Interesting Observations

M

Michael

歌舞伎
Valued Senior Member
I saw this interesting tribal custom among the primitive peoples of the ME in celebration to "Ashura" - the tenth day

ashura.jpg


This kind of reminded me of another blood-ritual practiced by people of another primitive monotheistic religion – in this one Pilipinas reenact the crucifixion of their Man-God by having nails driven through their hands and feet.

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In other “religious” news, scientists have discovered that the ancient Buddhist technique of empathetic mediation not only increases neuronalgenesis (more new neurons) but by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) they were able to show that this meditative practice can cure obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in the same manner as the drugs that are presently given. Further, this sort of meditation can elevate the natural state of “Happiness” - which has previously been thought of as permanent.

The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity




It’s kind of interesting the differences between the two types of beliefs and the types of mental states the two spawn…..


MII

PS:
*news flash: Christian solders in Iraq (doing the One Gods’ will) were either killing or being killed by Islamic solders in Iraq (doing the One Gods’ will) ….*
 
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The war in Iraq is not primarily religious by American forces.

On the other hand, those rituals look fun as Hell. Cutting people up sounds remarkably enjoyable, as does spearing Jesii on crosses.

And I am not kidding, either. Those look tremendously fun.
 
Yeah, well that’s their culture and we shouldn’t poo poo their primitive One God worship blood rituals.



I do find it interesting that of the many Buddhists I have talked with, because of the neural plastic remodeling which has occurred over years of empathetic meditation, many can not even stand to see an animal harmed and usually kindly refuse meat. What is interesting to me is that, while Xianity and Islam set about telling everyone they are the “true” belief (and then forcibly converting those that wouldn’t stand to this reason) the Buddhist simply went about developing their religion and philosophy to a point where it really works.

We can scientifically measure a change in the neural net of people with OCD and Clincal Depression after performing the Buddhist meditation. I mean – it works. People, regardless of faith, actually become mentally well.

Good on the Buddhists!

Then I take a look at the Historic rise of Xianity in Europe - smothering out the brilliance of the Greek and Roman Artisans, Playwrights, and Philosophers for 1000 years; until finally the Church had run Europe so far into the ground that getting rid of it was the only option. Wha-La Renaissance. One only need to look into the ME today and see what a mess taking this One God thing too seriously can lead to.


Anyway, my point was to compare the levels of enlightened philosophy the three major religions have reached.

On the one hand we see serious Buddhists become mentally well and on the other we see monotheists acting like turds.

TJIMHO,
Michael
 
Michael said:
In other “religious” news, scientists have discovered that the ancient Buddhist technique of empathetic mediation not only increases neuronalgenesis (more new neurons) but by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) they were able to show that this meditative practice can cure obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in the same manner as the drugs that are presently given. Further, this sort of meditation can elevate the natural state of “Happiness” - which has previously been thought of as permanent.

The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity




It’s kind of interesting the differences between the two types of beliefs and the types of mental states the two spawn…..


MII

PS:
*news flash: Christian solders in Iraq (doing the One Gods’ will) were either killing or being killed by Islamic solders in Iraq (doing the One Gods’ will) ….*
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everything, even good things, have there proper and improper applications, and if you look carefully enough you can find examples of both in anything.

for instance obviously you haven't investigated how the way of the samurai influenced japanese buddhism to produce budho, which paved the way for the japanese to become famous for their war time atrocities in WW2 in imperialistic fervour

rape3-s.jpg




there are other images on http://www.cnd.org/njmassacre/page2.html that are quite graphic and disturbing (and not recommended for the weak of heart to view as some are a bit sexually explicit) but nonetheless clearly illustrate how your approach to monotheism = violence is not valid (300 000 chinese killed, 20 000 women raped etc etc)

And its not an isolated incident

In 1614, when Tokugawa Ieyasu outlawed Christianity, or 1627-1638, when tens of thousands of Christians were killed or tortured by the primarily Buddhist Japanese.

Or even in more contemporary times, buddhists are involved in violence in Sri Lanka

http://www.buddhistethics.org/13/vroom-review.html
The relevance of the theme discussed in Tessa Bartholomeusz's book, In Defense of Dharma: Just-war Ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka, hardly needs explanation. The author explores the religious dimension of the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, where since the first (1983) bombing of the Kandy temple holding the Buddha's Tooth Relic, national symbol of 'Buddhist Sri Lanka', 60,000 people have lost their lives. (p. xxi) Bartholomeusz researches the Buddhist side of the conflict, and shows that many Sinhalese Buddhists active in the public domain have promoted a "Buddhist fundamentalism" (p. 34) that has contributed to the polarization of religious (and ethnic) groups in Sri Lanka. One wonders how Buddhists relate such an attitude to the supposedly fundamental Buddhist spirit of ahimsa or non-violence. Bartholomeusz's book provides an abundance of material on exactly this question: how have Sri Lankan Buddhists "justified their resort to violence and why?" (p. xxi)

Of course I don't for a moment think that such links are exemplary links to the essence of buddhism, just as I think your links are not exemplary for the essence of montheism, and instead illustrate your personal bias on the subject
 
I think gore is just a fascination amongst the religions. I think most religions accept the fact that blood and guts is just a normal byproduct of doing God's work. You know, God does it so why not please Him some more.

I see some irony in the fact that both victim and perp probably figure they were going to heaven before the slaughter commenced.
 
lightgigantic,

There is a striking difference - one is being done in the name of war not in the name of Buddhism and the other two were actual religious festivals.

Comparing a secular war with religious-festivals is like comparing an apple to an orange.


Michael




**
Christian missionaries went hand in hand with colonizing Europeans as they massacred and slaved their way across the globe. Both China and Japan closed themselves off because of it. The Japanese and Chinese had never been colonial nations. The Chinese had an emperor that was too peaceful, unrealistic and weak and they got bitch slapped. The Japanese thought they’d better emulate the English or esle find themselves in the shoes of the Cinese. There’s a little more to the story that led Japan to break with a 2000 year tradition of relative isolation. Which had nothing to do with Buddhism nor Shinto. Does it? I think it had to do with the world as it was then. Now as to the bloody One God rituals - they are just that – monotheistic Religious festivals celebrating the beloved One God.
 
Michael said:
Yeah, well that’s their culture and we shouldn’t poo poo their primitive One God worship blood rituals.



I do find it interesting that of the many Buddhists I have talked with, because of the neural plastic remodeling which has occurred over years of empathetic meditation, many can not even stand to see an animal harmed and usually kindly refuse meat. What is interesting to me is that, while Xianity and Islam set about telling everyone they are the “true” belief (and then forcibly converting those that wouldn’t stand to this reason) the Buddhist simply went about developing their religion and philosophy to a point where it really works.

We can scientifically measure a change in the neural net of people with OCD and Clincal Depression after performing the Buddhist meditation. I mean – it works. People, regardless of faith, actually become mentally well.

Good on the Buddhists!

Then I take a look at the Historic rise of Xianity in Europe - smothering out the brilliance of the Greek and Roman Artisans, Playwrights, and Philosophers for 1000 years; until finally the Church had run Europe so far into the ground that getting rid of it was the only option. Wha-La Renaissance. One only need to look into the ME today and see what a mess taking this One God thing too seriously can lead to.


Anyway, my point was to compare the levels of enlightened philosophy the three major religions have reached.

On the one hand we see serious Buddhists become mentally well and on the other we see monotheists acting like turds.

TJIMHO,
Michael
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You really should not judge people by the extremist minority:
Buddhist extremists target Christian churches in Sri Lanka
Dec 30, 2003, 22:16 [TNS]


Sri Lankan churches came under attack again this Sunday by organized groups of Buddhist extremists led by influential monks, according to Police sources.

Two Christian churches were attacked amid mounting inter-religious tensions according to the police. This incident - which comes four days after unrest at a cremation of a controversial Buddhist monk who know for stirring Sinhala nationalist sentiments - is the latest in a pattern of violence against churches in Sri Lanka, police sources further told TNS.
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But, I'll just ask. Is there something especially enlightening in the Christian faith that I missed? Perhaps something that wasn’t written down by the polytheistic Greek or Hindu or Chinese philosopher’s millennia before?

And the statements:
“Jesus is the savior and died for your sin” is, IMHO, not at all insightful.
Is it?
It seems to be a flat statement. No different than “There is One God and Mohammed is his Last Prophet”. See, a flat statement to be taken as fact.

I could do the same: "Purple spaghetti Gods float in the clouds and if you eat spaghetti they will let you into paradise after you are dead for 13days 13hours & 13second."

So with this in mind: Is there something particularly insightful and enlightening in Christianity?

Michael
 
Hi sam,

I didn’t post Irish Catholics kill Protestants,
I didn’t post Shia kill Sunni,

I didn’t post anything like that.
This isn’t one group even squinting meanly at another!

Your example is like comparing an apple with an orange.
This is their actual festal.
They are not killing anyone - they are celebrating the One God!
In dripping human flesh bone and blood….
It’s party time and the blood God is thirsty!

But I do concede your point that suggesting a minority fringe group’s practice is a general representation of the majority of people’s behavior is not valid.
Most Buddhists probably don't reach Zen either.
That wasn't my point.


Now, with this in mind, yes, perhaps considering their religious philosophical doctrines and due to their overwhelming history of hostility towards other peoples beliefs (especially polytheistic) maybe that is why many of the practitioners see love from the One God as they tear open their flesh and bleed for it?

Maybe? :confused:


Meanwhile over in Buddhist-town they advance Hindu meditation so that anyone (regardless of belief) can use it to achieve statistically measurable mental wellbeing.

That sort of says something doesn’t it?

Surely you can sort of see where I am coming from?
Surely so?
You don’t see any kind of connection?

Christians and Muslims are renown over the globe for their religious inspired violence. Whether that is a perversion or not, it is a fact.
Are Buddhists?
I think we can agree - - hardly so….. if not just the opposite

Michael
 
Michael said:
Christians and Muslims are renown over the globe for their religious inspired violence. Whether that is a perversion or not, it is a fact.
Are Buddhists?
I think we can agree - - hardly so….. if not just the opposite

Michael
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I think its more people from certain places who are known for violence rather than certain religions. And there is almost always a political reason for it. But that does not mean that people from other places are not capable of the same violence. Who had heard of the Palestinians before the formation of Israel?
 
I've heard of the Shia practice of self-flagellation, its supposed to be pretty widespread in India and Paksitan too. But I've never seen it. (My landlord was Shia but he never did it, worse luck). Wonder how it originated though.


People have strange customs.

Anyone here heard of Thai Pusam? Its an Indian festival in Malaysia.

IMG_0054_new.JPG

the most popular form of mortification seemed to be this: A cluster of ropes is attached to the back using hooks, and another member of the family "rides" the person in front, yanking hard at the ropes.
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IMG_0060_new.JPG

the most mortifying of them all - a group of guys pulling a heavy chariot using hooks pierced into their backs.
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A picture of the chariot:

IMG_0059_new.jpg
 
samcdkey said:
I think its more people from certain places who are known for violence rather than certain religions.
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Definitely people were/are violent. The more backwards the more violent. The more civilized the less.
I’d say pretty much everywhere in the world that would have held true. Whether that be tribes killing one another in Africa or in New Zealand or in Europe, etc…

But, there are only two mainstream modern religions that I know of that are renown over the entire world by all people for their violent ferocious history of physically and mentally abusing and forcing their belief onto other people. Their rape and utter destruction of other peoples and cultures is unparallel by any other religion in the history of humankind.

I think we can agree which two those are.
And they share a common God - go figure.


Again, my point is that while the leaders of these two religions looked into their respective monotheistic books of lore and wisdom they then set about busily destroying everything and everyone around them. Whereas Buddhism on the other hand developed into the peaceful religion it is today and along the way made insights into the human mind that are now being confirmed and better understood using the most sophisticated medical equipment.

Well, that says something doesn’t it?


Does it surprise you to find people who follow Christianity and Islam are able to look into their religious books and find endeavors to celebrate with violence and blood. Big surprize that those two religious just happen to have a long history littered with violence and blood.

As they: If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.


Don’t you agree?
Michael


PS: You yourself have told me you found nothing of the sort of novel and insightful enlightenment in your own studies, well you seem pretty peaceful. Maybe that's why. It seems many other people have been able to look into these monotheisms and find plenty of novel insight and use it to justify their rape and killing of about half the people on the planet.

EX:
Did you see the peace I posted about the nutty Taliban commander.
“"Allah on 480 occasions in the Holy Koran extols Muslims to wage jihad. We only fulfil God's orders. Only jihad can bring peace to the world. We will continue our struggle until foreign troops are thrown out. Then we will attack them in the US and Britain until they either accept Islam or agree to pay jazia (a tax in Islam for non-Muslims living in an Islamic state)."

Did he stop at defending his land? No. HE found something enlightening in that there good ole' book! The eventual attack and destruction of other people!

I personally think a “perfect” religious book would be impossible to interpret towards violence. You know: Simply state on page one. Never ever under any circumstance ever commit a violent act ever. If you should be attacked then you will see paradise a lot quicker – don’t do violence. Never ever ever kill or harm another human.

Gee ... in all of 1 minute and I could have prevented all the violence justfied in the name of God. :bugeye:
 
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