Buddhism is the best religion... if you had to pick one.

So you're claim is that all those conflicts were started by Buddhists specifically for religious reasons?

 

No,, you stated Buddhists didn't fight in was and I proved you wrong. Buddhists do fight in wars.

The ongoing border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia are both about territory and over a religious site.

 

Anytime someone uses terms that mean an absolute, as i "no wars were started in the name of Buddhism" I immediately go into my "there is a nut" phase.
I have never investigated to see if a war has been started because of Buddhism, but am will to bet one has. Humanity has done about any stupid thing that can be done, and I have no trouble believing that a war could be started about Buddhism.
Ya know, now that I think about it, years ago, when I took a leave in Thailand, I witnessed a downright scary event. While walking in a somewhat cheesy section of Bangkok two groups of people dressed as what I have always imagined oriental monks to be dressed like met at an intersection about a half a block in front of me. The began yelling, and suddenly pulled weapons, swords, knives and clubs for the most part, nothing modern. The began trying to make hamburger of each other. When it was over, there were a bunch injured and 7 dead in the street. The Thai military police showed up and took charge, since I was one of the few that had not disappeared, they interviewed me. After telling them what I had seen, I asked the officer what it was all about. He told me that these two monestaries of Buddhist monks had been having increasingly hot disputes about the "real name of god" (his phrase). He also said that it did not happen all the time, but that it was not unusual for different Buddhist sects to meet and fight.
All this happened in 1968, Thailand was full of Americans and American troops, many like myself on leave from Nam.

Now I realize this cannot be actually called a WAR, but, it does show that Buddhists of some sects can be just as violent as those of any other religion.

Just looking on the internet, I see where -----Christopher Hitchens tried to make the connection in his book God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, that the Sri Lankan civil war is exactly that, a war about Buddhism. I have not read the book and am not sure how accurate he is. I would be cautious in accepting his statements. He is somewhat aggressive in his anti-religious beliefs. (well so am I, but, I would still be cautious in accepting him, I always do independent research before accepting others suppositions).

 

Hmmm. You seem to have some need to prove others wrong. In the process, you end up looking rather foolish. Try again. Here is what I actually wrote:

There have been no wars, mass-murder, torture or terror done in the name of Buddha.

I guess I need to simplify that for you. There is a difference between a Buddhist fighting in a war and a war being started specifically with Buddhism as the stated reason and cause for the war.
So while 9/11 was done in the name of Allah and the Crusades in the name of Christ, the fact that Muslims and Christians fought in WWII, didn't make it a holy war in the name of either.

And to Tom above, I never said that all Buddhists were so perfect that a few of them didn't get in fights. I mean, that's a looooong stretch from mass-murder, war etc...

Are you guys actually familiar with Buddhism at all? If you were, it might make more sense to you. One of the primary tenets is to want nothing. Desire is the root of all pain. (hence my other comment about "Cons: goes against everything that makes us human."). To want anything - even a change in the conditions around you, is an Oops in Buddhism. Try to couple that with a justification to get thousands to march.

 

You can present all the possible answers that you want. But you must prove that your answer is right. And religion is all the contrary to that.

 

OK first off, it sounds to me like you are speaking of Zen Buddhism, it is NOT the only Buddhist sect, far from it. There are four or five major Buddhist sects and literally thousands of minor ones. And many of the minor ones have gods, many gods, often Hindu gods and any religion which lays claim to Shiva is not seeking nothingness.
And while I agree that a battle with swords in a street, leaving seven dead is not a war, it IS mass murder. Maybe a small mass, but still a mass. And trust me on this or not, but, any group, that can kill seven people, in an argument about "the name of god" (whatever that means) could start a war, a crusade, a Jihad or anything else you want to call it.
Oh, and while wars have been started, claiming religions as the reasons, that is mostly nonsense. The crusades were about land, money and land, land land. The attack on the twin towers was NOT a war and was not about religion, it was about perceived wrongs done by the USA to people in various nations around the world. Humans start wars for very few reasons, the single biggest one is greed. About the only time that religion is really the reason for a war is in disagreements within religious sects. Wars between protestants and Catholics, between Muslims and Christians, between Christians and Jews, between Muslims and Jews, etc. All of these wars, between various groups within a larger religion are exactly like the confrontation I saw in Bangkok.

Oh, by the way, many Japanese Buddhist leaders supported the wars of Japan in the 20th century, including ww2.
Never forget that whatever the reasons for the civil war in Sri Lanka today, the reality of it is that Buddhists are fighting Hindu.

To end this post let me just say, that humans are vicious, violent critters, and it makes no difference what religion they claim, many of them will remain, vicious violent critters.
The only religion I can think of off-hand, with no violence in its history, and that may be because it originated in the 1950's is WICCA. And Yes, I know it has roots that go back much farther than the 50's, but the fact remains that it is a religion assembled from bits and pieces of much older religions that actually originated as a religion in the 1950's. And the main premise or path of Wicca has all the other religions beat to heck---an it harm none, feel free to do it. I can think of no other religion with a better premise--have fun, as long as it does not harm others. What a wonderful place the world would be, if we could all follow that path.

 

LOL, when it comes to morals, religion and personal beliefs, the only one that has to believe mine is me. No one has to prove any belief to you or anyone else, they just have to believe it them-self.

 

Um yeah. So first you state that I'm wrong because I said no wars were started in the name of Buddha. So I counter. Apparently effectively, because now you say I'm wrong because no wars are started over religion at all. Oh, except the ones between Muslims & Christians etc..
Like I said, you seem to really have the need for the "You're right I'm wrong" thing.
So okay uh, you're right. Wars were started in the name of Buddhism and no wars were ever started over religion and AQ did not get those men to kill themselves on 9/11 by using religion and the Crusades were not sold to the masses who went to war by having the pop himself, declare them the mission of God and Muslims have declared war on Christians but no wars were started over religion and... uh... well you're just so darn right!
Happy?

 

I have great respect for Buddhism, my wife is Buddhist. I have always been fascinated with Buddhist beliefs. Went to Japan in 2003 and was left in awe by their largely Buddhist society. With that said, I could never be a Buddhist as I cannot get behind the whole reincarnation thing. I have also been fascinated with Bushido.

 

Being an Atheist, all my life I never taken any notice of religions. This all changed when I first came to Laos, and more so since I moving here. I also have great respect for Buddhists. I also lived in western China for three months among a Tibetan community. My wife headed up a project there and most of her work colleagues were Tibetan.

Theravada Buddhism is a bit different to Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhism, but the committment is the same. Buddhism is in every fabric of society, even the way they prepare food.

I love attending the Buddhist festivals and celebrations here in Laos. Colourful, vibrant and heaps of fun. Christians could learn a lot from these celebrations. It's also one way to envelop one's self in the culture.