This Message Board's Slant

T

The Dude

Guest
I couldn't help but notice that this message board appears slanted in that eastern religions are not even referred to as religions but merely as Eastern Thought. Truly if the architects of this site wanted to be fair they would change the name of the Eastern Thought forum to Dharminic Religion to match the respect given to the forum titled Abrahamic Religion.

What makes this apparent error seem conspicuous or even purposeful is that the alternative religion forum doesn't even contain the word religion at all. It is as if to suggest that they are not even religions but alternatives to religion.

Are Jesus and Beelzebub working together again this time pretending to promote a fair interfaith dialogue?
 
TD,

Many Buddhists say that Buddhism is not a religion. You will also find people in other Eastern traditions that share the same sentiment. That is why they are called 'Thought" not "religions.'

Quite frankly, 'religion' is a dirty word to many people.
 
Nick the Pilot said:
TD,

Many Buddhists say that Buddhism is not a religion. You will also find people in other Eastern traditions that share the same sentiment. That is why they are called 'Thought" not "religions.'

Quite frankly, 'religion' is a dirty word to many people.
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I don't buy that.

Granted a some Buddhists say that their way of life is a philosophy and not a religion but the overwhelming majority of Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs rightfully and accurately call their beliefs and practice religion.

What do you say to the conspicuous absence of the word religion from the Alternative section?
 
TD,

You said,

"...the overwhelming majority of Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs rightfully and accurately call their beliefs and practice religion."

--> I would be curious to hear the reactions you'd get to such an idea at the Buddhist Forum.

E-sangha, Buddhist Forum and Buddhism Forum (Powered by Invision Power Board)

"What do you say to the conspicuous absence of the word religion from the Alternative section?"

--> I feel it is quite appropriate.
 
Nick the Pilot said:
"What do you say to the conspicuous absence of the word religion from the Alternative section?"

--> I feel it is quite appropriate.
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That's just plain bogus.

But back to Eastern Religions:

I have quite a lot of Hindu and Sikh friends that often feel offended by people who don't consider their faith to be a real religion. To have it institutionalized on this message board is consistent with the charge of "not a real religion" that is made by many Islamic and Judeo-Christian bigots.
 
The Dude said:
I couldn't help but notice that this message board appears slanted in that eastern religions are not even referred to as religions but merely as Eastern Thought. Truly if the architects of this site wanted to be fair they would change the name of the Eastern Thought forum to Dharminic Religion to match the respect given to the forum titled Abrahamic Religion.

What makes this apparent error seem conspicuous or even purposeful is that the alternative religion forum doesn't even contain the word religion at all. It is as if to suggest that they are not even religions but alternatives to religion.

Are Jesus and Beelzebub working together again this time pretending to promote a fair interfaith dialogue?
Click to expand...


So I guess in this case... 'the Dude does not abide' ??? LoL

( Big Labowsky reference FTW !! :) )
 
The Dude said:
I couldn't help but notice that this message board appears slanted in that eastern religions are not even referred to as religions but merely as Eastern Thought. Truly if the architects of this site wanted to be fair they would change the name of the Eastern Thought forum to Dharminic Religion to match the respect given to the forum titled Abrahamic Religion.

What makes this apparent error seem conspicuous or even purposeful is that the alternative religion forum doesn't even contain the word religion at all. It is as if to suggest that they are not even religions but alternatives to religion.

Are Jesus and Beelzebub working together again this time pretending to promote a fair interfaith dialogue?
Click to expand...

The trouble is that the secularization of both Judaism and Christianity into something not initially intended has given religion a bad name. Eastern thought is a way of asserting a certain purity abasent in western religion.

Of course the same secularization occurs with the Eastern teachings as they become adopted by secular influences including from the West but it is not yet as freely admitted as it is with the Abrahamic religions. Give it time. :D
 
c0de said:
So I guess in this case... 'the Dude does not abide' ???
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What makes you think that The Dude does not abide? Just because I think this so called "interfaith" message board is run by the united house of Jesus and Beezlebub does not mean that I don't abide.

I abide just fine.

Anyhow, I think that the Okie in Exile or whoever runs this board has a hidden Judeo-Christian agenda.
 
The Dude said:
What makes you think that The Dude does not abide? Just because I think this so called "interfaith" message board is run by the united house of Jesus and Beezlebub does not mean that I don't abide.

I abide just fine.

Anyhow, I think that the Okie in Exile or whoever runs this board has a hidden Judeo-Christian agenda.
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Perhaps something more than a cursory glance in the way of investigation might be in order before you can declare your suspicion to have substance? (Or, are you the one with the hidden agenda, Dude?) :p
 
The Dude said:
What makes you think that The Dude does not abide? Just because I think this so called "interfaith" message board is run by the united house of Jesus and Beezlebub does not mean that I don't abide.

I abide just fine.
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Followed by:

seattlegal said:
Perhaps something more than a cursory glance in the way of investigation might be in order before you can declare your suspicion to have substance? (Or, are you the one with the hidden agenda, Dude?) :p
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Err... yea... what she said. :rolleyes:
 
The Dude said:
I couldn't help but notice that this message board appears slanted in that eastern religions are not even referred to as religions but merely as Eastern Thought.
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Dude, the owner of the site is “I, Brian.” I think this issue has been discussed before and he didn’t seem minded to make any change. I broadly agree with your sentiment.

First off, geographical location is relative, is it not? So the term “Eastern Thought” is based on a “Western-centric” viewpoint. Is geographical terminology relevant, helpful or appropriate? I think not.

Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism are world religions in varying degrees. And although Buddhism (for example) may (for historical reasons) be numerically stronger in the “East”, it could be argued that it is currently at its most vital in the “West.”

Philosophy, way of life, “Thought”: it’s all part and parcel of what religions are about; whether Eastern, Western, Middle Eastern or wherever. Don’t any Christians think? Don’t any Hindus describe themselves as having a religion? I see that Hinduism is Thought but Hare Krishna is a Religion. I’d like that one to be explained! To ascribe some as religions and some as “thought” seems to me to be arbitrary, inconsistent and disrespectful.

The likes of Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism clearly meet any conventional criteria by which one would term them as being a religion. And just as obviously, many Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists and Sikhs would be offended to find that that their religion was not considered “on a par” with Abrahamic religions. I can’t imagine those being termed “Middle Eastern Thought.”

I don't have "an agenda", I’d just like to see a consistent approach across the titles of the sub-forums, which it clearly currently does not have.

s.
 
Of those that I know of that created the site and those that participate, I'd say many of us have the utmost respect with Eastern Religions and eastern thought.

Those of a Buddhist or Taoist or Hindu inclination that participate here don't take it as personally as you appear to.

One thing I notice is once someone has a pet peeve, there is no moving them off of that with any words or actions. Also if one were to change something that often 10 other folks complain about the change.

PT Barnum was right.
 
If you put the word RELIGION in every forum heading on this board the front page would look like some junior achiever's extra credit project. I agree that "Eastern Thought" sounds western-o-centric, but I'll bet whoever laid out the titles on the front page was just trying to break things up for aesthetic reasons.

Chris
 
Nick the Pilot said:
Many Buddhists say that Buddhism is not a religion. You will also find people in other Eastern traditions that share the same sentiment. That is why they are called 'Thought" not "religions.'
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This is puzzling reasoning because Buddhism is not just philosophy. It is also a set of practices.

Buddhism evolved out of the Hindu religion and retains many Hindu elements. That aside, the forum heading should reflect probably recognition of Hinduism as a religion.
 
Let's not forget about the forum labeled "Alternative". It's not "Alternative Religion" or "Alternative Spirituality" just "Alternative" as if it were not even a religion but an alternative to it.

How can anyone honestly justify that?
 
The Dude said:
Let's not forget about the forum labeled "Alternative". It's not "Alternative Religion" or "Alternative Spirituality" just "Alternative" as if it were not even a religion but an alternative to it.

How can anyone honestly justify that?
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Erm...the site is not a music discussion or gender choice site. I think it pretty clear and in the years I have been coming here it has worked. If it aint broke dont fix it.

tao
 
The Dude said:
Let's not forget about the forum labeled "Alternative". It's not "Alternative Religion" or "Alternative Spirituality" just "Alternative" as if it were not even a religion but an alternative to it.

How can anyone honestly justify that?
Click to expand...
I used to leave a note in the newsletters I wrote. It said "There are those out there who enjoy searching for and pointing out for typographical and gramatical errors. We have left them in this missive in an attempt to please everyone."
 
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