Non-Judgement, Harmlessness

       A good person is a good person.  A bad person could have been a good one yesterday, or could be a good one tomorrow.   Why are they bad?  Are they causing suffering to others?  To us?  Are they different?  Why would different be bad if they weren't doing the other things?
       I don't think Christ was completely anti-judgement but I do think he was as far as mortals among themselves go.   How does one judge the enemy they are supposed to love?  I think true Christianity and original Buddhism overlap here.
       Charity, loving kindness, empathy, forgiving, these are virtues both schools of thought encourage.  The earnest Christian through love of Christ and his children (or brothers and sisters for Mormons)  practices these things.  The Buddhist upon realizing we are all connected, practices these things to relieve suffering which theoretically we all share in some way.
       It is the actions that make the person.  Good acts are good acts no matter the source.  One can get their morality through fear or love of a being, or one can develop morality for the point of doing good for the benefit of all that surrounds us.  If done in earnestness and respect, the end result is the same as far as the external results, and to a point, the inner as well depending on our tendencies.
      On the universal scale, who is qualified to judge?  For Christians this is ultimately Christ, who they believe created and runs the Universe.  Yes, I think his qualifications are good according to that standard.   On the side of the philosophy of "is" or the strictly observable, who indeed is qualified to ultimately judge?  I suppose dischord, and suffering will judge those who desire that which is not good.   These things also visit the mindful,  but the well practiced, theoretically will know how to let it pass and observe it as it goes or transforms into something we understand.
       People judge.  It's a natural tendency fueled quite often by desire.  A desire to build oneself up or put another down or dominate.  The judged and judge, both will return to atoms ultimately.  A little more harmony or peace in the universe spread by a good person who didn't get consumed in judging will leave behind something longer lasting I think.

Adversity, Diversity, Dukkha (Suffering)

     Today in Sacrament meeting there was a lot of talk of enduring through adversity.  Adversity, Sacrifice, long suffering,  these are terms that are bandied about.  I am fascinated by the ways that Christianity (and Mormonism as well) handles this as opposed to Buddhism.  Again,  I don't mean to suggest one is better than the other here,  the world is full of diversity in thought, color, culture, orientation,  you name it,  there is a vast collection of it.  To me this means not one thing is going to benefit everyone.  We are amazingly diverse in our intellect and what motivates us,  what makes us tick.  So I come to find that the term "Different Strokes for Different Folks"  is actually a very astute bit of wisdom.  So, indeed, the difference in the way suffering is handled between the two philosophies fascinates me.
     It was High Council Sunday and the speaker went into the Liberty Jail period for Joseph Smith.  I won't go into depth other than to say it is fascinating to hear things knowing that there are two sides to every story, Joseph Smith's included.  That's neither here nor there but the lamentation of Joseph set into the Doctrine and Covenants which lays out the hope that Joseph will be better off for his experience and obtain great rewards,  and his captors would be punished suitably lays out the position of hope during trials to one day have something better if we are faithful and good enough to stick with it,  have a good attitude, and keep towing the line so to speak.  This works for many,  and many is the person who has done great things in that hope.  Many is the person who finds the constant tasks and work fulfilling and rewarding to keep their mind strong in the face of trials.  I find, as in many things in my life, that I am a little different.  Sometimes this is good,  and sometimes this brings on uncomfortable situations as I find my perspective differs.  Enter Buddhism.
     Buddhism attacks this issue from the opposite end.  Suffering is not something to be endured,  but is something to be analyzed and processed.  Good and bad,  these are items that really have no meaning in the Buddhist perspective.  There is life, and there is suffering, Crap Happens.  Cycles come and go,  we process it all continually and work to minimize suffering for us and those around us.  There is a lot of emphasis on the mind in this process.   Right view,  right intention, right mindfulness, and right concentration, these make up half of the eight fold path.
     Christians use faith as the vehicle to hope that one day all will be right,  and Buddhists work on making today right through accepting that everything is connected and we deserve nothing.  We work on becoming able to handle life and work with, and accept what crap falls into our corner of the universe.  This is me.  I can no longer wait for deliverance or postpone my healing until some other entity is ready to make it all right.  It doesn't work that way for me.  It does for others though and I am happy for them.
     So, there is suffering.  Joseph Smith suffered.  How much of this was tied into his own desire is very much in the eye of the beholder.  Some hold onto faith in him.  This is fine.  Right or wrong there really is nothing we can do about him now.  If the church he founded works for some,  that is wonderful.  I suffer, I desire,  I judge, but I am working on releasing this.  I attempt to analyze the moments one by one.  For some, I understand and some are harder to catch.  I do find the value of letting go is very precious indeed.  To love those who find peace in a different belief, those who might disagree with my perspective, who life has blessed with a different one.  To accept the untold diverse pieces of the sentient universe who I am connected to.  To accept suffering, to understand it, and to let it pass.