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Meanwhile in China
From Time Magazine, Sept 19th 2005
" In China's burgeoning economy even Buddhism, it seems, is big business. 18 Monks and lay people have enrolled in a new half- year MBA course offered by Shanghai Jao Tong university on how to run a Buddhist temple. The course material, which includes corporate strategy, temple management, and religious-product marketing might not square with traditional Buddhist teachings which favour asceticism and meditation. But Buddha did believe that the only constant is change." :rolleyes:
The same edition also ran an article discussing China's current barbaric practice of performing abortions as late as 9 month into the pregnancy, by forcibly restraining the mothers and injecting the foetus with poison. Not content with this they also on birth hold the baby underwater in order to ensure that they were not breathing. This is done for the mothers own good and to follow China's current one child per family policy.
This is in a country, that in three years time will hold it's doors open to the world to host the Olympic games. Will, I ask myself, there be any Countries prepared to take the moral imperative and boycott these games?
" In China's burgeoning economy even Buddhism, it seems, is big business. 18 Monks and lay people have enrolled in a new half- year MBA course offered by Shanghai Jao Tong university on how to run a Buddhist temple. The course material, which includes corporate strategy, temple management, and religious-product marketing might not square with traditional Buddhist teachings which favour asceticism and meditation. But Buddha did believe that the only constant is change." :rolleyes:
The same edition also ran an article discussing China's current barbaric practice of performing abortions as late as 9 month into the pregnancy, by forcibly restraining the mothers and injecting the foetus with poison. Not content with this they also on birth hold the baby underwater in order to ensure that they were not breathing. This is done for the mothers own good and to follow China's current one child per family policy.
This is in a country, that in three years time will hold it's doors open to the world to host the Olympic games. Will, I ask myself, there be any Countries prepared to take the moral imperative and boycott these games?
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Comments
Palzang
It will be a reason for global shame that the Games take place in the capital of an avowedly genocidal nation.
I notice that the training to be given to the monks is an MBA, one of the academically spurious bits of marketese. When I was a practising, church-going Christian, I wrote article after article and preached on the theme that the whole notion of the "Marketplace" is blasphemy. Its acolytes maintain that It lays down laws, rewards and punishments. Where these contradict, for example, the Sermon on the Mount it is the Marketplace which should predominate. I was treated - as you can imagine - as a nuisance. And I still believe it to be true. The Marketplace has been set up as an idol and the world must bow before it.
Wars and extinctions and enslavements and genocide are now being justified by the dictates of the Marketplace. "If it don't make dollars it don't make sense."
This is what we have allowed to happen.
Also in the time( no pun intended ) I have been reading this publication it seems to be pretty unbiased, indeed often puts America under the microscope. The main reason that I brought this topic to light is it appears to conflict with China's hostility towards Tibet and the making of practising Buddhism an illegal act or at the very least operated under the strict political system of China's prevailing communist goverment!
Also, if any right to "preach morality"is to be allowed only on the basis of...Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.....then the world would instantly be filled with silence and no-ones plight would get an airing and the suffering would continue.
Capitalism is so great why?
If it means that we must turn a blind eye to such unwholesome actions because it is good for the economy then I might have some second, or third, or even fourth thoughts about it. It is beginning to appear to me as a society based on the defilement of greed.
There just has to be a better way.
-bf
The US happily did the exact same thing to the native americans just a few generations ago. Talk about ethnic cleansing
More importantly, what does this teach us? What does the U.S.'s actions teach us about ourselves?
I believe that this shows the truth of the Buddha's words. We let the defilements get such a foothold that they drive our very existence. Our actions are actions which fuel these intruders, they feed them so that they can continue. Is this not the law of kamma in its many forms? We produce the conditions for these defilements to arise again and again.
Greed, hatred, and delusion are such powerful forces. These internal blemishes blind us to everything but our own comfort, our own gain, our own self-importance. As Buddhists we should not use these world affairs to place judgements. We should inturn use them to see the suffering that these three "defilements" cause us to propagate. What China does, what the U.S. does, what any un-Awakened person does for that matter, is caused by these three things. It is our practice, our gift to all sentient beings, to strive to remove these blemishes from our minds so that they are pure and free.
We are examples of the altenative. We are the what if's - What if people were less greedy? What if people were less angry? What if people were less confused? We need to do our best to be the very best we can be so that others will take notice and follow our example. That is all the Buddha did. People saw a difference in him and they instinctually followed his example. Deep down inside we know the difference in how we act and how we should be acting. It just takes courage, effort, and determination to see this change through.
What it boils down to is - We cannot be afraid of a little suffering. If we gave into our suffering and ran from it, into the arms of pleasure and ignorance, then we would be doing exactly what the rest of the world is doing.
Just something to think about.
Jason
The thread's main purpose was to bring to light China's blatant hypocrisy in the 'look at us we're being good now' stakes. While it's all very well to comment on America's own History in its' treatment of Native American Indians, these attrocities were perpetrated by white settlers who held the indians in awe and fear and misguidedly decided to oppose instead of interact. The Pilgrim fathers got it right though, didn't they? Hence your celebration of 'Thanksgiving'....
But this is a government killing and torturing its own people... barbaric, inhuman and vile practises against the weak, defenceless and unborn. Right now, for my part, I don't want to hear excuses or comparisons, and platitudes about karma, suffering and how we deal with it. I want to hear about what you guys think of this, and about what, if anything, anyone can do about this.
While I immediately appreciate that currently, the USA has a big enough problem dealing with the after-effects of New orleans (be they social, racial, political moral or medical) there is a world outside its borders that keeps on running - and often looking to the USA for guidance and help. And if it really does all boil down to economics, money and financial clout - well shame on us.
I understand what you're saying. Whether you agree with it or not I have already told you what I think:
"We are examples of the alternative. We are the what if's - What if people were less greedy? What if people were less angry? What if people were less confused? We need to do our best to be the very best we can be so that others will take notice and follow our example. That is all the Buddha did. People saw a difference in him and they instinctually followed his example. Deep down inside we know the difference in how we act and how we should be acting. It just takes courage, effort, and determination to see this change through."
That is at least how I change things.
How else can I possibly change the world? By force? By hatred? By being more manipulative than the next person?
No. Not in my opinion, for whatever that is worth.
"For Evil to triumph, it is sufficient that Good men do nothing."
Sometimes, just sometimes, I think it's important for The Good Guys to stick their heads above the metaphorical parapet, and Kick Ass; even if it entails getting shot at, abused, derided and opposed - the Good Guy has a right to be heard. That doesn't mean forgetting one's own principles... it means that if we are happy to let people know what we stand for, it is as important - if not vital - to let them know what we WON'T stand for...
Fighting Fire with fire doesn't mean becoming an arsonist - it just means showng them what it's like to get their fingers burn for a change.
What a good thing Gandhi put his money where his mouth was.
"What is the sound of an Empire crumbling?"
I agree with you. That one must stand up for what they believe is right. But one must also be cautious in doing so. Especially in light of what is happening in the U.S. right now, With our newly formed Homeland Security.
If one does not speak up in the right way, one could find themselves on a terroist list and wind up in prison or even worse. Just look at the Bureau of Indian affairs. ( and yes I am on their list, LOL, Probably on Home Land securities too)
Still I choose not to be silent and I do everything I can to let people know what is happening. Problem is most people do not even care so long as it doesn't effect them.
This year, wishing to attend an up-coming wedding of Ndn friends of the Cheyenne Nation in Oklahoma, I discover that I am an undesirable and that it is unlikely, in view of my activities in the 1960s and '70s, that I shall be allowed in. Good to know that I have become even more dangerous in my 60s than I was in my 40s!
We must speak up, especially if we want to heard above the sound of the guns and the cash registers.
I am sorry to hear about this, I was hoping that you would be allowed to attend the wedding. Does your friends know? If there is still time, There are things that can be done about this.
I am afraid so, my son made a comment the other day after watching a program about the fall of Rome. That we were heading the sme way.
I have friends within the 'corridors of power' intervening for me. There should be time as a date has not yet been fixed for the celebration.
He is currently reading it. He is becoming quite enlightened when it comes to the Government of the U.S.A. and now knows why I have to becarful.
as far as your friends, Let them know that Senator Kennedy is a good place to start, concerning he has first hand knowledge of being denied by Homeland Security.
I have a useful little book with chapters 15 and 16 of Decline and Fall, the chapters on the rise of Christianity. Very useful and passionate.
Has he read Tom Paine yet?
Just keep him away from that hypocrite Rousseau and give him Voltaire!
And, if he is interested in a very different take on Christianity, he might like to lok at the True Levellers of Saint George's Hill.
BTW, what age is he?
My son is 20 years old and will be graduating college with a B.a in computer science at the end of this month.
Right now he is very interested in what is happening in our world. So I am encouraging him to explore everything. To think for himself. Although he is raidng my library, And not putting the books back in order. :grumble:
Voltaire sounds like a good one to hand him next.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,7369,1567405,00.html
and
http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,7369,1573971,00.html
The Main Home page can be found on
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
and there's an interesting article there on how New Orleans is not out of the woods yet... there seems to be another storm on the way..... :sadc:
You are right there is another storm heading to New Orleans, This one's named Rita and is following the same path as Katrina. It's supposed to hit New orleans around Wednesday or Thursday. My only hope is that it is not as big as Katrina.
Wow, Fede.
I'm absolutely stunned.
-bf
I am offering tobacco to the powers of the winds and rain.
Simon,
What do you mean by saying "I am offering tobacco..."?
I don't mean to be crude, but does it mean you're just going to have a couple of cigarettes or a cigar while contemplating these issues?
Or do you actually go buy tobacco and then do some sort of non-smoking ritual with it?
-bf
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Or do you actually go buy tobacco and then do some sort of non-smoking ritual with it?
-bf[/QUOTE]
Yes, I do. This is a tradition from the First Peoples of Turtle Island. MoonLgt may wish to say more. Because it is your island which is threatened again by the winds, as I write upgraded, it is in the tradition of your lands as well as of mine that I offer my support.
Hope you "enjoyed" them..... what do you think? :-/
What do I think? I think that sometimes I have a hard time dealing with all the atrocities that happen in the world.
I know that The Four Noble Truths explain to us that life is suffering. But, should life be suffering at the hands of another human being?
I guess I should be glad that there are organizations that report this kind of stuff because the regular "talking heads" never let this stuff make it to the news.
Which is why I gave up watching news a long time ago.
Speaking of news - like I said, I quit watching it a long time ago. I found it to be inane and insipid in the topics that it covered. Plus, the few topics that it did cover - didn't really seem to paint a correct picture of the topic being "reported" (and I use that term loosely). Or, if it couldn't be sensationalized - it wasn't worth reporting.
But, my girlfriend still watches the news every morning. And, being that I've become so unacustomed to watching news - when I do watch it with her - I'm appalled. There is so much nastiness in the world that it's almost painful to watch the news anymore.
Thanks for the posts. I'm going to go hide my head in the sand again.
-bf
Here is our legend concerning tobacco.
Long ago, when all people and animals spoke the same tongue, there was only one tobacco plant in all the world. From far and wide, did they come for their tobacco. All was well, until the greedy Dagul'ku geese stole the plant and flew far to the south with it, where they guarded it with all their might. Before long, all of the people and the animals began to have great sufferings because they had no tobacco.
One old woman, who had long suffered, had became so thin and weak that it was held by all that she would die soon, and could only be saved by tobacco. Now this old woman was loved by all of the people and the animals and this disturbed them greatly.
So it was decided that they should hold a council, which they did, and make a plan on how to return the tobacco than had been taken from them. They decided to seed the animals to retrieve it.
One by one, the animals all tried to get the plant, but each time they were seen by the Dagul'ku geese and killed them all before they could reach the plant. From the largest to the smallest, the four footed animals failed. Now, the Mole spoke up and said that he would go. Everyone thought this to be a good idea, as he could tunnel under the ground to the plant and steal it away.
So, off he went and as he approached the plant, his track was scene by the Dagul'ku, who waited at the plant for him to come out. When at last, out he did come, he suffered much the same outcome.
Much disparity was heard in the council after that. No one could think of any way to get the tobacco plant away from the greedy Dagul'ku. No other animals wanted to go.
The Hummingbird had been listening to all of the plans had come up with one of his own. At last told the council that he could retrieve the plant. They look at him as said how could this be, you are so small? How could you get to the plant past the Dagul'ki?
He told them that he could do it and that if they wanted they could test him. So out in the middle of the meadow, they showed him a plant that all could see. They said to him, "Go, sit on that plant, but do not let us see you getting there."
No sooner than the words had been spoken, did all of the people see the Hummingbird sitting atop the plant in the meadow. And right before there eye did he disappear again and reappear in the council circle. Not one person having seen him go or return.
Stunned at the feat, it was decided to give him a chance.
Now he wasted no time. Off, he dashed straight to the plant, right under the noses of the Dagul'ki. Right up to the plant without them even suspecting him being there. Quick as a wink, he used his long beak to cut off the top of the plant that had a few leaves and the seeds. Then, off he dashed straight back to the council circle.
By this time the old woman was thought to have died, but smoke was blown into her nostrils and with a cry of "Tsa'lu", she opened her eyes and regained her strength.
So as you can see tobacco is a part of our medicine. The Smoke from the tobacco not only heals but also carries prayers up to the creator. When laid on Mother Earth it will heal her as well as carry our message to her heart.
This is why we do Tobacco prayers. Of which I have been doing alot in the last couple of days.
Thank you Moonlgt for your post.... but I believe - I hope! - you mean 'Sacred' - !!
I have no means at my disposal of finding these facts out, to any accuracy or depth, but I would be interested to know whether any countries are in fact intending to boycott these games, or even activate some kind of passive demonstration once there....