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Shocking

Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
edited January 2010 in Buddhism Today
In my local newspaper a Christian blamed the terrible earthquake on them practising the Voodoo religion, I was disgusted! Watch out friends, you better hide under a table NOW! We're not practising Christianity! We'll be smited! :rolleyes:

Comments

  • KnightofBuddhaKnightofBuddha
    edited January 2010
    LoveNPeace wrote: »
    In my local newspaper a Christian blamed the terrible earthquake on them practising the Voodoo religion, I was disgusted! Watch out friends, you better hide under a table NOW! We're not practising Christianity! We'll be smited! :rolleyes:

    Big deal. For most people, having an explanation, ANY explanation is better than saying, "Well these things just happen" or "Tough luck." It's comforting to think that everything is part of God's plan.

    Muslims believe that whatever happens is God's will, so there's more for you to be disgusted at. Perhaps some Buddhists would say it was the result of collective bad karma.

    Does it really offend you that some Christian somewhere said or believes that? If so, why? What are the consequences of this Christian's belief? The relief effort, spearheaded by the US, (a country of majority Christians) is not going to cancel the aid simply because some of them might think that Haiti is getting some divine retribution.
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited January 2010
    The real thing that I'm bothered about is there is young children trapped or orphaned and then some Christian, Muslim, Buddhist blames it on something stupid or a past life :(
  • Quiet_witnessQuiet_witness Veteran
    edited January 2010
    It bother's me on several grounds.

    1: Voicing this opinion may persuade some people who otherwise would help or donate to not do so.

    2: It is a fascist belief, maintaining an unhealthy cultural super-ego that impedes inter-cultural understanding and compassion.

    3: It gives drastically false hope to Christians and others that if they obey their church leaders all will be well and they are safe from destruction.

    4: It is blatently false and abhorent.

    I could go on but these 4 points will suffice to make my point. It is not important whether or not this statement offends me but if it is wrong (which it is) and it hurts people (which it does), then we need to stand up against it.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2010
    Pat Robertson made some extraordinarily insulting remarks. Most of America's broadcasting elite roundly condemned him. The Haitian Ambassador in the USA wiped the floor with him.
    So, although his remarks were prominent and widely broadcast, fortunately, he was a lone ass's voice braying in a desert of egotistic self-righteousness....
    As far as I am aware, not one person has supported his twisted views....
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I like being smited. Been smited plenty.

    Say... if everything is Gods will.......if there is no such thing as anything that isnt Gods will.....Then its Gods will that I'm a Buddhist. Cool. Thanks God. Oh... but maybe its his will that I am a Buddhist, just so he can smite me for being one...

    If the Evangelicals were right, If upon my demise I find myself at a pearly gate and the cosmos was indeed how they see it, I would willingly pledge allegiance with Beelzebub himself, because such a God would be a monster.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited January 2010
    Well, of course it's God's will you're a Buddhist. God is a Buddhist. Doesn't anyone here watch South Park?!
  • pegembarapegembara Veteran
    edited January 2010
    The earthquake happened because the earth moved, that is all.
    The First Niyama (Utu Niyama) is the law of physical matter. It is the physical, inorganic order of existence. Seasonal changes, earthquakes, floods, gravity and heat are some of the many examples. It roughly embraces the laws of physics and chemistry.

    The Second Niyama (Bija Niyama) is the law of living matter, the physical organic order, like cells and genes, whose laws are similar to the science of biology.

    The Third Niyama (Kamma Niyama) is Karma. Karma is the activity of transforming energy through intention, speech and action. The result of this energy transformation is only considered wholesome or skillful if less suffering or no suffering is produced. Karma is the cause, and Vipaka is the result. It is the principle of conditionality operative on the moral plane. This sequence of cause and consequence replaces a divine law giver. In Buddhism there is a moral law, but no lawgiver and no one to administer it. This Niyama pertains to the world of ethical responsibility.

    The Fourth Niyama (Dhamma Niyama) is the Spiritual or transcendent. This principle of conditionality operates on the spiritual level. The natural phenomenon that occurs with the birth of a Buddha, and the reasons for Buddhist Practice are in this group. This Niyama has to do with the spiritual laws that govern ultimate reality.

    The Fifth Niyama (Citta Niyama) is mind. This Niyama implies mental activity such as consciousness, perception, conception, etc. Mental phenomenon arises because of conditions; the mind is not an independent agent. This is like the science of psychology.
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I have watched South Park but not that one. BTW Palzang I thought Buddhist monks weren't supposed to watch TV :p
    I hate the whole God idea, it's stupid, pointless, unfair, and I don't know but I think the world would possibly be a better place without the twisted views of it. It's power I blame, good for nothing low-lifes who make people waste their lives for power! I can't help but think that even though I don't want to but I've got to believe because I can't delude myself :-/ I can see that it helps some people but, it's hard to control my anger but oh well... practise practise practise....
    There was innocent people, old people, young people, children, babies and animals that died, are dieing or if not have a dead loved one as we speak. Anybody who blames that on misconduct of others are sick! Sick in the mind...
    On another note I agree with Quiet_Witness
    Joe
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited January 2010
    LoveNPeace wrote: »
    I hate the whole God idea, it's stupid, pointless, unfair, and I don't know but I think the world would possibly be a better place without the twisted views of it.


    I dont hate the whole God idea. First of all there are many different God Ideas, from the childish to the truly sublime. Some God ideas are really beautiful and deserve respect IMO. There are wonderful Christians who are just as wise as any Buddhist. Tis so.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited January 2010
    LoveNPeace wrote: »
    I have watched South Park but not that one. BTW Palzang I thought Buddhist monks weren't supposed to watch TV :p

    There's no vow against watching TV - or movies either. I remember in my early days as an aspiring Buddhist I visited a Zen monastery (Shasta Abbey) in California, and one evening during an off time I walked by the main house where all the monks were gathered around the TV. Seemed very homey...

    Actually I don't even have a TV. I just watch the inside of my eyelids. Much more entertaining, and there are no commercials!

    Palzang
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited January 2010
    Right Palzang....:lol:
    Sounds quite nice actually! :D

    Yes Richard, misuse of words on my part there ;) I think there are some amazing Christians around and some of the creation stories and Bible stories, although I believe false, are products of amazing imaginations. I mean the whole creation story is beautiful and the though of Noah's Ark is amazing...
    Love & Peace
    Joe
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