Posted: Feb 07, 2021 8:51 pm
I accepted a version of Buddhism at one time, and was more recently asked by a Buddhist relative why I had changed my mind, so I had to think about it.
For me, the key point is that Buddhism does claim the existence of supernatural, human-like powers in the universe that respond to our actions. For example, if someone kills something then (according to that version of Buddhism) they are further from Nirvana, and it takes a supernatural power to recognise the action and enforce that response. This is theism without inessential trappings such as beard and thunderbolts.
My relative had been taking the line that Buddhism is not theistic and is compatible with science, which may be entirely irrelevant to your possible debate.
For me, the key point is that Buddhism does claim the existence of supernatural, human-like powers in the universe that respond to our actions. For example, if someone kills something then (according to that version of Buddhism) they are further from Nirvana, and it takes a supernatural power to recognise the action and enforce that response. This is theism without inessential trappings such as beard and thunderbolts.
My relative had been taking the line that Buddhism is not theistic and is compatible with science, which may be entirely irrelevant to your possible debate.