[Buddha-l] Confession

[Katherine Masis]

Batchelor is not my cup of tea.  Here's another take on Batchelor's old book, *Buddhism without Beliefs*, from http://www.viet.net//~anson/ebud/ebdha107.htm:
 
"The author is very definitely a product of the Enlightenment (...), the Protestant Reformation and the democratic and scientific revolutions. It is significant for understanding his thesis that he takes this complex of values as primary; indeed, in every case where there is a perceived conflict between the Buddhist teachings and these western values, it is the Buddhist teachings which must be modified or abandoned to force a reconciliation."  http://www.viet.net//~anson/ebud/ebdha107.htm  
 
I had an old philosophy professor from Spain (now deceased) who used to say that true atheists and agnostics are indifferent and uninterested in defending their position.  There's something suspicious about the militant ones, he always said.  I have always agreed with this.  When pressed, by the way, my old prof would say he was an agnostic.
 
I might consider reading Batchelor's latest book someday in the far future.  *Buddhism without Beliefs* was enough for the last several years, though.
 
Katherine Masis