Happy Atheist Forum

Getting To Know You => Laid Back Lounge => Topic started by: atheist on October 07, 2011, 04:59:42 PM

Title: Did you know that Steve Jobs was actually a Buddhist//thought he was an atheist
Post by: atheist on October 07, 2011, 04:59:42 PM
I mean i was almost sure after i watched his college speech video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
and that was really inspiring,
now what the heck...wait..is he religious
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_jobs    look there in the frame below his income,it says he was a Buddhist =((
,wow i mean he was my idol but if he is a buddist(religious) all his speech makes no sense !!
That's kinda disappointing for me because he used to be my idol,just one super successful atheist man who did everything on his ow,why does it always have to be this way ?!
Title: Re: Did you know that Steve Jobs was actually a Buddhist//thought he was an atheist
Post by: KingPhilip on October 07, 2011, 06:30:46 PM
Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion. I know a Buddhist/Atheist myself.
Title: Re: Did you know that Steve Jobs was actually a Buddhist//thought he was an atheist
Post by: xSilverPhinx on October 07, 2011, 07:24:00 PM
As far as I know, Buddhism doesn't require gods in their equation but don't deny them either. Sort of like de facto atheists unless professing a belief in a god or gods, I guess.
Title: Re: Did you know that Steve Jobs was actually a Buddhist//thought he was an atheist
Post by: Velma on October 07, 2011, 10:51:19 PM
It depends on what sort of Buddhist he was.  From what I've read, most of the Western forms of Buddhism dispense with gods making them atheistic even though many of them still include teachings about karma and rebirth.  However, given that Buddhism (like Catholicism) adapted to and absorbed the local culture as it spread, incorporating local gods and goddesses, there are forms that have a large set of deities or supernatural beings.  From the Wikipedia article, it appears he was a Zen Buddhist, which has no deities.