beliefs

"One's life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation and compassion."

"I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for truth - and truth rewarded me."

I've been having a fetish for Simone de Beauvoir and her "life long partner" Jean Paul Sartre.

...

I am brought up in Anglican kindergarten and primary school in Hong Kong, while I have taken up weekly Buddhist meditation practice in the U.S.. Recently a friend asked me how I reconcile my Christian religious faith and Buddhist philosophy. The incongruence he saw are Christianity's focus on eternity/ afterlife versus Buddhism's "nothing is permanent," and Christianity's "everything has meaning" versus Buddhism's "nothing has inherent value." This is along the lines of what I wrote him:

I'm not doctrinal. I feel the power of God's presence -- I feel grasped by faith, if I can borrow Paul Tillich's words in "Dynamics of Faith." At the same time, I also feel present at dharma practice. I like the "feel" for the Christian religion and Buddhist philosophy; they both represent a way of life for me. Perhaps, all encompassingly, I'm more of a Unitarian. Hmm, I also dislike categories, because they don't seem to allow grey areas.

However, that doesn't tell the whole story of how I have come to accept that "feel." I have agonized over not attending Sunday services my first year at Exeter, and this year I have taken on the responsibility as proctor to make my meditation practice regular. Through a religion course, "Personhood and Belief," I have come to think more objectively about psychology and philosophy. Having read a bit on Existentialism on my own, I try to make sure that I do not blindly following my instincts and am conscious of my thoughts and decisions.