[Buddha-l] Political incorrectness towards Buddhism?

[Piya Tan]

> "In order to abandon Christianity completely, -- in order to liberate
> himself from its oppressive and stultifying influence, -- it may be
> necessary for the ex-Christian not only to repudiate Christianity
> intellectually in the privacy of his own mental consciousness but also
> to give public expression in words, writings, or signs to his
> *emotional* rejection of Christianity and the God of Christianity, i.e.
> it maybe necessary for him to commit blasphemy."


Isn't this the same as when during the killing of school children years back
in Scotland, and the church leader says that God should not forgive the
killer.

Like Buddha forgiving Devadatta (declaring that he would become a Pratyeka
Buddha in the distant future), Christ asked his God to forgive his
crucifiers.

One big difference is that while Christ died "for our sins," the Buddha
lived for our liberation. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man *
liveth* his life for his friends.

Thich Nhat Hanh sang the epitome of forgiveness in his "Call me by my true
names."

It's difficult to forgive those try to destroy us, but it will make Buddhas
out of us. If we can't perhaps we could at least follow him in less
demanding ways.

Piya
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