Many Priests and ministers are also Buddhists

Why?

Because Buddhism is a philosophy from Christian Standards and not a religion. From a Christian point of view you need to believe in God to have it be a religion.

However, it is also true that Buddhism doesn't necessarily not believe in God either. It's more like Gautama Buddha felt that the emphasis shouldn't be upon whether God exists or not but rather upon the compassion we feel for ourselves and all others. By focusing attention on generating compassion for ourselves and all others we change our thoughts and feelings and behaviors and thereby become more peaceful and kind beings always helping others and ourselves to enlightenment.

By God's Grace

Note: It appears that even in Buddha's time people fought over what God or Gods people should believe in so because of this he emphasized compassion for others and for self instead as a way of eliminating wars and making people more kind and efficient in their kindness towards themselves and others.

In some ways Buddhism is seen in a similar way in India as Protestant Christianity is perceived by Catholics. In other words Buddhism is seen as an offshoot of Hinduism by many. Part of the reason for this is that Buddha was a Brahmin Prince, Siddhartha of the land of Lumbini on the border of India and Nepal 2500 years ago when he was alive. So, Buddhism coming from a Brahmin Prince is seen often as an offshoot of Hinduism and Brahmanism. And Brahmanism goes back at least 10,000 years.

Then some people think that Jesus took compassion and changed it into forgiveness for a middle Eastern Mind which created Christianity about 500 years after Buddha. So, from this point of view, Brahmanism led to Buddhism which led to Christianity. Some people view it like this.

What attracted me to Buddhism is Compassion. I found that Christianity sometimes leads to being overly critical and sometimes racist in one's thinking because of dualism of thought in that everything has to be seen as good or bad. But, from an adult perspective (not a childs) life as an adult is often not about good or bad but rather infinite shades of gray (instead of Black or white, good or bad). So, compassion is a better place to start than whether something is good or bad because you can have compassion for all life in the universe. But then you have to go to right mindful compassion which is figuring out the most efficient way to do good for yourself and all beings in the universe in any given moment.

By God's Grace

This following statement I have found to be very true in life:

"The spirit of the law gives life But the Letter of the Law only kills life."

Because of this I try to emphasize the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.

Besides, who of us but God is allowed to act on the letter of the law, anyway?

Because "Judge not lest ye be judged!" is a true statement too.

So, because of all this I would rather give life in the spirit of the law than take life because only God should be doing that anyway.

So, in my 20s I realized that compassion is the most powerful path of all, especially if you engage in right mindful compassion which is the most efficient kind to help yourself and all beings in the universe into enlightenment in the past, present and future.

By God's Grace