Given the recent summit on Value Voters, and the crisis on Wall Street I thought it might be interesting to ask a non-Christian on what values informed his approach to the public square. I sent an email to Robert Thurman, a Progressive Revival blogger and Professor of Buddhism at Columbia University. He sent me this response during a lecture tour for his latest book: Why the Dalai Lama Matters.
“The main Buddhist values would be compassion, tolerance, generosity, ethics and intelligent service of others. In this moment of total crisis caused by excessive selfishness and greed on the part of the excessively rich, who can find no satisfaction in it anyway, we should all be reflecting on how to bring altruistic concern for others out of the realm of suppressed impulses and into the center of our public life.
I know this is very slight, but perhaps it could be helpful for conservative Christians to realize that members of other traditions have these values at the center of their daily lives – though they may, at times, not live up to them that much better than any other religious persons.
Certainly exclusiveness, violence against others, callous disregard of the poor and downtrodden, intolerance of those of other faiths and ideologies, and so forth should find no place in the hearts and behaviors of followers of Jesus or Buddha or any of the other great spiritual teachers of humanity.”
And let us all say – Amen.
posted September 18, 2008 at 11:01 pm
So, you want to talk about “Buddhist values in the public square” ?
Hmmmm. Let’s see, the strongest memory most Americans have of “Buddhist values in the public square” involves the
California Buddhist temple that served as the site of a controversial 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign fundraising event. The leaders of the temple were indicted for breaking a variety of campaign finance laws.
Back then, VP Al Gore attended an April 1996 campaign fundraiser at the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, California. The event drew notorious attention when it was revealed that donors in attendance — including the Hsi Lai Nuns — were illegally reimbursed by the temple.
The fatuous Gore had initially described it as a “community outreach” event, then later acknowledged that he knew beforehand that it was “finance-related.” It is illegal under federal campaign-finance law for campaign fundraising events to be held at a religious institution.
Better luck next time to the Buddhists.
posted September 19, 2008 at 11:30 am
A Minnesota Prosperity Gospel church essentially endorsed a Republican who was running for Congress a couple of years ago. That drew down the ire of the IRS, and a full-scale investigation of the church is underway for its , um, “creative” accounting. That included buying the minister an airplane and then leasing it back from him for more than it cost.
Is that an indictment of all Christians and Christianity as a whole?
There are many “denominations” and centers of Buddhism in the US. Finding one in the whole country that was misused by political operatives is hardly a comment on the faith of nearly a billion people in the world.
posted September 19, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Strange comments from Thurman, especially considering he’s been spewing forth a lot of vile about Shugden community, where he’s even referred to them as the “Taliban of Tibetan Buddhism.”
I’m not a Shugden practioners, but I’ve been following the controversy from the beginning, so maybe it’s time for him to practice what he teaches, but I wouldn’t hold my breath… he’s nothing more than an academic hack who wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him in the butt.
posted September 20, 2008 at 6:53 am
The Buddha came from a warrior caste and was naturally brought into association with kings, princes and ministers. Despite His origin and association, He never resorted to the influence of political power to introduce His teaching, nor allowed His Teaching to be misused for gaining political power.
Lisa
Hedge Fund Jobs
posted September 24, 2008 at 3:39 pm
There is much to be said for Buddhist values. Musashi attained enlightenment by killing sixty-three men in single combat.
posted October 10, 2008 at 9:26 pm
With the exception of Paul, Elizabeth and Lisa all I see here is hatred. Where does hatred get us? Worry not what “Buddhists” and “Christians” are doing. Seek the Truth and try to love others, as Buddha and Jesus taught.