At the Washington Post, media critic Tom Shales calls on Fox News personality Brit Hume to apologize to the world's Buddhists. The remark Hume made on Fox News Sunday -- that Tiger Woods should abandon Buddhism and convert to Christianity -- "dissed about half a billion Buddhists on the planet," Shales said.

Hume, however, so far has refused to acknowledge that he insulted Buddhism. And at MSNBC, Pat Buchanan said that maybe the remark denigrated Buddhism, but that was not a problem because "there are not a lot of Buddhists watching Fox."

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On Fox News Sunday, news personality Brit Hume had advice for the scandal-ridden Tiger Woods:

"The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith," said Hume. "He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of redemption and forgiveness offered by the Christian faith. My message to Tiger is, 'Tiger turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."

Now, breathe calmly and remember verse 222 from the Dhammapada:  "He who checks rising anger as a charioteer checks a rolling chariot, him I call a true charioteer. Others only hold the reins."

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The Buddha is thought to have realized enlightenment at Bodhgaya, today a city in northern India. The site of the enlightenment is marked by the 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It is also the site of controversy. Today monks are on a hunger strike to leverage their demand that Buddhists be in control of the ancient temple. As it is, the temple is the property of the Indian state of Bihar and managed by a government-appointed Temple Management Committee (TMC). By law, the TMC consists of four Buddhists and four Hindus.

This arrangement was amicable for a time, but in recent years Hindu nationalists have attempted to use the Mahabodhi temple as a place to worship the Hindu god Shiva. Buddhism died out in India many centuries ago, and as it faded Hinduism absorbed what was left of it by declaring the Buddha to be an incarnation of Shiva. But this is, of course, unacceptable to Buddhists. Further, Buddhists interpret the Hindu nationalists' actions as a means to assert the dominance of Hinduism in India and deny religious liberty to Buddhists.

Even as this drama is taking place, Bodhgaya is preparing for a week-long visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who will give a five-day program of teachings.

Happy New Year! I wish all of you a happy 2010.