[Buddha-l] Ethical Dilemmas

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Op 13-06-10 08:49, Dan Lusthaus schreef:
> And once again Richard can't tell the difference between description 
> on theone hand and name-calling and innuendo on the other -- though he 
> is an
> expert at the latter. (and that's a description, not an innuendo).
>
>    
I can appreciate Dan's opposition against cultural relativism, but this 
doesn't mean that one culture is inherently better than another. All 
cultures have good and bad elements. It's very unwise to just reject all 
of one culture and take over all elements of another one, Buddhist or 
not. It's very easy though, because this kind of essentialism offers no 
choices so it frees from responsibility. The other mistake and strategy 
of bad faith is to call everything equal, so choice has no ethical or 
practical consequences and is just a matter of personal preference. Here 
is an example of what the effect can be of two-dimensional thinking (and 
basd smelling cheese). Warning: don't watch it during meals and don't 
show it to minors, it contains poisonous material.
http://www.krapuul.nl/nieuws/8801/wilders-oproep-tot-genocide-op-mensen-met-wortels-in-de-islam/

erik