A few days ago some photos popped up on the Web that allegedly shows Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka attacking a Christian church. I can't tell what they're doing from the photos, but eyewitness accounts say that protesters threw stones and petroleum bombs at the church after two women died at an evangelical faith healing service.
No one was hurt, and the local Buddhist temple denies any involvement. But this episode points to an increase in violence against Christian churches in Asia. The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka complained in 2004 that more than 140 churches had been forced to close because of attacks, intimidation and threats.
Further, Sri Lanka and several other Asian countries have passed, or are debating, anti-conversion bills. Although provisions vary, in general these bills stipulate that if someone chooses to convert to a different religion, the converted person and the missionary involved must file papers with the government to document that the conversion did not involve coercion or fraud. In some cases a missionary who does not comply could face criminal charges.
I regularly find articles on Christian websites complaining about the violence and the anti-conversion laws. What I don't see on these websites is any attempt to understand why people recently began to react violently to Christians in places where Christian missionaries have worked in peace and tolerance for generations.
I found a good "backgrounder" on the situation in the Sri Lanka Daily Mirror, by Dr. Hema Goonatilake, who writes that "Starting around the 1990's, evangelical organizations, fed by American dollars, have literally swamped the country."
It was the aggressive campaigns of the new Evangelical churches to convert rural Buddhists that resulted in this backlash. Aggressive strategies adopted by evangelists Strategies used by these fundamentalist sects are so varied and numerous. ... There have been several instances reported where the newly converted Buddhists are asked to spit at, trample on or dash the Buddha statues on the floor. Sometimes, the lamp lit in front of the Buddha statue is made to be thrown away. A common strategy adopted was the demonization of the Buddha. ...
... Conducting faith-healing sessions in parks and public halls with public address systems blaring out songs and sermons is another aggressive strategy. They are often deliberately held on poya days thereby disturbing the programmes in the nearby temple.
I've noticed that U.S. evangelical churches and colleges often will send people to Asian countries for short-term "missions" of a few weeks or months. The missionaries often are badly trained and have no understanding or respect for Asian culture and institutions. I ran into this just this morning --
I was standing in line at the grocery store when I overheard the cashier talking to the customer in front of me. They clearly knew each other, and they were talking about her recent Christian mission trip to a country where the main religion is Buddhism. She was shocked and appalled that the children went on a field trip to see a giant statue of Buddha. Her group was trying to spread the word of God to these, as she saw them, wayward people.
I am not making excuses for violence, which is an unskillful reaction. But please, Christian mission trip organizers, what do you expect?
Note that among the "wayward" people being subjected to aggressive proselytizing are Catholics. Catholic and "mainline" Protestant� churches have been long established in Asia and for the most part have functioned harmoniously and respectfully as a religious minority in Buddhist and Hindu populations. Dr. Goonatilake quotes a Catholic priest of Sri Lanka, Father Vimal Tirimanne --
...the Catholic Church to which I belong has been at the receiving end of this menace for the past two or three decades, and undoubtedly is one of the major victims of such unethical conversions... I have had first hand experience of such unethical conversions all over the country, i.e. stories which involved many Catholics who had been converted unethically to fundamentalist Christian sects.
The issue of forced conversions in Asia is much bigger than a squabble between Buddhists and Christians. It also involves extremists of other religions, including extremist Muslims and Hindus, aggressively coercing people to convert.
But in the case of anti-Christian violence, instead of complaining about it I strongly suggest that western Christian institutions look to their own practices.
Yea, I’ve noticed a number of these Christians are just too focused on “saving” people that they don’t realize they are alienating themselves and being very hostile and un-Christian. If they just stopped for a bit and thought about the peaceful religion they’re trying to spread maybe they could do it in a way that doesn’t force others to get violent with them to defend themselves.
It’s one thing to be passionate about your religion. It’s another to demand others to be passionate about your religion. These Christian missions just go bad too often.
When is the global Buddhist Sangha going to raise a world-wide outcry against the actions of the monks in Sri Lanka, not only against “non-believers”, but the ethnic Tamils… and even each other?
So much for Sri Lanka being the protector of the Dharma.
Jamie G, your comment is uninformed. There is no ‘global Buddhist Sangha’ per se, only a wide range of diverse ’schools’ or denominations, none anywhere near as widespread and ‘global’ as the Christian Church.
But look at Korea ! Google ‘Temple Burnings in Korea’ and see what you see. Bottom line: Christian Missionaries have been urging convert Koreans to commit violence against the Temples, and its been happening for 30 years now, and NO CHRISTIANS ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST IT. And its not being reported in CNN or anywhere else, except in Korea.
Here:
http://www.buddhapia.com/eng/tedesco/2.html
And Here: http://www.buddhapia.com/eng/tedesco/pic1/list.html
Christians Missionaries go into foreign countries, convinced of the rightness of their cause, and proceed to engender hostility towards other religions. The result? Temple burnings in Korea and other hostile acts of violence aginst indigenous religions. THIS IS THE CONTEXT OF THIS ARTICLE– a *reaction* against arrogant Christian proselytizing and cultural ignorance and insensitivity.
As a Buddhist, I condemn this violent reaction, but I also condemn the spiritual arrogance that prompted it in the first place. And I totally support the anti-proselytizing laws, because THAT WAS THE BEHAVIOR THAT SET ALL THIS INTO MOTION.
The monotheistic religions are SO ARROGANT.
How about this: NO PROSELYTIZING.
Karma = ‘Cause and Effect.’
I would say there is a global Buddhist sangha; not in an institutional sense, but in a mystical sense.
@Kendall
You are blaming the victim here. What evidence do you have that these Christians in any way “force[d] others to get violent with them”?
Christians are persecuted all over the world. In some countries they are under such enormous and violent pressure that they are close to extinction.
We, as Buddhists, ought to stand by these victims. Not blame them for the violence inflicted upon them.
Marcus
Marcus, chill. There are several layers of “victims” in this issue. I agree that violence is unskillful, but instead of “standing with” people who are breaking up families and are accused of causing several deaths, we should be trying to persuade more moderate Christian organizations to speak out against the coercive conversion practices.
@Marcus.
What may be victims in Sri Lanka are often the aggressors in the West.
I agree with Barbara that perspective is needed here. Lack of perspective is what often starts ANY fundamentalists from any path.
Respectfully,
Dhammachick
Marcus, I do not wish to be rude, but I am forced to be. My family is Roman Catholic and I was brought up in a Roman Catholic school from kindergarten to the completion of high school. I had mixed with and studied fundamentalist Christianity also, such as the Baptists (famous in the extreme Christian evangilical and fundamentalist strongholds of the southern states of USA). What you mention of Christians being persecuted and almost brought to extinction in ’some’ countries is a damn outright untruth! If you had switched the word ‘Buddhism’ for ‘Christianity’, you would be telling the truth. Buddhism has been at the rough receiving end of Christianity for the last 500 years and there is no sign of abating. You would not need to wonder why Buddhists are getting fed-up and starting to react. It is because of 2 main issues:- 1) Conversion 2) Religious vivilification
Marcus, please, please be more honest. I doubt you have any honesty and sincerity when you posted your remarks. I feel sorry for you.
@Marcus, Barbra provided a bit of evidence in her article. My comments weren’t focused on just the Christians that were attacked in this one instance, but rather Christians as a whole, and more particularly, the ones who try to convert others in disrespectful ways. All religions are being persecuted somewhere in the world.
The monks likely didn’t start with violence in order to defend themselves, but over the years maybe they just felt they didn’t have any other options. I hope dialogs can resolve things in the future though, rather than fists.
If this is the same Marcus that answers on the others blogs, I usually am not in agreement with him. But in this case I understand where he is coming from.
I have got to hang out for many good conversations with a born and raised Sri Lankan Buddhist monk. We talked about the situation at length about the sangha in Sri Lanka, and unfortunately, it isn’t that good. Many of the monks get into the sangha either because they are poor or they want prestige, or they are lazy (not that all of them are this way, but quite a few). Many of them find Christianity as a threat to their way of life (but also find the Hindu Tamils a threat and even other monks in monasteries of close proximity, and therefore competition for local charity).
Even if the Christians are obnoxious in their proselytization, does it ever justify physical violence?
Shavrasti Dhammikacovers this subject in depth in his essay “The Broken Buddha”. I have also posted some youtube videos on the Progressive Buddhism blog.
Needless to say, the situation in Sri Lanka where the monks feel the need to resort to violence to “protect the Dharma” is not in line with the teachings of the Buddha. I am not a fan of Christianity’s need to convert the whole world to their beliefs, and they are known for their violent tendencies to further the Gospel, but to go as far as to even pass laws against the freedom of speech or freedom of religion, something found in the United Nations Charter, is too much… and not doing the Dharma any favors.
Needless to say, the situation in Sri Lanka where the monks feel the need to resort to violence to “protect the Dharma”� is not in line with the teachings of the Buddha.
You are right, but this problem is not confined to Sri Lanka. It is true the backlash against the aggressive evangelicals seems to be most violent in Sri Lanka and India (where the attackers are more often Hindu than Buddhist), but the problem of disruptive evangelicals exists also in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and probably elsewhere. There are accounts from these countries of evangelical groups posing as charities moving into very impoverished areas and demanding conversions for food, money, and other assistance. Many such stories came out of Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami.
So while I am opposed to the violence (and thought I said so) let us not just pick on the Sinhalese here. Note also that Christian priests and pastors in Sri Lanka are also speaking out against the aggressive proselytizers. This is a big problem for them, too.
Remember, being Buddhist doesn’t mean being a patsy.
Meditation Is A Waste Of Good Shopping Time
Barbara,
I think you and I are in agreement for the most part. I am aware of the disingenuous and immoral behaviors of Christians in the countries you have mentioned. I agree that it is a terrible injustice to hold food and medicine over the heads of needy people to gain conversions.
But in reading your response it just seems that you are saying, “we aren’t as bad as the Christians”. This is a tu quoque argument. I’m a cop and I sometimes get from people I have pulled over for speeding, saying that I have to admit that I speed, too. Yes, I have speed and do sometimes speed, but that isn’t the point. I think the same should be said here.
Regardless of what the Christians are doing wherever else, I don’t think it justifies the actions of these monks in Sri Lanka. I’m just concerned that the Buddhist sangha is giving them a free pass because they are Buddhist monks… and the Christians are on the receiving end.
I’m also concerned about your last statement, maybe you can clarify. I am more than aware that being Buddhist doesn’t make me a patsy… I’m a cop who serves my community and would take another human life if absolutely necessary. But I am concerned in such a flippant statement you justify the suffering of people, Christian or not.
Normally, I think you are spot on in your blog posts. But I not only disagree with your approach, I think Marcus is getting an unfair shake.
The vision of Sri Lankan monks rioting against negotiations with the Tamils is burned in my brain. Jaimes explanation for this sort of behavior is in line with the little I know of the situation. What I do know from the Thai monks (also Theravada) is that the Sri Lankan monks tend to be too harsh, too analytical as evinced by their love of the abhidhama which is positively mathematical in its’ analysis of the human situation. They feel that the Sri Lankans lack sympathy, I suppose.
However (can you ever start a paragraph with ‘however?)the fact that they haven’t slaughtered Christians as soon as they set foot speaks well for them considering the torture, slaughter and religious oppression in general that they suffered under their Dutch colonial masters.
I have invited our friend Keerthi to give his perspective on this, so far with no response. So, Keerthi. Your turn, bro.
But in reading your response it just seems that you are saying, �we aren�t as bad as the Christians�.
Well, if you are determined to see something like that, I suppose you will see it. There’s not much I can do about that. I was trying to write as carefully as I could not to give that impression.
I have in the past written posts about the corruption of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Here are two:
“Choosing Our Identities / Sri Lanka” (May 19, 2009)
“Buddhist Nationalism in Sri Lanka” (August 17, 2009)
So, if it pleases you to read about the corruption of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, knock yourself out. However, the current post has a different subject. The subject of this post is the problem of coercive and aggressive prosetyizing in Asia, a problem that is
(1) In no way limited to Sri Lanka; and
(2) Has also been a problem for the established Christian churches.
My purpose is to call attention to this and, maybe, persuade American Christians to call a halt to it. It’s mostly American money fueling the “missionaries.” I think most Christians would be as appalled as I am if they knew about some of the more aggressive practices.
Just as two wrongs don’t make a right, it’s also the case that more than one group of people can be at fault in a bad situation.
Snark aside, thank you for the links to previous posts. Even the comments were very enlightening. I also apologize if I misunderstood your purpose for this particular post, I think I was confused by the title and opening paragraphs. But my criticisms still remain.
Jaimie — the opening paragraphs were an acknowledgment that the Buddhist monks did a terrible thing. I’m not making excuses for them. However, what the evangelicals are doing is genuinely ugly, also. They are ripping apart families and communities; they are accused of causing several deaths by discouraging people from getting medical help. Established Christian churches in Asia are speaking out against the aggressive proselytizing and want it to stop. Much of this ugliness is being funded by evangelical churches and institutions in the United States, so we in the West have some responsibility for it.
Hi,
Phew, a lot of reaction.
Now I’m a Buddhist too, but when I read (from the link provided by Barbara) that “Protesters stoned and threw petrol bombs at the church” my first reaction is most certainly not to blame those having bombs thrown at them.
Now, I’ll readily admit to be ignorant of the situation in Sri Lanka, but I’ve spent most of the last decade in Thailand and have solid first-hand experience of the Sangha here and of Christian activity here too.
99% of the Christians, both Thai and western, that I’ve met here have been good people. Christianity here has a long history of 100s of years and although Christians make up just a few percent of the population, their contribution to Thai society is well recognised by all.
If they do grow in size – why not? People have a right to choose their religion, right? And if Buddhists are not happy with the growth of Christianity, then the fault lies with the Sangha. People wouldn’t need to look elsewhere if the Sangha properly met the needs of the people. Thankfully, in Thailand, the Sangha does just that.
My hope is that those Buddhists in Sri Lanka who attacked a church with bombs would, instead, ask themselves why they think people can’t have a choice in religion, and what they might be doing wrong that people leave the temple.
Again, attacking a church with bombs is not the action, in my opinion, of a healthy Sangha, and blaming the victims of those bombs (children perhaps?), not the most skillful of reactions to that atack.
With palms together,
Marcus
Now I’m a Buddhist too, but when I read (from the link provided by Barbara) that “Protesters stoned and threw petrol bombs at the church” my first reaction is most certainly not to blame those having bombs thrown at them.
Nor was mine. It was a terrible thing to do. No excuses for it.
99% of the Christians, both Thai and western, that I’ve met here have been good people. Christianity here has a long history of 100s of years and although Christians make up just a few percent of the population, their contribution to Thai society is well recognised by all.
Yes, the Christian churches long established in Asia have been able to live harmoniously with others, and have done important humanitarian work. Note that many of these Christians are also being targeted by the evangelicals and are speaking out against the evangelicals.
People wouldn’t need to look elsewhere if the Sangha properly met the needs of the people. Thankfully, in Thailand, the Sangha does just that.
Yes, there is a lot of truth in that.
My hope is that those Buddhists in Sri Lanka who attacked a church with bombs would, instead, ask themselves why they think people can’t have a choice in religion, and what they might be doing wrong that people leave the temple.
And you have completely, utterly, totally, missed the point. It’s as if you read the post with your eyes closed. We’re not talking about not having a choice in religion. Please read more carefully next time.
The conversion practice of Christians is really horrible. They reach to the poor and pay money and other material benefits and the poor people who know nothing about religion get enamored by material benefits and convert to Christianity. This is a blasphemy against JESUS CHRIST. Christian missionaries have scant respect and regard for other religions but they know how to utilize minorities protection laws and human rights concept as a cover to their ugly way of conversion which wil be never acceptable t o jesus christ. Here in india in states like Orissa , Andhra pradesh suddenly there is an increase in the population of local Christians and the credit goes to money power only. New converts are assured of equality but in reality casteism is dominating the christian community. Fie upon these missionaries who are nothing but Anti god and anti Christ
I do noy know why these so called prayer warriors and evangelists complain about persecution and over publicize unfotunate incidences. They knowing the Bible inside out, yet, complain about unfavourable events! Remember it is God’s will and who are we to come in between Him and His itinerary. May be, there is a purpose that God has chosen these people to be punished and persecuted. Do not behave like the unrighteous illiterate fools running and complaining to the humans. But go direct to the Father in heaven who wanted you to get persecuted. He is an Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscience God!! Being so, He would have been watching who was serving Him faithfully or not without a murmur. If not on the so called Judgement day He may say “I do not know you my son. Remember every thing happens with God’s Knowledge! Thanks Wicks.
@Barbara – “Marcus, chill”.
Barabara, I am perfectly ‘chilled’ thank you. Again just as with NellaLou perhaps, a misreading on your part.
@Dhammachick – “What may be victims in Sri Lanka are often the aggressors in the West”
So you are saying that these Buddhists attacked a church with bombs because of international concerns rather than local ones? Or that because of a particular political viewpoint they are somehow justified in their violence?
@ John Chow – “I doubt you have any honesty and sincerity when you posted your remarks.”
John, I spoke with total honesty and sincerity to the best of my ability and I stand by what I said. What suprises me is to be accused of dishonesty simply for feeling sympathy for the victims of Buddhist violence. Violence that, in my opinion, brings shame upon the entire Buddhist world.
@ Kendall – “over the years maybe they just felt they didn�t have any other options”
Maybe you are right. Thank goodness the persecuted Buddhists of Tibet, Burma, and Vietnam have chossen not to go down the route of violence though. It think their example is the one we should wish to focus on and learn from.
@Jamie G. – “Even if the Christians are obnoxious in their proselytization, does it ever justify physical violence?”
Thank you Jamie G. I think you are right.
@Barbara – “Please read more carefully next time.”
Would you be kind enough to point out where I missed anything. This isn’t ’snark’ this is an honest attempt to see what it it you think I’m missing. If I’ve missed the point – what was it?
As a Buddhist, when I see Buddhists attacking others with stones and petrol bombs, the point, for me, is that violence and the necessity of it ceasing.
respectfully,
Marcus
@Barbara – “Many such stories came out of Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami.”
These allegations were never substantiated. An investigation by the UN special rapporteur for freedom of religion or belief failed to turn up any evidence of unethical practices by Christians in the ake of the 2004 tsunami. But the rumours persist and do nothing to help calm down religious intolerance.
Hi,
Enough. I’m now bowing out of this debate. I wish all here peace and hapiness and that all violence and hatred might come to an end everywhere.
With palms together,
Marcus
Would you be kind enough to point out where I missed anything.
Just one example, the part about Catholics being targeted by the evangelicals as well as Buddhists and priests speaking out against the aggressive practices. Catholics should have a choice in religion too, I would think.
Sorry, but when you wrote “they should ask themselves why they think people can’t have a choice in religion” I just felt defeated.
In the post I quoted a Catholic priest complaining about the evanglicals. Dr. Goonatilake (link in the article) wrote that “Christian priests, nuns and the laity joined Buddhist monks and laity in a protest rally” against the evangelicals.
So, if you read the post, how could you assume the monks are just opposed to conversions?
Again, I’m not making excuses for the monks. But I have read accounts of these “mission trips” written by the evangelicals themselves that have persuaded me there is a real problem.
As a rule, once I have written something I don’t then re-explain it to people unwilling to read it. I am trying to be patient here. But I’m so exhausted with this argument I am inclined to delete further comments in this thread unless they are unusually brilliant.
Reason behind all what is happening here in Sri Lanka is very much historical. Buddhism was first written in Sri Lanka. Buddhist monks though they lost the original path to Nirvana (practical Noble Eightfold Path) kept on protecting what ever they had. Slowly Sri Lanka became the centre of Therawada. They spread a belief that Sri Lankans have a duty to protect Buddhism and it will be protected only in Sri Lanka.
As they lost Nirvana, Buddha Dharma became a religion called Buddhism and people started to move away from it. (During Buddha’s time people from all over the world was attracted to it). This made the Buddhist monks (they are not Sangha – yellow robe and bold head is not mentioned in Buddha’s definition of Sangha) to do everything possible to keep their followers and it had to compete with other religions.
The monks therefore, are only the reperesentatives of another religion. They do not posess any quality of Sangha of the Buddha’s day. The Buddha or his Arhath followers never had to fight with anybody. But, what you find in literature is those who had done anything against The Buddha or his great Arhath followers losing pretty miserably. True Sangha posessed a protective power as they have practised NEP.
Therefore, the monks developed an intimate relationship with the people in other means so that they have the same treatment from the soceity as the Arhaths had. Therefore, the Buddhist soceity is very much in control of the monks now. Whenever something unfavourable comes up they take severe action together.
Any way, when the world conquoring Europians came to Sri Lanka they found Sri Lanka was impossible to conquor. They suffered humiliating defeats here unlike at any part of the world. They could conquor the contry only through a conspiracy and not by war. Then they found out reason behind all this is the close link between the Buddhist monks and the people. They started all sorts of unethical converesions for the last 500 years to break this bond. (This was very successfully done in Philipenes and South Korea). They found the problem or the enemy is Buddhism.
The Tamil separatist war was fully supported by the Church and they used it as a tool to minimise the number of Singhalese Buddhit population. They massacared villages of poor Sinhales Buddhists. No country in the West criticised their actions.
Unethical conversions and mushrooming of churches of various sects are commonplace. They have built churches right in front of Buddhist temples like declaring war against the temple. All major Buddhist temples today have a church nearby.
Fundamental mistake the church seems to have made is taking Buddhists as enemy. This resulted in Buddhist monks treating them in the same way.
The Buddhist monks not only act against the church activity. They are against its own followers who find short comings in what they do. (They do everything against the only Arhath to apear after 2000 years to purify their own religion. Simple reason is they are affraid of losing their place in the Buddhist soceity. As a follower of the Arhath I am also at the receiving end of bad treatment from Buddhist monks).
What ever done against Buddhism will back fire and the original Buddhism will flourish. I know the power of practising NEP. If all the Buddhists some day, some how, get to know the rediscovered NEP they will get to know that they do not have to worry about any damage due to other religions.
All the religions will be put to test by the environment. You will see religious leaders run for their dear life at the face of environmental catastrophes. In fact we have already entered that time and passing through the transision period. End of all that is you find heaven on earth if you are lucky to servive. Then you see people flocking to Sri Lanka from all coners of the world. No more silly religious clashes and no more religions by then!
Oh this is one of my favorite subject…since we cannot draw a line. First I wanted to know what is right way of converting and wrong ways used by different religions at different point of time in history and now.
1. Threaten to kill if not changed after capturing a kingdom
2. Still don’t, then either kill or make their life hell
3. Give food and shelter/clothes and ask to convert
4. Accuse other’s belief as wrong and if you were not able to argue with me, convert
5. Marry a girl and ask her to convert and then keep playing romeo it got a new word in India as “Love Jihad”
In my opinion, all the above is wrong. Why somebody has to spread a religion? Because, religion is a matter of power for some. Wherever possible, these power mongers will use the situation applicable.
Now, the question is what kind of counter attacks are right?
1. Militant response to the invading community
2. Bring anti conversation laws
3. Counter insult
4. Beat up the girls who falls in love with boys of other community
5. more and more ways…..
What is right and what is wrong. Anything is right. You know, that is against something wrong happening in the first place…..winning of wrong with wrong is not possible…I expect a mutual destruction…fun to watch
I call myself a Buddhist. I get into argument with my friends on various issues. Never asked anybody to convert to my belief. In friendly talks, I used to insult many of their beliefs they also do that in turn by showing these kind of incidents…my answer used to be..they just joined Buddhism don’t expect them to be Buddha tomorrow.
I don’t believe all those seen in brown, saffron dresses are “Buddhists” that is in mind…real buddhists can be seen in Armani suit in a 5 star hotels also. Just without attachment to those.
When politics of “power” clashes..it is better that actual Buddhist laugh as laud as possible. As a Buddhist I have nothing to protect not even the image of “Buddha”..so no worries. If in the name of “Buddha” if somebody kills, running a brothel….no worries…Is it wrong? I don’t think it is…with some name, they play their existence politics.
Keerthi, you raise so many questions. What is the monks objection to your teacher and the teachings and how has this persecution towards you manifested?
One more thing Keerthi. In conflict it seems each side can point to the others atrocities and both are correct. The problem here is that it involves Sangha in a proudly Buddhist country. I know you touched on that.
I’m still looking over the document you sent. Although it is short it is quite dense and I promise I will find the time to give it a thorough examination. Seems to be based on abhidhama logics. It almost reads like a recipe. That’s not a bad thing.
Fitz
Hey, how abt the buddhists who suffer bcoz of christianity actions? Do you belive that some christian organizations are there who force the buddhists to convert into christianism?Even killing them, if they did not do so & insulting buddhist monks using women if they did not support or christian activities.
No body will talk abt the unfairnesses that buddhism face,n everybody will keep mouth shut.
Rushdi
“How can we live in harmony? First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God.”
– St. Thomas Aquinas
Though a christian I fully agree with Barbara with regards to the conversion activities of some new generation churches like THE NEW LIFE CHURCH and the likes in Asian countries, while propagating they indulge in negative campaign of the other dominant religion of the particular country/region. This causes unnecessary tension and many times the reaction will be violent. Best example is incidents that took a year back place in the state of Karnataka (South canara Dist) in INDIA where I live these evangelical missionaries indulged in similar campaign for which there was a violent backlash from the right wing Hindu groups.
Perhaps the real issue is the thirst for power and control by all religious groups.
One should question why are Buddhists in Asia and America losing young people… perhaps they need to stop focusing on maintaining and start to look at solutions.
You can’t say that Asian buddhists are losing young people. It is probably only true a few small places like Singapore.
Elsewhere such as Taiwan, Buddhism is gaining ground. You can’t say that China’s buddhism is losing young people since it is just at the nascent satge of reviving after decades of communist suppression. The same goes to place like Mongolia. In Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lnaka etc…Buddhism is still predominant, you can’t say it is losing young people. India is gaining with dalits converting themselves….
I am a Catholic in Sri Lanka. Before talking about Buddhists attacking Christians in this country Catholics suould attack Avangalists first. We face a cerious threat from Avangelists in this country. They pay mony collected from West to poor Catholics, Buddhists and even Hindus and force to convert to their version. But they never do this to Muslims. Because they know that they will be killed by Muslims if they try to do so. This is the truth.
Let them reap what they sow. It is there in the Bible.
It may be Buddhist, Christians or Muslims who ever will have to reap what they sow. Why you and I observe other’s sind by talking about theisr wrong act. Be wise dear friend.
As a person who has lived in SOutheast Asia for several years, and has resided at many Buddhist temples for periods of time (for Buddhist practice), I can safely say that there is much violent/nationalist sentiment associated with Theravada Buddhism in SOutheast Asia. One such example is the never-ending strife in South Thailand. This is a side of Buddhism that I dont think many Westerners get to see/understand – many hear Buddhism and have ‘warm-0fuzzy’ thoughts, but there is a dark, violent, highly nationalist, authoritarian, nad even racist side to the religion in many parts of Southesat Asia.
As a persons who has lived in Southeast Asia for several years, and has resided at Buddhist temples there for periods of time (for Buddhist practice), I can safely say that there is much violent/nationalist/even racist sentiment of many Buddhists in SOutheast Asia. Many Western persons automatically think ‘warm and fuzzy’ thoughts when they hear of Buddhism – as with any religion, persons within the religion have their faults, and Buddhism is no exception. I think the writer of this article should look at other angles before making comments such as the above.
Sorry Barbara, just noticed your article on ‘Buddhist Nationalism in Sri Lanka’ – please excuse the last sentence in my last post
Barbara, I appreciate your balanced post. I’m a Mennonite with Mennonite Central Committe peacebuilding connections across Asia. Clearly there has never been a better time to ’seek peace and pursue it’, as the Psalmist said. Sharing faith has always been part of Christian practice. Sadly though, from the time of Constantine onwards, that ’sharing’ has been tied up with coercion and imperialism. Now that ‘Christendom’ is fading into the distance there is perhaps an opportunity for Christians to question the association of mission with violence. I take encouragement that Jesus combined the proclamation of the Kingdom of God with radical nonviolence. I regret the harm which is caused whenever any of us fails to be mindful of the best and peaceable insights within our religious traditions. Shalom, phil