Secular Buddhist

"Words like truth, spirituality, faith, and other similar words mean different things to someone who was raised in a 21st century Judeo-Christian western society vs what the author meant when using that word centuries before half way around the world. The Buddhist or Eastern understanding of these words and concepts can be quite different from what we Westerners typically understand them to mean. So it will be helpful to start out by explaining what many of these common concepts mean when used in the context of Buddhist teachings. By understanding the meaning of the words now, we will grasp them more effectively later when we hear them being used in the explanations of Buddhist philosophy and concepts. Oftentimes, these words can trigger negative emotions or feelings for the secular-minded.

I struggled with some of these concepts myself when I was first studying Buddhism. In the experience of searching for Chris (the man), I simply couldn’t see Chris (the woman, the real Chris. So it was with trying to understand words like faith from a secular and/ or Buddhist standpoint while struggling with the more traditional, religious, and/ or Western definition I had for faith. It’s alright if some of these words are difficult to hear at first, and even if they trigger you a bit. Take your time in exploring them, and be kind to yourself if and when they bring up difficult feelings. I only ask that you be open to understanding these terms through the Buddhist lens, since they will create some of the mental foundation for understanding secular Buddhism and using it to remove your own arrows."

-- Noah Rasheta, Secular Buddhist