> Christianity make it sound like you have to be perfectly clean and disciplined to be “enlightened”
Yes, it is true that the church often presents it this way. Which is odd, because the bible is almost always presenting the other case, that the person with the issue is the enlightened one.
For example, the bible lists 5 women who are in the geneology of Jesus. This includes a prostitute (Rahab), a Moabite (Ruth, and according to the bible marrying a moabite was punishable by death), and an adulteress (Bathsheba; she may have been innocent but this isn't clear).
Heck, even the idea of extending the blessing of God to the gentiles is sus. The gentiles are by definition unclean.
All of which could be seen as a way to highlight that "enlightenment" is due to the grace of god, not works of man. And yes, "enlightenment" means something very different in christianity vs buddhism.
Yes, it is true that the church often presents it this way. Which is odd, because the bible is almost always presenting the other case, that the person with the issue is the enlightened one.
For example, the bible lists 5 women who are in the geneology of Jesus. This includes a prostitute (Rahab), a Moabite (Ruth, and according to the bible marrying a moabite was punishable by death), and an adulteress (Bathsheba; she may have been innocent but this isn't clear).
Heck, even the idea of extending the blessing of God to the gentiles is sus. The gentiles are by definition unclean.
All of which could be seen as a way to highlight that "enlightenment" is due to the grace of god, not works of man. And yes, "enlightenment" means something very different in christianity vs buddhism.
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