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Comments

  • MaryAnneMaryAnne Veteran
    edited July 2013
    He is a Buddhist monk. He has his political opinions and ideas as well as fears for his country and religion. Right or wrong, tolerant or intolerant, he's entitled to his opinion and the actions he takes in preventing the worse case scenario he envisions....

    Comparing this monk to Bin Ladin is a stretch to say the least!
    As long as he never promotes violence (ever!) why can't he be a Buddhist monk with political ideas and opinions? Why can't he be involved in protecting his religion and culture?
    Encouraging others of his religion and cultural heritage to support and patronize their own before and/or instead of Muslim businesses, etc.... is called Boycotting. People do it in America - and all over the world - all the time.
    Don't think Christians do the same thing? They certainly do, as anyone in the Knights of Columbus or any other "Christian based" organization knows.

    When you take the extremist Muslim movement (and we need to admit there IS a radical Muslim movement in the world), and see it as a whole, there really is something to fear going on there.... It's not exactly a secret agenda, by any means.

    Does this mean I "hate" Muslims? No, it doesn't. Does this mean I don't want Muslims to live in America or be my neighbors? No, it doesn't. It means I am not naive enough to believe there is no agenda within the radical Muslim community.




    riverflowInvincible_summer
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    This article puts forth a different slant on the guy than I've been used to reading about.

    There is certainly a very nationalist and even racist direction in what he's advocating. I suppose as an American this sort of narrow national identity cuts against what the US is supposedly about and is only really seen in white supremacist groups and the like. Maybe in other parts of the world where nations are more homogenous and the identity isn't one of a melting pot these views are more commonplace.
    Invincible_summer
  • jlljll Veteran
    it is unfair to single out muslim extremists.
    there are extremists in every religion.
    christian, hindu and buddhist extremists who espouse
    violence to achieve their aims.
    thank god/buddha, the days of the crusades are gone.
    but go to india and you find hindu extremists
    who will kill muslims.
    and in burma, you find buddhist extremists who want to kill
    muslims.

    the situation in burma is alarming.
    the muslim minority is under attack.
    many of them end up as refugees in other countries.
    hundreds have been killed.
    it is not just a religious conflict, it is also ethnic strife.
    the Rohingya people (who are muslims) who have been living as burma for generations are being told
    they have to leave the country.
    it is sad that such things still happen in 2013.
    reminds me of buddha who described the world as mad.
    MaryAnne said:

    He is a Buddhist monk. He has his political opinions and ideas as well as fears for his country and religion. Right or wrong, tolerant or intolerant, he's entitled to his opinion and the actions he takes in preventing the worse case scenario he envisions....

    Comparing this monk to Bin Ladin is a stretch to say the least!
    As long as he never promotes violence (ever!) why can't he be a Buddhist monk with political ideas and opinions? Why can't he be involved in protecting his religion and culture?
    Encouraging others of his religion and cultural heritage to support and patronize their own before and/or instead of Muslim businesses, etc.... is called Boycotting. People do it in America - and all over the world - all the time.
    Don't think Christians do the same thing? They certainly do, as anyone in the Knights of Columbus or any other "Christian based" organization knows.

    When you take the extremist Muslim movement (and we need to admit there IS a radical Muslim movement in the world), and see it as a whole, there really is something to fear going on there.... It's not exactly a secret agenda, by any means.

    Does this mean I "hate" Muslims? No, it doesn't. Does this mean I don't want Muslims to live in America or be my neighbors? No, it doesn't. It means I am not naive enough to believe there is no agenda within the radical Muslim community.




  • jlljll Veteran
    extremists and radicals are by definition, a minority. thank god/buddha.
    otherwise, they will be mainstream, not extrem or radical.
    MaryAnneInvincible_summer
  • Far to often violence is chosen over diplomacy. Fear, greed, bigotry and prejudice are only some of the issues that create conflict. I do not understand why a monk would be at the front of this; a monk that should be aware of the four noble truths. But, I also cannot judge, for I truly do not understand all that is in play here. I can only be the observer and learn from all that I witness. I am a firm believer in that all things happen for a reason, and that the reason may only become apparent sometime down the road.

    image
  • 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
    @Theswingisyellow replied:
    Read about the psychology of killing, what really occurs in combat and maybe figure out what exactly you may be fighting for. If your not in a combat arm you may want some information on what your supporting.
    I am personally not for perpetual war, that seems to be our main export, and would not actively engage in something of this nature. We draw lines on a map and kill people because they are on the wrong side of a line. Governments commit murder and call it something else.
    Purely my opinion, so not looking for an argument.
    Take a hard look below the surface and ask if you like what you see.
    "If we choose we can live in a world of comforting illusion"-Noam Chomsky
    (Previous comment posted in wrong thread. I have supplied here, the answer that Theswingisyellow responded with there.)
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    person said:

    This article puts forth a different slant on the guy than I've been used to reading about.
    ...

    That's why I posted it, and I thought it was well worth reading to see that different perspective.

  • No. There is a line that must not be crossed if you want to say "This is teaching the Dharma" This monk is not preaching the Dharma. He is preaching intolerance and bigotry and fear. He doesn't actually have to order his monks to "Go kill some innocent Muslims" to be guilty of inciting violence. His own words and the actions of the monks in his temple go far beyond a political statement.

    His words are contributing and escalating the ethnic cleansing going on in their nation right now. The fact that there are muslim extremists out there is irrelevant. These aren't terrorists that are being killed and driven from their homes. They're innocent men, women and children.

    By the way, he's the one who proudly calls himself a "Buddhist Bin Ladin", not the press.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/world/asia/buddhists-get-prison-terms-in-myanmar.html?_r=0




    vinlyn
  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator
    according to him, regarding the bin laden name, it was posted by others on FB, and he joked about it with the media present and they took it and ran with it. Whether that's the truth or not, obviously no one knows, but that's what he claims.

    I'm not saying what he is doing/saying is ok, or right. But he wouldn't be the first person to take his religion and twist it to suit his fears.
  • ^^I agree. It sounds more like nationalism to me. I believe that he is misguided and fearful, but it doesn't sound like he's coming from a place of pure hate and intolerance.

    I'm not in anyway condoning his words or actions, I just feel like it's the same kind of reaction you see in other countries and he probably thinks he's doing the right thing.
  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator
    That's one of the problems when religion is so engrained in a culture/history. A lot of people view it as an ideal, like Tibet and Bhutan, to live in a Buddhist society. But as soon as an outsider seems threatening, then they have a strong need to protect what feels so right and so important to them, to the point they can twist their religion to fit what they feel is important to protect. Christians do it in the US all the time, too. We aren't supposed to be a Christian nation, but because there is such a high % of them they are the majority and they expect our nation to reflect that, and their values, no matter how far removed they are from what Jesus really taught. They get scared and angry and do hurtful, harmful things to others in the name of protecting what they feel is most important.

    Why our state passed marriage equality, some of the comments from those against it were so, so sad and fearful that I felt bad for them. I still didn't agree with them obviously, but it was hard not to feel their pain and how very strongly they felt about this, and how they honestly and truly believe this is such a horrible thing to be doing. They felt the exact same as I would have it if hadn't passed. Completely sunken. I imagine that is part of how this monk and his followers feel, or are trying to avoid feeling. Doesn't make it right. But to me, makes it more understandable.

    It would be interesting to be one of those people for a day, to think what they think and feel how they feel, because to me it looks like SO much fear, fear of losing something that is in constant flux anyhow (culture). It makes me wonder what they think when they read things in their scripture, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, or whatever...and read things that seem so obvious to us to be in conflict with their actions. I wonder what they really think of those things, if they twist them to be ok in their minds, or skip over them, or what exactly.
    MaryAnne
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    federica said:

    @Theswingisyellow replied:

    Read about the psychology of killing, what really occurs in combat and maybe figure out what exactly you may be fighting for. If your not in a combat arm you may want some information on what your supporting.
    I am personally not for perpetual war, that seems to be our main export, and would not actively engage in something of this nature. We draw lines on a map and kill people because they are on the wrong side of a line. Governments commit murder and call it something else.
    Purely my opinion, so not looking for an argument.
    Take a hard look below the surface and ask if you like what you see.
    "If we choose we can live in a world of comforting illusion"-Noam Chomsky
    (Previous comment posted in wrong thread. I have supplied here, the answer that Theswingisyellow responded with there.)

    I am totally confused :scratch: I thought I placed this under the "Buddhist Soldier" thread???
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran

    federica said:



    I am totally confused :scratch: I thought I placed this under the "Buddhist Soldier" thread???

    We are mere mortals who are tossed around like chess pieces. :p
    Theswingisyellow
  • 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

    federica said:

    @Theswingisyellow replied:

    Read about the psychology of killing, what really occurs in combat and maybe figure out what exactly you may be fighting for. If your not in a combat arm you may want some information on what your supporting.
    I am personally not for perpetual war, that seems to be our main export, and would not actively engage in something of this nature. We draw lines on a map and kill people because they are on the wrong side of a line. Governments commit murder and call it something else.
    Purely my opinion, so not looking for an argument.
    Take a hard look below the surface and ask if you like what you see.
    "If we choose we can live in a world of comforting illusion"-Noam Chomsky
    (Previous comment posted in wrong thread. I have supplied here, the answer that Theswingisyellow responded with there.)
    I am totally confused :scratch: I thought I placed this under the "Buddhist Soldier" thread???


    You did. I presumed it was in response to @I_AM_THAT 's comment, (duplicated by him, above) because he flagged it as having been put into the wrong thread. As your post followed directly, I thought you were replying to him, and brought your comment here, accordingly.... (Knit one, pearl three, PSSO....)
  • jlljll Veteran
    reminds me of an ex-soldier on this forum who
    said that in the army, you dont kill people.

    you just 'neutralise enemy combatants'

    the language is carefully crafted to soften the horrors of war.

    another favorite is 'collateral damage'.

    i wonder how a soldier will feel if the collateral damage was his wife or daughter.
    federica said:

    @Theswingisyellow replied:

    Read about the psychology of killing, what really occurs in combat and maybe figure out what exactly you may be fighting for. If your not in a combat arm you may want some information on what your supporting.
    I am personally not for perpetual war, that seems to be our main export, and would not actively engage in something of this nature. We draw lines on a map and kill people because they are on the wrong side of a line. Governments commit murder and call it something else.
    Purely my opinion, so not looking for an argument.
    Take a hard look below the surface and ask if you like what you see.
    "If we choose we can live in a world of comforting illusion"-Noam Chomsky
    (Previous comment posted in wrong thread. I have supplied here, the answer that Theswingisyellow responded with there.)

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