I went to a temple

A few days ago I got the courage to go to a temple and see if it would be a good place to start going to. The monk that greeted me when I entered was very friendly and showed me around and made me feel at home. The place was beautiful and I felt at ease and pretty good about the place...

It is New Kadampa tradition, and after looking online I have found some unfavorable sites which bash this tradition...now I am a little unsure on my decision to progress with them. Does anyone have any ideas or opinions about thIs? Thank you

A few days ago I got the courage to go to a temple and see if it would be a good place to start going to. The monk that greeted me when I entered was very friendly and showed me around and made me feel at home. The place was beautiful and I felt at ease and pretty good about the place...

It is New Kadampa tradition, and after looking online I have found some unfavorable sites which bash this tradition...now I am a little unsure on my decision to progress with them. Does anyone have any ideas or opinions about thIs? Thank you

*siiighhhhhh* This question comes up from time to time. First, good for you for doing some research. In Tibetan Buddhism it's said that you should check out the guru very carefully before making a major commitment and handing over your trust. That also goes for the sangha or tradition itself.

If you find it helpful (what harm could be done on a beginning level?), attend. Attend until you no longer find it helpful, if that day ever arrives.

New Kadampa has been problematic for many people. It would be worth your time to read through some of the discussions on the Yahoo "newkadampasurvivors" group; you can hear firsthand from those who've been with NKT and at least know some of the issues you should be particularly aware of regarding this group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newkadampasurvivors/

There are alot of falsities against the NKT I suggest you take the time to read through the rebuttle http://www.newkadampatruth.org/

Why does a reputable Buddhist tradition need to defend itself?

The NKT-IKBU has been successful at bringing Buddha's teachings to the West and these teachings have positively affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. As a new development in the West it has had teething problems -- some expected, some not. The NKT-IKBU is trying to learn from its mistakes and is not unwilling to have them pointed out. Our challenges have not been dissimilar to those of other Western Buddhist organizations.

Yet when one of the top five anti-defamation law firms in the world recently investigated both the NKT-IKBU and all the libel on the Internet against it, it came to the conclusion: "The New Kadampa Tradition is a respectable international organization whose reputation has been severely defamed."

This website is needed because, unbelievably, New Kadampa Tradition students and teachers have been accused of being spirit worshippers and cultists, even murderers. They have been accused of destroying the health and lives of others, even of causing the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Britain. They have been heckled and shouted at, barred from other Tibetan Buddhist organizations and online Buddhist forums, spat at, and threatened...

http://www.newkadampatruth.org/why-we-have-made-this-site#kadampa


They are a good group with decent study programes they would be worth investing some time in rather then automatically being turned of by internet gossip.

markkemark said:

It is New Kadampa tradition, and after looking online I have found some unfavorable sites which bash this tradition...now I am a little unsure on my decision to progress with them. Does anyone have any ideas or opinions about thIs? Thank you

Actually there are a number of Buddhist groups which have recieved unfavourable press, some of it justified, some of it not. And I've been involved with most of them over the years. ;)
My advice would to keep an open mind and perhaps explore a number of different Buddhist groups. And there is no need to make commitments at an early stage.

Spiny

Everyone's replies are greatly appreciated and I will take everything I read as other peoples opinions...I will do my best to form my own opinions on my first hand experience with them...thank you all...I know one thing ( I love Newbuddhist.com) :thumbsup:

I always tell people, just use your inner compass. If something seems wrong, if questions about certain people or behavior in the group are not allowed, if you are made to feel wrong or foolish for expressing your doubts, then listen to your doubts. But beyond that, nobody is going to kidnap and brainwash you in any Buddhist group. Anyone with access to the internet should have read enough basic Buddhist teaching to know when something unusual is being taught. For the rest, we have tantric chanting and zen silent meditation, Lotus Sutra worshippers and Pure Land devotees all under one umbrella.

Cinorjer said:

But beyond that, nobody is going to kidnap and brainwash you in any Buddhist group. Anyone with access to the internet should have read enough basic Buddhist teaching to know when something unusual is being taught.

In my experience always look out for any practices which are mirrored in Hinduism. I know Buddhism has chanting but there needs to be a clear line established between you and a group/teacher as to what you study.