Sky,
Can you explain exactly what it is that Buddhist Christians believe? Maybe that will help us to understand whether they are followers of Christ or not.
For all that I know, they are 'Buddhist Christians' like there are 'American Christians', who have allegience to Christ and to their country... I am not saying this is true, just that I don't have enough information to make a decision. I do know that some Native American Indian tribes that have Christians among them have a hard time differentiating between worship of nature and God, and tend to entertwine the beliefs.
What I know of Buddhists, however, is their belief in reincarnation and 'nirvana'. From my understanding, they believe that people die over and over until they finally reach a perfect kind of living, and when they die after that, they go to a place of nirvana, an eternal nothingness- void of everything.
That directly contradicts the Bible-
Hebrews 9: 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
John 14: 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Also, if reincarnation were valid, how could Jesus meet up with Elijah and Moses at the transfiguration? Matthew 17:1-13
How could Jesus be raised from the dead as Himself? He was recognizable as Himself, not as another person, a bug or an animal.
Some who believe in reincarnation quote that God said that Elijah would return, which he did in the form of John the Baptist. Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 11: 13-14. If that's all the info we had, that would be something. However, this issue gets cleared up. John the Baptist was asked if he was Elijah returned:
John 1: 19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."
22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"
Believing that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, this tells me that John the Baptist is not Elijah back in the flesh.
I would appreciate more information, however, on anything you may wish to share about the Buddhist Christians.