General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums‘I am proud to be called a radical Buddhist’: More Burmese embracing anti-Muslim violence
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/06/21/i-am-proud-to-be-called-a-radical-buddhist-more-burmese-buddhists-embracing-anti-muslim-violence/You can be full of kindness and love, but you cannot sleep next to a mad dog, Ashin Wirathu, a spiritual leader of the movement and very popular figure in Burma, said of the countrys Muslims, whom he called the enemy. He told the New York Times, I am proud to be called a radical Buddhist.
Wirathu calls himself the Burmese bin Laden and was recently labeled on the cover of Time magazine as the face of Burmese terror. A prominent Burmese human rights activist, after a lifetime of fighting government oppression, now warns that Wirathus movement is promoting an ideology akin to neo-Nazism.
Already, the movement has expanded beyond this one self-styled radical Buddhist monk. Its now expanding across Burma (also known as Myanmar) according to the Times article. The anti-Muslim sentiment has spread with alarming speed over just the last year, as Burma which is finally opening up after years of military dictatorship loosened its strict speech laws. It has prompted boycotts and sermons that can sound an awful lot like calls for violence against Muslims. Monasteries associated with the movement have enrolled 60,000 Burmese children into Sunday school programs.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)so I did some legwork in the region first. Changed a lot of what I thought about Buddhism.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)The Buddhists I've had personal contact with, here in the U.S. are really chill and awesome folks, but every religion has its nuts.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)backscatter712
(26,355 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)What will they do in response to an unavoidable mortal threat?
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)In Aikido circles, the highest form of martial skill is to subdue an opponent without harming him.
I have no problem with self defense.
I do have a problem with that Burmese monk who refers to Muslims as "rabid dogs" and stirs up violence. Avoidable violence.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Apophis
(1,407 posts)That's an oxymoron. And an interesting indie band name.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)You think Tibet got its Empire by being nice to people?
Apophis
(1,407 posts)But the Dali Lama isn't violent and he strongly encourages his followers not to be violent.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)What's more, Buddhism has changed over time.