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Re: Grow your own Buddhism.

HermanHesseHermanHesse
edited September 2005 in Buddhism Basics
Ok, I have been to visit those New Kadampa folk which was not my cup of tea at all.With all that deity worship and mind slavery, it just wasn't for me. I thought to myself they were in socialist terms the Buddhist version of the SWP. Sorry for any offence to any their members. Paul Foot was a great guy.
Much like the left of politics in Europe or indeed the States there seems to be a niche in Buddhism market that needs some attention. Is it me but sometimes Buddhist image reminds me of the colour Brown and Henna hair colur. What it needs is the 100 minute bible treatment, simple and straight talking without all that open toe sandal baggage.
I am not talking about dumbing it down more about giving the thing a whole new face lift or making it more compact at least at the beginning.

Maybe a new direction is needed?

I am really interested in what everyone thinks about those who are currently exploit the buddhist market with thoughts and merchandise.
There are real positives out there such as this website for example, it's very user friend and has a very broard church. And there some great books but maybe to much choice.

I don't mean to be ugly about the subject matter, however it would interesting to see what people have to say.

Comments

  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited September 2005
    disclaimer: My knowledge of cultural buddhism extends only to american buddhism and thai buddhism. I am specifically speaking of american buddhism in this post:


    I totally and absolutely agree with you. We are at a dangerous point right now - the mass media and pop culture has grasped all the wrong aspects of buddhism and they are creating an image in people's minds about what buddhism is. Still the most painful image of buddhism that I have come across in mass media is the movie "Anger Management" with Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson. In one scene, Adam Sandler visits a buddhist monastery and gets into a confrontation with a monk. The monk gets angry for Adam Sandler making fun of "his god" (he made a 'fat joke' about the buddha). The whole thing made no sense, but to most americans, this is probably what buddhism is. It saddens me.

    The worst part is that people who may find great solace and peace in the dhamma may never have the chance because they are clouded by their perception that is falsely given to them by commercial interest. :(
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Just so long as we don't move to a sort of Buddhist "Alpha" course! Althought NKT rather reminded me of those freaks.
  • NirvanaNoobNirvanaNoob
    edited September 2005
    Before I ever developed an interest in Buddhism, I watched anger management and thought that scene was funny, even though it my be offensive to others. Yes Buddhist as well as other religions are often sterotyped and distorted by the amercian media but I still think that part of the movie was funny. Is it wrong for me to think this?
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2005
    NirvanaNoob wrote:
    ......... Is it wrong for me to think this?

    Some of us are blessed with a sense of humour and a high 'offence threshold'. We are the people who are first to make tasteless jokes about disasters and take the rip out of cherished icons. More power to our elbow, I say.

    The Buddha, Blessed Tathagata, World-Honoured One and Wish-Fulfilling Jewel didn't have much to say about jokes, but one of his most popular images is the "laughing buddha". And, by me, humour is a great way to puncture pomposity and cant.

    After all, where would we be without our court jester, Fede?
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Is it just me or is it that all Buddhists truly have got an unrivalled sense of homour?
  • 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 September 2005
    I think that a lot of Buddhists do see the funny side of things because they have at least a marginal handle on how it's all impermanent anyway.... I saw a documentary once on a world-wide survey done by sociologists/psychologists or whoever is responsible for charting and measuring the cultural/social similarities & differences between people across the globe, and they came to the unilateral and agreed conclusion that the happiest people on earth appeared to be the Buddhists - !
    For my part, I have a dangerously irreverent sense of humour... as BF will attest.... (!!) but there's a time & a place.... I still have to get a handle on that one.... hush my mouth, I feel a wisecrack coming on....!
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Well I'm easily the most happiest guy in my whole class, even my whole school... Except for a slight depression I have had today, where I realized that after studying so damm hard for my exams for 2 whole months, I get serious mental blocks whenever I see a question... And I mean my exam is like, next week? I almost cried... My best friend even said he thought he would never live to see the day where I was depressed... True.. Well I thought I should just not give a damm... My self-given meaning to life is to make all happy and destroy depression, so I should start with myself...

    Well many people did ask me what was my secret to a happy life, and I said, instead of brooding all over your mistakes, laugh over them.
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