Susma Rio Sep-
Again, as I posted a while back, nothing particularly hateful is involved. However, that the paragraph in question which you posted at the beginning of this thread might inspire some ill-feelings is not exactly unbelievable. I mean, take a look at this line:
But Buddhism and Buddhists, they will never contribute anything of substance to mankind's civilization and culture...
Firstly, that's simply not true whatsoever. In fact, it would really take some unprecedented magic to demostrate this point in even the least bit. Buddhism and Buddhists
already have contributed very much to mankind's civilization. Is this statement hateful? No, not really. Is it true? No. So, clearly, some people might be rubbed the wrong way by this post.
Also, take a look at this line:
...also because their leaders would be out of business and a purpose for being if they should draw their philosophy and religious world view of Nirvana to its utter logical end.
Again, this is not really hateful, at all. However, it does certainly reflect a lack of genuine understanding of Buddhism.
My point is simply this:
1) I, as well as many other board members, don't think that this is really hateful.
But,
2) It
is arguably inaccurate in its insight into Buddhism, and furthermore, uses this inaccurate insight as grounds for criticism. I don't see
anything surprising about it rubbing some people the wrong way. To put it plainly, the paragraph, as a whole, does not reflect a familiarity with Buddhism so much as a desire to criticize it based upon assumptions which have not been appropriately explored and investigated for accuracy. It is not hateful, but some people take others opinions far too seriously.
So,
3) I don't really see what's so inconceivable about it causing problems in certain situations. Whether you're talking about Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Bahai (to name a few), there will always be people that get a bit too excitable when criticism is posted about the tradition they follow, especially when the criticism is rather inaccurate. It's not a "Buddhist" thing at all, really...it's just people, and people get bent out of shape sometimes.
-jiii