Buddhists v. Christians in Sri Lanka
Julia Duin, writing in the Washington Times's "Belief Blog," sites violence by Sri Lankan Buddhists against Christian churches. "Buddhism is treated as a state religion in Sri Lanka where Buddhist extremists attack Christian churches, according to the State Department's annual religious freedom report," Duin says. She also mentions an attempt to pass a law in Sri Lanka that would have banned conversions from Buddhism to another religion.
I understand there have been attacks by Buddhist nationalists against Christian churches in Sri Lanka. There is no excuse or justification in Buddhism for this. However, some Christian groups operating in Sri Lanka have not exactly helped Buddhist-Christian relations.
There is an ongoing problem with over-aggressive Christian proselytizing conducted in a dishonest and unethical manner by some conservative evangelical groups. Missionaries have targeted the poor with offers of money if they would renounce the Buddha, for example. They have distributed inflammatory literature, such as pamphlets condemning the Buddha as a reincarnation of Satan.
According to Christian Eckert, writing for The Lanka Academic, after the 2004 tsunami some Christian and Scientology groups presented themselves as humanitarian NGOs but primarily engaged in missionary work. They offered humanitarian aid, including food and new homes, in exchange for attending Christian worship services or Scientology readings.
I understand the Catholic and Anglican churches of Sri Lanka have spoken out against these "conversion" practices. Also, the anti-conversion bill Duin mentions would not have banned conversions entirely, but was intended to discourage coerced conversions. However, the bill was abandoned under pressure from the United States.
It doesn't help that Sri Lanka has been gripped by ongoing civil war since 1983. The main protagonists are the mostly Buddhist Sinhalese majority and a mostly Hindu Tamil minority. The conflict has hardened ethnic animosities and eroded Sri Lanka's traditional tolerance. Aggressively anti-Buddhist foreign missionaries are but fuel on an already hot fire.
All parties in Sri Lanka might do well to remember these words from the Dhammapada:
"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,'' in those who harbour such thoughts hatred is not appeased.
"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,'' in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred is appeased.
Hate is not overcome by hate; by Love (Metta) alone is hate appeased. This is an eternal law.
Comments
Interesting story, seems much like extremist Muslims who twist the teachings of the Koran into a hateful thing. What branch of Buddhism would the Sri Lankans belong to?
Lise
Theravada
Wish more people in Sri Lanka understood buddhism. I mean, you’d think a Buddhist extremist kinda would be ultra good! but no, it’s been used as a powerful political tool by nationalists here to command obedience.
I don’t know whether pressure from U.S. was the primary cause for abandoning the anti-conversion bill. That had many aspects to it, like registering with the local police station before becoming a Christian. That was derogatory.
The catholics (of whos community I’m part of, although I’m mostly an agnostic) have been battling evangelicals more than the Buddhists. Since the evangelical NGOs start with people who are already Christian, I guess things are easier for them
But there are attacks on churches, less so now than say about 3-4 years ago, there’s also some liberal censorship, newspapers don’t report on this for the fear of arousing religious sentiments.
The proposed Anti Conversion Law stated that anybody responsible for the conversion of an individual from one religion to another (Except to Buddhism- that’s not an offence under the act)would face 5 years imprisonment. If the “convert” was in the military, a minor, a student, a woman or a hospital patient, the imprisonment would be 7 years. We Sri Lankans value our freedom of speech, expression, thought & concience. That is why most of us vehemently opposed this act. (We dont want to be another Myanmar or Zimbabwe)Most Buddhist Monks in Sri Lanka(barring a few noble exeptions) are in the mould of the Dictatorial Vatican in the Dark ages, the Ku Klux Clan or the Taliban of Afghanistan. The current turmoil in the country is also a result of this nexus of religion and state. These frenzied monks are tarnishing the reputation of Buddhism, which preaches compassion, tolerance and peace. Just Last week, a gang led by a famous monk assaulted a Christian clergyman, breaking his nose, accusing him of “converting” members of the local temple.
An article appeared in a local nespaper, the link is below:
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20080713/spotlight-1.htm