Introductions!

[rmcdra]

ZenPigeon89

Robert: There's no reason to try to undertake Buddhism if you don't even know about it yet, anyway. If you were to follow it with no knowledge, that wouldn't even just be blind-faith, that would actually be impossible. lol I, too, used to be Agnostic, then Atheist, but Buddhism was a religion I always respected (since there is no deity in most followings of Buddhism). I found myself really looking for some direction after my best friend's mom started getting me into a lot of spirituality. I began meditating, which kind of lead me to it. She bought me a pendant, which was a Dragon and a Phoenix and was part of the company's "Siddhartha" collection. A little research and some meditation later and I became a Buddhist! But I digress, you don't have to be a Buddhist to follow the morals and whatnot. You can practice the Dharma and still be as Gnostic as you want. lol Welcome, my friend. Namaste.

Thank you for your warm welcome. It was my dissatisfaction with blind faith that led me to Gnosticism so I understand what you mean. Though I use a common and similar mythos to Christianity in my particular path, I have views that are heretical to traditional Christianity. I would rather base my views on what is there and understand why they came to that image than be content (or rather discontent) with the image presented.  

[- Tasogare no Arashii -]

Thank you very much ZenPidgeon for welcoming me into the guild. I see! May I ask a question please? What does Namaste means?  

[SkaPigeon89]

Robert: One thing I think you will like about Buddhism is one quote in particular. Thus I have read, "Do not do as I have simply out of respect for me. Try my teachings for yourself, and if they do not suit you, do not follow them."

Arashii: Namaste means many things. It is a Hindi word that, generally, means hello. It is also a way of saying "I recognize and respect the light/spirit/energy within you, as it is the same light/spirit/energy that is within myself." And it is almost always accompanied with a bow.  

[RafiCat]

Hi, my name is Rafi. I was raised an agnostic. I became interested in Buddhism about 26 years ago when a coworker told me about it. I actually joined, but then moved to the desert where I couldn't find anyone else who was buddhist. So I don't know that much about it, though I'm very interested - life (in the form of my daughter ) intervened and I shelved it for these many years. I have always been interested in spiritual matters, from a very early age, and I look forward to interesting discussions here.  

[Sean Banned -Mob City-]

Hello, I'm Andrew. I became a Buddhist a few weeks ago when my friends started judging me. Christians let religion rule their lives, and I decided not to be a part of that. I'm a Mahayana Buddhist, because I believe everyone can reach enlightenment.  

[SkaPigeon89]

Rafi: Yes, it is quite difficult to practice when you have no source of information around you. Practicing is much easier with a sangha, but not all of us have access to it. I think you will find that you can learn much of what you want to know here. Welcome and namaste, my new sister!

Andrew: Did you become a Buddhist BECAUSE your friends were judging you? Buddhism is the biggest part of my life and I think about it all the time. I love my religion and am very devout. If we have a religion, we should let it guide us, but perhaps you meant "rule their lives" in a different sense. I am a fellow Mahayana Buddhist, but more specifically, Zen. Welcome and namaste, my new brother!

A big welcome to both of you, my new brother and sister in Dharma!  

[Viceroy Adrian]

Hello everyone, on Gaia my name is Gefenier Cifer. I do not like my real name, so I will not talk about it. I think I am one of the youngest in the Guild sweatdrop I am 15 and live in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. I was raised Protestant, but believe in Non Denominational Christianity. From the '5 Minute Introduction To Buddhism' article, I am torn between Buddhism and Confucianism as my philosophical views [Before looking into Buddhism I considered myself a Henotheistic Confucian Christian so after I looked into it I don't know which suits me more since they seem very much close other then Buddhism being more popular and known]. I became interested about 4-8 months ago and am here to learn more about it. Xem ya [See ya]  

[SkaPigeon89]

Welcome Gefenier!
I, too, was a non-denominational Christian at one point in my life.
I haven't looked into Confucianism very much, but what I did learn about it seemed very intriguing.
Also, no one said you have to practice just one or two religions. If three will suit you, then take it on! lol It is possible to follow the Buddhist path without becoming a Buddhist. You are very much welcome to visit our guild/sangha as much as you want. After all, it IS a guild for everyone, not just Buddhists. Welcome! And I hope your stay is fruitful in the knowledge you seek. Namaste!  

[Viceroy Adrian]

ZenPigeon89

Welcome Gefenier!
I, too, was a non-denominational Christian at one point in my life.
I haven't looked into Confucianism very much, but what I did learn about it seemed very intriguing.
Also, no one said you have to practice just one or two religions. If three will suit you, then take it on! lol It is possible to follow the Buddhist path without becoming a Buddhist. You are very much welcome to visit our guild/sangha as much as you want. After all, it IS a guild for everyone, not just Buddhists. Welcome! And I hope your stay is fruitful in the knowledge you seek. Namaste!

Thanks ~.^  

[SeuYang]

i don't like my name, so my name is divi.
i'm 17, and i found out about this philosophy/religion at a young age.
about 5 years ago, i realized i was living a lie, and since then i've been searching through Buddha's teachings.

Even though it's been 5 years, i'd say i'm still inexperienced.
i came here to learn and be surrounded by more open individuals.  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

For security reasons I don't give out my real name online, but I'm well known as Shadow and Kilo. You may call either of those. I am over eighteen and engaged to Lenallie(that's her username, I don't give out her real name either).

I became interested in Buddhism at the same time I was learning about Taoism and Shinto. I am a Christian and by no means an expert in any one religion, but I enjoy learning more about all four of the belief systems listed here.

In just a couple weeks I will be in the National Guard of America as an MP(Military Police) and as soon as possible I will be transferring to the Air Force while attending a college and taking AFROTC. The AFROTC program will prepare me to be an officer in the Air Force and that is my goal. This will be my career until I'm to old to perform my duties efficiently, at which point I will retire and live out the rest of my life running a small shop with my wife. This is all assuming everything goes as planned.

If anyone would like to know anything else about me, all you have to do is ask. I'm happy to share anything I know about anything I study and am willing to tell anything about myself that can not be used to put myself nor anyone I know at risk.

Any information I withhold is nothing personal nor do I intend to insult anyone, but when I have kids I wouldn't want them giving out such information and I believe in leading by example.  

[PKMN Trainer Coral]

Like Kilo, I will not give out my real name for similar reasons however, due to my past username you may call me Books. Actually, if you can find a decent way to shorten this username by all means go for it but, if not Books will do.

I became interested in Buddhism when I realized that most of the religions I encountered were a big blame game. Although that may not have been the intention, they all blamed someone else for the problems of the world. Inevitably, if you blame someone else you feel no responsibility to fix what they've supposedly messed up. In the end, they all had someone to blame, usually some figure of ultimate evil.

In Buddhism, I hadn't seen that. Instead, I saw many core values that I agree with and have found to be true. Now, I don't claim my devotion to Buddhism quite yet but, maybe in time I will learn the ways. :]

I am Nineteen and my chief concern is to learn how not to reflect hate on hate. That is, I want to achieve Absolute Tolerance and be able to unbiasedly determine a solution when someone who is willing to change seeks it.  

[SeuYang]

It's nice to meet you both, Kilo and Pro.
[I hope you like my version of shortening your name.]
surprised

You guys seem pretty interesting.  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

Thank you, Wintendo, and it's nice to meet you too.  

[Chieftain Twilight]

ya know, i don't think i actually formally introduced myself here yet... i appologize for that, i didn't mean to forget...

anyway, my name is Zachery. i'm not a Buddhist, or affiliated with any religion per say... i follow a personal ecclectic Spiritual path. my major influences are Shinto, Cherokee Shamanism, Chaos Magic, Hinduism, Druidism and some Islamic and Zen Buddhist influences. however, i take from anything i agree with.

my personal practice is that whenever i encounter some new idea, i compare it to everything i have ever learned or even encountered. even if it doesn't fit, i keep it in my mind. i will compare any new idea i encounter with it as well as everything. i decide in that way what i believe, and leave myself always open to new ideas.

i am here to learn about Buddhism, and to interact with Buddhists. it is similar to the time i spent researching wicca, the time i spent going to a christian church, the time i spent hanging out with Muslims, etcetera. i am "traveling" spiritually, and learning through interaction and experience.