Posted on 11/28/2010 4:43:55 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Buddhism and Islam came off as the two “faith communities” to whom other Americans feel least warm, according to a Faith Matters survey of 2007. Robert Putnam and David Campbell ponder this in American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, which Sightings has visited twice before. Mormons come in third as a stimulator of “least warm” feelings among others. The authors comment that negative media attention hurts Mormons and Muslims, but “Buddhists do not get the same negative media attention” as do those two. So something else must account for the negative ratings of Buddhism.
Reach for your search engine, Google or otherwise, and ask “which religion is most peaceful?” Once you get past the answers of apologists-of course, Muslims think Islam is, and Christians think Christianity is-it’s clear that Buddhism is seen as most peaceful.
What gives? Read on in the polls and interviews and you will find that Buddhists are kept at a distance by some because they are at a distance from others. Buddhists profit from their distance. If familiarity breeds contempt against Muslims, unfamiliarity also does not help them or Buddhists. Despite this picture derived from those polls and interviews, one still has to ponder: Jews, Christians, and Muslims suffer in the media because their texts and traditions are often so warlike. Ask your friend who practices Buddhism why it does not suffer? Answer: Because its texts and traditions breed peace.
As an equal opportunity admirer and critic of the “faith communities” on this subject, I also have wondered how Buddhism gets its peaceful reputation. A review by Katherine Wharton of two books, Buddhist Warfare and The Six Perfections illuminates. Buddhist Warfare, says Wharton, “forms an accurate history of violence in the name of religion,” and cites sutras which shock, since they “justify killing with detailed reference to the Buddha’s central philosophical tenants. The book therefore presents a uniquely Buddhist ‘heart of darkness.’” Brian Victoria’s essay in The Six Perfections brings the issue to modern times: D. T. Suzuki (d. 1966), “the most influential proponent of Zen to the West in the twentieth century . . . gave his unqualified support to the ‘unity of Zen and the sword.’”
Between ancient and modern times, as another contributor to these symposia finds and cites, was Chinese monk Yi-hiuan, who urged his hearers to “kill everything you encounter, internally as well as externally! Kill the Buddha! Kill your father and mother! Kill your closest friends!”
In the eyes of many apologists and observers, the Buddhist concept of “emptiness” is, from a distance, a guarantor of peace, over against the fullness of Warrior-God texts in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But Wharton is convinced by these books that “emptiness” can and does also promote violence, and is not by itself the solution.
Now, why does Sightings, which keeps track of celebrations of peace and reconciliation, so often point to violence in texts and traditions? To give aid and comfort to “the New Atheists,” who solicit our aid in killing all religion(s) to assure peace? Hardly. To suggest that condemning Muslims (or specific others) because of the violence of some among them is unfair? Partly. Most important it is to provide a basis for hope for those who work on ecumenical or interfaith grounds and to point to the reconciliatory texts and work on the basis of them, but without illusions. Respondent publics agree that the religious texts point finally to shalom, peace, reconciliation. Their final promise deserves attention all along the way. The final word might come first.
References
David E. Campbell and Robert D. Putnam, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010).
Michael K. Jerryson and Mark Juergensmeyer, editors, Buddhist Warfare (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010).
Katherine Wharton, “Buddhists at war: The dark side of what is often thought to be the most peaceful of religions,” The Times Literary Supplement, September 29, 2010.
Dale S. Wright, The Six Imperfections: Buddhism and the Cultivation of Character (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009).
--- Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, upcoming events, publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com. Original Source: Sightings – A biweekly, electronic editorial published by the Marty Center at the University of Chicago Divinity School.
This verse refers to what the world's reaction to Christ, and by extension Christians, will be. Not how Christians should deal with the world. And, as with everything else, he was absolutely correct.
Uh? No.....nothing to do with peace. Rather believing they have no end to thier life or eternal consequences before God...Karma rules.
We are designed by our creater to worship...practicing Buddism before various idols is worship...of many Gods. Take your pick but if one does not worship God they are definately going to worship something or someone else. What I see in Buddists is they do become their own God..'it's all about self' enlightenment...me,myself and I. me ,and me.
Ridiculous statement. When you look at countries who practice Buddism it's clear their religion does little to advance them or their nation without outside intervention.
Dissociation...to the extreme.
There are no idols in Buddhist worship.
suggestion to you: Take a “basic religions “ course so at least you can understand what you are critizing...
the lack of basic knowledge of religions among many Freepers...is astounding!!!
One would think that if you really believed in Christianity, you would at least want to KNOW about other religions. I was thinking I was on a Lib website...the opinions with no knowledge was astounding!
They were Shintoists and Buddhists.
It used to surprise me. In fairness there is a lot to know about any one religion. More than anyone could learn in one lifetime. It does still amaze me how sure some are about the total misinformation they hold to be true. You seem to be more interested in what is true rather than what makes you feel better about yourself. That has to be a good thing IMO.
Wow!!!
no,,, SHAM-WOW!
Great contribution to the discussion....I agree, Buddhism is 180 degrees from Islam...just read below and the differences are obvious!
I should apologize to those posters I was so arrogantly snarky with...I try to understand, and seek the truth..However sometimes that puts me in an arrogant, snooty position, just angry that not everyone is “so smart” as I am..ha.
Seeking Truth also can be exhausting and does not create ease in life at times.
From the western theist viewpoint, you are correct.
I have been practicing Nichiren Buddhism for the past 35 years. From the Buddhist viewpoint, "Buddha" literally means "awakened one". When one 'awakens' to the ultimate law of life (Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo) and sees the truth within his own life, he reveals his own Buddha nature, or becomes 'the Buddha'.
Seeking Truth also can be exhausting and does not create ease in life at times.
That's true. If it was easy everyone would be doing it. ;-)
HA...thanks for your Compassion...both in the Buddhist and Christian sense.....
But Chieftain is the expert here..by far!
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