[Buddha-l] Back to the core values?

[curt]

James A. Stroble wrote:
> .... Batchelor contrasts the political milleu Buddhism has co-existed with 
> for most of its history, and suggests that the west does have a superiority 
> when it comes to political ideals, and that Buddhism must, out of consistency 
> with itself, drop the authoritarian accutrements of the past. 
>
> <quote>
> Now that the Buddhist traditions of premodern Asia find themselves face to 
> face with the liberal traditions of modernity, each challenges the other to 
> look afresh at its understanding and practice of freedom.  Just as Buddhism 
> provides psychological insights and contemplative practices to free people 
> from their inner demons, so the liberal philosophies of [160] Europe and 
> America provide social insights and political practices to free people from 
> governments and religions that restrict their liberty to live as they choose.  
> We thus come to appreciate the full extent of Mara's reach: intense private 
> hatreds share with complex societal structures of repression the same 
> capacity to block paths and limit freedom.  
> </quote>  p. 159
>
>
> This should speak for itself.  But I suspect that Curt (and no doubt Richard) 
> are far from finished.  
>
>
>   
I think that an objective, hard-nosed look at western culture over the 
last 500 years would not support any contention that "we" have some 
clear superiority in terms of "political ideals". Democracy is very new 
in the west - authoritarianism has historically been the preferred 
political system for Europeans - and as we all know significant 
"remnants" of that past survived very late into the 20th freaking 
century. Things like womens rights and the abrogation of de jure racism, 
are really only beginning to take shape in western society - and we have 
absolutely no justification for bombastically claiming to lead the way 
on these or similar matters. Until very very very recently (well into 
the 20th century) all western nations had de jure racism and sexism 
spelled out quite clearly and painfully in our laws. Lynching was going 
on openly half a century ago in the US - a country that still has no 
guarantee of political equality for women, and that also does not have 
genuine democracy even on paper. We also have an attorney general who 
thinks that habeas corpus is optional.

Buddhists, of all people, should refrain from blindly accepting mere 
usage of words like democracy and freedom with the real thing.

As far as "pre-modern Asians" coming "face to face" with our "liberal 
traditions", well, Europeans began "visiting" the Indian subcontinent 
around the same time those good Christians first started exporting 
democracy to the "New World". By the 17th century Buddhists, Hindus and 
other interested parties had been introduced to the wonders of the 
artillery fusillade, Trinitarianism, and the Auto de fe. When was the 
curriculum for this "course of instruction" in western values updated? 
Was it before or after the Nazi holocaust, and the atom bombing of 
Hiroshima and Nagasaki? If it was after - then this is a very recent 
change of tune - if before it is difficult to take seriously.

- Curt