Just Doing What Christians Do
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I’m passing the proverbial hat, or the plate, as the Episcopalians of my youth would say. They were kind of like soup plates. My parents would give us coins to put in wheen we were children.
The Dalai Lama has stated that compassion is a primary principle of all of the world’s major religions.
I have zero desire to argue with the Dalai Lama. He is a veritable rock star, was publishing in the New York Times, and has good reason to make statements that are hugely ecumenical and irenic. I appreciate his voice and his perspective.
He is not, however, a historian and, obviously, has never lived in the United States, both of which give me a very different perspective on Christianity, in particular, the hegemonic religion here.
I very much doubt he has seen this ridiculous display:
The Dalai Lama has also written:
If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview.
Because I like reality contact, I choose to practice a religion that accepts and appreciates the observations and contributions of science. I have far more faith in the ability of medical researchers to minimize the ill effects of Covid on individuals and the society as a whole than I do in any televangelist.
I won’t ask you to buy me a jet:
But at some level, it does make sense to me that anyone who genuinely finds a given religion compelling should be willling to contribute to the support of people who help perpetuate and teach about that religion.
In much of Asia, it is apparently still the case that people routinely give food to Buddhist monks, who depend on donations for their daily meals.
I do not depend on anyone’s donations for my food. I have stated that I live a “somewhat monk like existence,” but not in that respect.
I do need more money, however, so I ask you, if you can, please to donate, when you are not keeping up your consistent meditation practice.
Please make a donation, if you can, here. Also, I have a new campaign set up on a different platform, just to show what an enterprising beggar I am. That site is here.
Thank you so much for your generosity.
