhist and the man proceeds to attack me verbally with "Did Buddha die on the cross for you?.....NO!". I felt like a teenager getting a lecture for my mom for trying to dye my hair....."a phase, simply a phase she would say". Needless to say, we will not EVER be hiring him, but what shamelessness to come to my house, knock on my door and disrespect me!

Essentially my belief is non belief.

What I mean by non-belief is I do not feel a need or a fear to ritualize my practice in order to feel god's presence.

I most absolutely believe in a higher power.....You only need to be around anything beautiful to truly know deep inside that a higher being created all this.......

Yet, I do not believe god lives in a church, god is everywhere, in all beings.

I proudly do not go to church. I would love the socialization and community church provides, and that's about it.

My relationship with my maker and is within and I care not how others are spiritual.

I do not care to ever convince or convert others of my set of beliefs for I think people resonate to the religion they are in due to their specific life needs....

I absolutely do not believe God is a fearful, vengeful or jealous God.....those are weak human manifestations....

I do not think God could be described in words...

Last, and most important of them all, I feel one could find spiritual meaning and growth through reading even secular books. Books have saved my life and repaired my sanity....most of my most influential books were not religious in nature.....God IS everywhere....not just in church, and not JUST in the bible...

So I still don't know how to approach these people....Maybe the answer lies in understanding...they are happy and proud in their religion and want to share the joy they feel in it....Looking at their "attack" as just an misguided invitation would help me address the issue in a more civil manner. My hubby suggests I should be as honest as they are and share the joy I feel in my beliefs without the regard to their rudeness or initial disinterest. I see now how in trying to no step on their beliefs I totally disregard mine and it's interpreted as me not having any beliefs....So there.....be yourself, without shame...speak about my beliefs as openly as they talk about theirs....who knows, they might learn a little about me.