[Buddha-l] NYTimes.com: Let Us Pray for Wealth

[L.S. Cousins]

Richard,

>On Tuesday 06 November 2007 12:25, L.S. Cousins wrote:
>
>>   But there is something good we
>  > can say about Buddhism: it has a better track record in this area.
>>  Better, not perfect.
>
>Over the years, I have come to admire you for your carefulness and clarity of
>mind. The claim you make here, however, is an exception. It is, I am pleased
>to say, a very rare exception. But it is an exception.
>
>>  If this is acknowledged, then I will be happy
>>  not to point the finger at the theistic religions.
>
>Human beings are human beings. No group of people has a monopoly on
>unwholesomeness,

Quite true.

>and no group of people has done, on a whole, much better
>than anyone else.

Since you qualify with 'on a whole', I might agree. But in fact some 
smaller groups have done better e.g. the Quakers. But I suspect that 
what you say is possibly true for very large groups. That said, I 
doubt whether we have the evidence to know. But I was talking about 
one specific area in which I do think that Buddhism has a better 
record.

>I'm sorry, but I simply do not acknowledge the validity of
>your claim, so I find your finger-pointing a distressing deviation from
>clarity in your thinking that I have come to admire.

So should we not examine the evidence ?

>  > Statement of what is true is not a breach of
>>  speech precepts, unless there is intention to hurt or divide.
>
>I could not agree more. I would therefore invite you to speak of these issues
>by making statements of what is true.

I think what I said is true, but I am willing to be shown that I am wrong.

>It is impossible for me to believe that
>there is anything in saying "Buddhists have a better track record than
>followers of theistic religions" that is intended to sew harmony.

But what I said was that Buddhism 'has a better track record in this 
area.' I can think of other areas where e.g. Christianity has a 
better track record.

There was and is no intention either to 'sew harmony' or to sew 
disharmony, only to establish truth.

I think I understand where you are coming from. But I simply don't 
think one should deny facts just because acknowledging them might be 
misused by some.

Lance