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Quit your job if you work with Buddhists!

DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
edited March 2015 in General Banter

I noticed this on another forum and thought it might amuse you. I don't think it's clear which school these annoying evangelising Buddhists are from though! And what boss would hire a bunch of Buddhists?! ;)

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/pat-robertson-quit-your-job-if-you-work-with-buddhists-so-you-dont-get-infected-by-it/

Comments

  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator

    He's so nutty. He also told a lady a couple weeks ago (not the only time, either) that allowing her daughter to do yoga would make her daughter turn "hindu." I'll never understand why some Christians are so afraid. If they are so strong in their faith and beliefs, why is it so necessary to avoid everything different so that they don't get infected by it? I also wonder about the so-called preaching Buddhists. LOL. What do they do, talk about love and compassion all day? I also find it interesting that there is a place (most likely in the US) where ALL of the employees are Buddhist. Where does this person work, Naropa University?

    BunksReborn
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran

    Evangelical Christians seem to indulge regularly in bashing other faiths, I assume they think that attack is the best form of defence. ;)

  • howhow Veteran Veteran

    The art of misdirection.

    Evangelists, like politicians, discovered a long time ago that the most disturbing truths beside us are best avoided through the development of alternative fears.

    Hamsaka
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran

    Yes, very true.

  • There was an old man walking down the steeet, when he heard an awful sound. He wanted to investigate where it came from and it was a little boy playing the violin. The old man told himself: "wow! That instrument is awful!"

    A couple months later, he heard a beautiful melody. Also, being curious about it, he went to investigate and found a beautiful orchestra playing multiples instruments, including that one instrument he did not enjoy at all.

    Musical Instruments = religions. Possibly some this Christian gentleman did not understand _yet_ what religion is all about (love, kindness, acceptance). His time will come! :)
    vinlynRowan1980
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran

    Evangelical Christians never seem very Christian to me. ;)

  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator

    I find it sad because the person who called in to Pat Robertson has a terrific opportunity to have civil discussion with someone who has (supposedly) similar values with a slightly different path. It could have lead to a wonderful partnership and work environment had they learned to work together. A missed opportunity for good fortune, no doubt.

    Also, I find it funny Pat Robertson is telling this caller that his Buddhist co-workers will "suck him in." What does he think he tries to do with his religion? LOL

    vinlyndantepwReborn
  • BuddhadragonBuddhadragon Ehipassiko & Carpe Diem Samsara Veteran

    How can this people actually live on a daily basis within the square-metre narrowness of their mind?
    This stumps me completely... :(

    Hamsaka
  • DavidDavid A human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First Nations Veteran
    I guess he has no faith in the faith of Christianity.
    dantepw
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran

    @karasti said:
    I find it sad because the person who called in to Pat Robertson has a terrific opportunity to have civil discussion with someone who has (supposedly) similar values with a slightly different path. It could have lead to a wonderful partnership and work environment had they learned to work together. A missed opportunity for good fortune, no doubt.

    Also, I find it funny Pat Robertson is telling this caller that his Buddhist co-workers will "suck him in." What does he think he tries to do with his religion? LOL

    Over the years, we should have all become fully aware that having "civil discussion" with someone like Pat Robertson (or certain Buddhists or certain any religion) is just not going to happen.

    But in a sense, I do agree that if you are introduced to people of a different faith/religion, you may "get sucked in". And that really isn't about "them" "sucking you in". It's about getting "sucked in" by the beauty or brilliance of what you may see. The vast majority of us on this forum got "sucked in" by what we saw in Buddhism. Few of us said to ourselves, "Well, it's Tuesday, I guess I'll go out and explore Buddhism". No. We met someone who was Buddhist and they showed us something (intentionally or by accident). Or we visited Thailand and were fascinating by the temples. Or we watched a movie and it piqued our interest. Or we read a book while in a college class. One way or another we "got sucked in".

    And you see, what Pat Robertson said is a demonstration of the fear that closed-minded "religionists" always have -- that someone in their religion will wander when they find an alternative. And that scares them because they see that as weakening their religion. And so, they react out of fear. If we can dispassionately look at an occasional post in this forum, we can see reactions based on that same kind of fear, because that's what putting down another religion is pretty much all about -- fear.

    dantepw
  • You had me at "Quit your job".

    DairyLamaDaviddantepwRowan1980
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    edited March 2015

    @ourself said: > I guess he has no faith in the faith of Christianity.

    It makes you wonder. If such people were really secure in their faith then why would they need to bash other religions? A similar thing I've seen is theists do is to get all defensive and say that it isn't just their religion that has strange ideas in it. That may be so, but again, why the need to keep saying it?

  • DavidDavid A human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First Nations Veteran
    edited March 2015
    They obviously can't be. He's afraid Christians will "catch" Buddhism.

    Know what's really scary?

    Rich, religious nutjobs.
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran

    Buddhism is a bit infectious though. ;)

  • DavidDavid A human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First Nations Veteran
    edited March 2015
    Yes, the message seems to make sense even if the messenger was not the son of a scary deity.

    I can see how people like Robertson would be afraid of people hearing the dharma.
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran

    I think we should send him a copy of the Kalama Sutta. ;)

  • So if someone where to quit their job out of fear of being sucked in then what. Somehow I doubt Mr Robertson would help the poor sucker out.

    Reborn
  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator

    @vinlyn I agree. But it's our choice to get sucked in, and it isn't something that happens against our will, not usually I don't think. When I fell into Buddhism, I was searching. Not actively, but not set in a system, either. It's not like I was an active, faithful, believing Christian and was suddenly exposed to Buddhism that involuntarily sucked me away from Christianity. If that makes sense. Usually it is willful, and a process.

    As far as the civil discussion I mentioned, I meant between the caller and his Buddhist co-workers. The caller had an opportunity to have a good discussion with his co-workers before he opted to get Pat's advice. Talk about infecting, now Pat Robertson just infected the poor caller with ignorance and fear.

    vinlynReborn
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    edited March 2015

    I saw that, also. It was supposedly an email sent in. I doubt the email was legitimate. These types of programs have been busted going go so far as to get fake callers with scripts to give them something to talk about. To begin with, where in the USA is a person going to find themselves surrounded by Buddhists at the workplace, especially ones that want to talk about their religion? Even a family of Buddhists in a Thai restaurant would not be interested in "converting the American". Witnessing is something Christians do so they assume all other religions go around doing it, too.

    Pat says amazingly stupid things every week on his program that get reported. It's sort of "Guess what the crazy old man said last week?" Buddhism is like a disease, you can catch it from being around those people. Gays are going around wearing rings with needles trying to infect people with aids, so don't shake their hand. That sort of thing. It's sad, really.

    And when the old man dies, politicians and other preachers will gush over what a great religious figure he was.

    VastmindDavidReborn
  • zenguitarzenguitar Bad Buddhist New England Veteran

    Maybe the person who complained initially is so ignorant about religion outside of their childhood faith that they assume anyone with a vaguely New Age approach to life is a "Buddhist." So, all the people at work talking about yoga, herbs, natural healing, stress relief, their astrological forecast, etc are "Buddhists" from the standpoint of this poor overwhelmed person. It's tough being ignorant.

    Rowan1980Reborn
  • Maybe the buddhists at his work place could be "doing wrong" by trying to preach the other dude, though, dont you guys think?
  • DavidDavid A human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First Nations Veteran
    edited March 2015
    @dantepw;

    I seriously doubt the other dude or the Buddhists in question even exist.

    Dollars to doughnuts he faked the email.

    Pat Robertson is a flake and the truth has never gotten in the way of his claims.
    Vastmind
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran

    @dantepw said:
    Maybe the buddhists at his work place could be "doing wrong" by trying to preach the other dude, though, dont you guys think?

    Yes, although I don't often see preaching Buddhists (other than to other Buddhists), that is still a possibility. It's hard for us to say what the exact environment at question is. And it may just really be a case of something different making someone feel uncomfortable. But we should take the situation at face value, realizing that it may not be what it appears.

    dantepw
  • MorningstarMorningstar Louisiana, USA Explorer

    I just really don't like that he's in the air

  • ShoshinShoshin No one in particular Nowhere Special Veteran

    "Quit your job if you work with Buddhists!"

    It's too late...It's only a matter of time before Buddhism works its evil magic on that poor innocent Christian lady...She can't run -she can't hide, it will get to her sooner or later...

    And as for Mr Robertson, the poor sod, he is only doing what he has been "conditioned" to do...

    Vastmind
  • VastmindVastmind Memphis, TN Veteran

    ^^^ Wow...that cartoon!!! Never seen it!! Love it!!

  • edited March 2015

    @Vastmind - I think that cartoon is from some computer program where you can make your own cartoon by typing in the dialogue.

    Shoshin
  • HamsakaHamsaka goosewhisperer Polishing the 'just so' Veteran

    @Vinlyn said:

    If we can dispassionately look at an occasional post in this forum, we can see reactions based on that same kind of fear, because that's what putting down another religion is pretty much all about -- fear.

    A well-founded fear, in some instances. Being as narrow-minded as Pat Robertson is not harmless. It's not a stretch to compare that kind of narrow-mindedness to the hyper-focus on literal jihad (holy war). Or to the efforts some school boards have gone to to include Intelligent Design in the science curriculum because teaching children 'evolution' might cause them to see no need for the Christian God.

    A criticism of another religion that goes beyond name calling, for instance, is necessary at times. But insulting or name-calling another religion, like Pat Robertson is doing, is exactly what you say -- all about fear.

    lobster
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