[Buddha-l] What's wrong with a little Dharma?

[Bernie Simon]

On Aug 30, 2005, at 2:00 PM, buddha-l-request at mailman.swcp.com wrote:

> The discussions of Buddhist sins are no doubt a healthy antidote to a
> naively romantic fantasy that Buddhists, unlike others, somehow managed
> to live up to their own lofty ideals. At the same time, such 
> discussions
> are feeding material to various people who are eager to discredit
> Buddhism (and other "oriental" religions) at every turn. Indeed, in 
> some
> quarters the "orientals" (Hindus, Buddhists, yoga practitioners, Reiki
> practitioners etc) have replaced the Jews (or perhaps just joined them)
> as a favorite target and example of people turning against God and
> Christ.

The situation is no worse than the past. In fact it's probably better, 
mostly thanks to the public's positive opinion of the Dalai Lama. I 
remember when I was in the hospital with appendicitis. I had declared 
myself a Buddhist on check in and the Baptist minister who came in to 
minister to my room mate gave me the strangest look, half way between 
revulsion and incomprehension.  And there was the time a Christian 
minister from New Zealand tried to proselytize me. I told him I was 
Buddhist and he said, yes we have them in New Zealand too, but they're 
quieter than the Buddhists here. They don't bother people in airports. 
Obviously he was confusing Buddhists and Vaishnavas.

The Christians who would attack other religions only discredit 
themselves, as surveys show that even their own congregations don't 
support "extra ecclesiam nulla salus." I think we're seeing the high 
water mark of evangelical outpokeness and the tide will recede soon.

----
Mahamudra does not dice up reality
with the knife of logic. -- KKR