(May 8, 2014 at 12:42 pm)BlackSwordsman Wrote:(May 8, 2014 at 9:17 am)Hoopington Wrote: It's happening now, in Burma, some are calling it an ethnic cleansing of Muslims.... by Buddhist monks.
I don't have the time to look up specific references, but just look into the history between China and Japan, I'd have a read of Zen at War if you're that interested.
Doesn't matter what the religion teaches, people will always find a way to fight and kill for it.
They can call themselves Buddhist all they want, but if they do not follow the teachings of Buddha, then they are not buddhist. Also remember that Buddhism isn't the issue, humans are. It is not Buddhism that holds anger, it is human nature.
There are those who stray from the teachings of most religions.
The Buddha taught that inner peace was the key to enlightenment. Acceptance of others and so forth. Radicalism is not the buddhist way but that does not mean people who stray from the teachings could not be radical.
It is sad, but by most Buddhists those Buddhists are not considered buddhist :/
Ah, so, those Buddhist monks aren't buddhists at all?
You cannot have your cake and eat it my friend, they are Buddhists and they are killing others in the name of their religion.
Many Muslims and Christians decry the actions of others of their religion in the same way you are, doesn't stop the fact that people are killing and using their religion as justification.
You've also hit the nail on the head with another argument, you say they are not real Buddhists as they are not following the teachings of Buddha.... but these teachings can and are misconstrued, in the same way the teachings of most other religions are. Who are you to say what Buddha meant?