[Buddha-l] Buddhism and Politics

[bclough]

Sally McAra wrote:
> For example, take Sri Lanka, where there is a politicised movement 
among Buddhists that might seem xenophobic, e.g. outlawing christian 
proselytisation - but they are trying to fend off some quite 
aggressive christian missionisation. Does that make them 
nationalists? 

Sinhala Buddhist nationalism is all too alive and well in Sri Lanka. 
It goes beyond opposing Christian missionizing. Many Buddhsits there 
support driving their longtime Tamil Hindu co-habitants out of the 
country through the current war, all in the name of protecting the 
dhamma. For many, to be Sri Lankan is to be Sinhala, and to be 
Sinhala is to be Buddhist. A book mentioned recently on this list, 
Tessa Batholomeusz's IN DEFENSE OF DHAMMA, documents this well.

Brad Clough