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."
One comment by another Buddhist blogger has received considerable attention -- Kyle the Reformed Buddhist wrote,
Could Hume get away with saying something like this about Jewish people or black people or the Muslim Faith? You betcha he couldn't. Why should he be able to skate away scott free when speaking about Buddhists? Because we are only 3 or 4% of the population in the US? Hell NO! Sometimes we do have to speak up, sometimes right speech is getting in someone's face saying, "hey you can't say that about us...you know nothing at all about us!" Sometimes we have to stand up for what we believe, even if that means showing some red once in awhile. Because if we don't.....well....I think you all can figure that part out.
I'm glad somebody said that. I disagree with people who think Right Speech means one cannot ever disagree with anyone, or that we Buddhists must simply stand by, smiling serenely, when people disparage the dharma. There's a time to shut up and sit down, yes, but there's also a time to stand up and say something.
May we all realize the wisdom to know when to stand up and say something, and when to sit down and shut up. And that said, we can extend metta to the disparagers even as we explain that we disagree with what they say.
I am sure that if Tiger Wood’s Buddism is working for him, he will totally ignore Brit Hume’s suggestion. Then on the other paw, Wood’s faith is not working.
While I am agnostic, it strikes me that if all of the World’s religions were the same, nobody would ever switch. Yet people do convert. There must be a reawon.
I’m not a Buddhist, but I do think it’s one of the world’s most beautiful faiths. Even more so now that Brit Hume obviously doesn’t approve of it. I personally feel that the Fox “News” network is an “Opinion” network, really; and the things that its newscasters seemingly do not like or approve of are some of the nicest parts things in life: love, happiness, equality and tolerance. What he said does not surprise me – excuse me for sounding so philosophical, but I think the world needs to surprise him by its reply to what is clearly intolerance.
For the record, I’m neither Buddhist nor Christian. It somehow feels like Brit Hume is merely encouraging another kind of infidelity in suggesting Tiger Woods leave his Buddhist faith to flirt with the inside of a confessional and get in bed with Christianity. I can’t see how an invitation to cheat on your belief system fixes cheating.
Thank you for the comments Barbara.
Hume and Buchanan simply expose the snotty arrogance that accompanies the evangelical attempt to push their view on everyone else, whether through coercion, insult, or simply trying to change laws to force everyone to live by their lame view.
I agree with Barbara’s statement that “Right Speech” means we can never disagree. I believe that in many Buddhist monasteries the elders split the young monastics are given a statement from The Buddha and are split into two groups, one to argue that The Buddha was correct and the other that he was wrong. So the elders use argument (logic not yelling and tanturming) as a teaching tool.
TOTALLY agree with Barbara’s comments on Right Speech.
I don’t believe Buddhism is actually a religion…I see it as a way of life…I maybe only starting out reading and studying on Buddhism but that is how I see it!
I don’t believe Buddhism is actually a religion. I see it as a way of life
Religions also are ways of life. Buddhism is a religion.
It is the time now, to stand up and, with compassion, point out just how wrong, bigoted, and intolerant, they are.
Right Speech is the “Lion’s Roar” of Buddhism. To give in and accept a lie is to participate in it. The challenge is to be humble in listening and attempting to understand completely while at the same time standing up for what you know is the truth. Humble doesn’t mean acquiescing. Humble means standing up for what you believe while embracing the understanding that you may be wrong. What this person said is an arrogant distortion of Buddhism, and anyone who is willing to point it out has my support. I’ve been guilty of letting it slide; I’ll have to put my money where my mouth is…
Right Speech is the “Lion’s Roar” of Buddhism. To give in and accept a lie is to participate in it. The challenge is to be humble in listening and attempting to understand completely while at the same time standing up for what you know is the truth. Humble doesn’t mean acquiescing. Humble means standing up for what you believe while embracing the understanding that you may be wrong.
Well put. Thanks.
Is it true that all paths lead to the top of a mountain and once we get there, we all see the same Moon?
Brit Hume is taking a lot of heat for his comments. I’m sure Brit Hume will recover as a news analyst. Whether he can recover as a person I think is a very open question, and it’s a tragic situation with him. Brit is said to be a Christian. I don’t think that faith offers the sort of mindfulness and escape from suffering that is offered by the Buddhist faith. So, my advice to Brit would be, turn to the Buddhist faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.
Dear Sukhmandir Khalsa
I just wanted to say to say that I appreciate your comment (#3). Well put!
Lise