Beware Christian “White Supremacy”

Lately, lots of people are talking about Christian nationalism, which is not wrong, but Christian “white supremacy” is more accurate and more honest.

Remember that we have talked about engaged Buddhism, a concept that Thich Nhat Hahn originated. One of its principles is to take care not to get too attached to any individual or organization. Attachment is attachment in Buddhism and attachment to an organization, including a political party, that you see as promoting virtue is still attachment, and attachment is the problem.

Ajahn Sumedho often talks vaguely about government and political issues. He is very clear that he does not want to disparage anyone’s political commitments or involvement, but he reminds us always that politics are created and human and impermanent.

At the same time, the official ban on official religion in our Constitution is a founding principle that Buddhists can get behind. We should not have to fear any retribution from our government at any level just for practicing our religion, insofar as Buddhism is a religion, which it is enough so to potentially attract official condemnation from a Christian “white supremacist” administration.

One might be tempted to think that the association of Buddhism with Asia would minimize the “white supremacist” problem, if not the potential problem of persecution by Christians. But the first law restricing immigration to the United States was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. A major Supeme Court decision applying the…