Book Review: Living Buddha, Living Christ
             Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh is a
             book that converges the ideas of Christianity and Buddhism.
             I chose to analyze this book because I am Christian, and in
             class I have observed similarities and differences between
             the two religions. Growing up Catholic I did not always
             agree with what I was taught or how I was supposed to look
             at Jesus and God. I always had a guilty conscience, because
             I am a sinner and Jesus died for me, and all other sinners.
             There is pressure put on Catholics to live this high
             standard that God has set for them to be allowed into
             Heaven. Catholicism is a very strict and rigid religion.
             Everything is carved in stone, cut and dry, black and white,
             and no questions are to be asked. If one lives life as a
             sinner and does not seek forgiveness he or she will be
             rejected at the gates of Heaven and sent directly to Hell.
             If one commits a sin he or she is to fear God's punishment,
             and when something goes wrong God is punishing. The
             perspective I have taken on life in the Catholic view is
             that life is one's way of repaying Christ/God for their
             sacrifice and gift of an undeserved life. Live life purely
             I have stepped away from the Catholic church to attend
             a Non-denominational Christian church. Here, I have been
             able to grow spiritually more than I did growing up
             Catholic. Within this church I feel more accepted because
             it is more open to the perspectives of God and life. In
             church it is recognized that some people do struggle and
             question God, His actions, and His existence. Going to
             Catholic church there was never any room for questions or
             thought. Everything was laid down and if a person did not
             believe or understand the Catholic way then he or she was
             wrong in everything they did and was an insult to God. From
             going to Christian church I have realized that life is a
             gift f...