[Buddha-l] Re: What are the "joys of living"?

[John Whalen-Bridge]

'Allo.  I'm not sure who is being chided.  Maybe it's Benito for expressing strong opinions about which kind of Buddhism is more authentic as opposed to watered down? I Just want to remark that I'm thankful for the thread, this one and the "emotional weakling" one.  It does not seem to me to be the case that any one person is shutting down other views.  Thus, one side in an issue can quote ancient texts and current authorities, and then someone else can bat the birdie back the other way.  Perhaps ad hominem approaches could be avoided, but the expression of strong opinions seems fair enough.  No?  
 
Cheers, jwb

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Message: 4       Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 19:34:11 -0600
From: Jim Peavler <jmp at peavler.org>Subject: Re: [Buddha-l]  What are the "joys of living"?

It is my personal belief that when a single person becomes the final arbiter of truth and knows absolutely what is right and what is wrong, what correct and incorrect, what is permissible and not permissible, who is good and who is a slacker -- it is my personal belief, that we have left the realm of ideas and discussion and have entered the realm of proselytizing, doctrine and dogma.

Our charter, addressing the professional, semi-professional, interested expert, casual dilettante, and romantic idiot members of the famous Buddha-Hell subscription list, states the following:

Buddha-l is not to be used for proselytizing for or against Buddhism in general, any particular form of Buddhism, or any other religion or philosophy, nor is it to be used as a forum for making unsubstantiable confessions of personal conviction. Lively debate is welcome, but we aim for a deep concern both for the matter being discussed and for those participating in the conversation.

We have been told the absolute truth about what real Buddhism is and what real Buddhists think, and how real Buddhists act. We are all now reassured that we are not now, nor ever have been, nor have any chance of ever being, real Buddhists.So lets get back to good old-fashioned mundane Buddhism as she is seen on the streets.  Let the games (not football [soccer]) continue.

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