Outline:
1) Summary of the story, problem, and solution contained within Buddhism.
2) How trusting in God solves the same problem.
3) Advantages to Gods way.
Buddhism was created in response to a problem. I don't think even the Buddhists (particularly the Mahayana Buddhists) would disagree with this. The problem was pain and suffering. Buddha, raised and cloistered in a palace, saw four terrible things when he ventured out. Povery, sickness, age, and death I think.
He then spend a lot of time thinking, and came up with this (paraphrased) solution: Suffering is caused by desire. Eliminate suffering by eliminating desire.
Suffering, they (rightly, I think) say is different from pain. If you break your leg, that's pain. If you feel miserable now because you can't behave like a normal person, that's suffering. You suffer because you want something: to be like a normal person.
The Buddhist general solution is to desire nothing. You meditate and clear your mind of all thinking, and all desire. Their biggest symbol is the great empty circle. The world, in truth, is nothing. Rid yourself of all the delusions of chasing after the world. If you don't care about the world, you won't suffer.
I agree.
2) Reminder: the problem to be solved is of povery, sickness, age, death, pain, etc and how to not suffer from the inevitable. Gods solution for us, unlike Buddhism, is not to say that those things don't matter, but to say things like:
"I am stronger, trust in me." (Psalms 62:11-12)
"In the end I will make it all pass away, and I will give you unending joy." ("I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18)
"I am all you need. These afflictions, these things taken away from you are only my gifts. Cling to me, not my gifts."
See, having God at the center of our lives (a good, loving God) lets us be, in a way, independent of our worldly afflictions. Your legs may get broken, but nothing limits God (Luke 1:37), so he can use you to accomplish greater works than even normal people if he wants. (1 Cor 1:27). If you have chronic pain, persevere, for this lifetime is but a breath, and the rewards for perseverance are infinite. (Revelation: many of the letters to the Churches end in "To him who overcomes, I will give... things like authority over nations, or freedom to eat from the tree of life, or...)
Buddhism escapes suffering by not caring, God saves us from suffering by being stronger than all of it.
3) Let us consider the advantages two possible truths of Christ/God and Buddhism. (I do this often but don't explicity say so.) Simple functional advantages lie with God, or rather, do NOT lie in Buddhism. See, if I don't care whether or not I am in pain (Buddhism), I will do nothing to stop it. To normal people, this is silly.
I need to say: Other religions and Buddhism especially do plently of work to alleviate pain and suffering. Buddhists are well known for this. This behavior, however, does not seem to follow from their beliefs. (I discussed this with a Mahayana Buddhist monk/teacher person). However, I generally deal with what people believe, not what they do, because that is the area where I am gifted.
With God in the picture as Lord, I am able to recognize and deal with pain and suffering without letting it plunge me into desperation. I know that God WILL eventually wipe away all pain and I am having fun joining him in the endeavor.
