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February 7, 2004 8:51 PM Subscribe
Killing the Buddha: a heretic's bible is on a "Tent Revival" book tour and I suspect it would be worth checking out. Did anyone catch the readings in Austin or Phoenix USA?
"I was originally attracted to your site because of the title. How ironic that you would appropriate a Buddhist koan for what is clearly a Christian forum.
You attempt to explain "killing the Buddha" and then go on to discuss God throughout your site. Buddhism is not atheistic, but it is certainly non-theistic and for a very good reason. In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha says, "...the religion given by the Buddha is not Buddha religion." The phrase, "killing the Buddha," is a call to action, to a letting go of preconceptions and labels. It is about practice, not theology.
At least you could be honest about it and give your Christian site a Christian name.
Brian Smith"
I must concur.
posted by Slagman at 11:14 PM on February 7, 2004
You attempt to explain "killing the Buddha" and then go on to discuss God throughout your site. Buddhism is not atheistic, but it is certainly non-theistic and for a very good reason. In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha says, "...the religion given by the Buddha is not Buddha religion." The phrase, "killing the Buddha," is a call to action, to a letting go of preconceptions and labels. It is about practice, not theology.
At least you could be honest about it and give your Christian site a Christian name.
Brian Smith"
I must concur.
posted by Slagman at 11:14 PM on February 7, 2004
Instead of killing Buddha, why not invite him over for a beer? Who knows, you might turn the wheel of fate. Or at least you might find out what kind of beer Buddha likes.
That would be the Taoist thing to do.
posted by kablam at 7:12 AM on February 8, 2004
That would be the Taoist thing to do.
posted by kablam at 7:12 AM on February 8, 2004
Slagman...I dunno...I've been reading KTB for a few years and haven't noticed any Christian bias, let alone proselytizing. Have I missed something?
KTB is not a Buddhist site, of course, but using a koan reference in its title shouldn't really offend a broad-minded Buddhist... and using the G-word is inevitable in KTB's discussions of religions, cults and spirituality.
posted by kozad at 8:39 AM on February 8, 2004
KTB is not a Buddhist site, of course, but using a koan reference in its title shouldn't really offend a broad-minded Buddhist... and using the G-word is inevitable in KTB's discussions of religions, cults and spirituality.
posted by kozad at 8:39 AM on February 8, 2004
It doesn't offend me, kozad, but it certainly seems at best irrelevant to a site discussing the "G-word" in specifically Western-religious-terms since Buddhists do not "worship" a "God" in the first place. Maybe they have something interesting to say, but it's a bad start when your title and your message get off on the wrong foot like that...
posted by JollyWanker at 1:48 PM on February 8, 2004
posted by JollyWanker at 1:48 PM on February 8, 2004
The book and site refer to Buddhism as "godless" -- well, sort of. It tends to be agnostic on that point, and many Buddhist teachers claim you can practice meditation and so forth and still be a Christian, a Jew, whatnot.
Mainly I think the authors have distorted or do not quite understand the koan that has been appropriated as the title. Beyond that, I just thought the posted letters and replies were kind of snarky and interesting and weird.
posted by Slagman at 8:17 PM on February 8, 2004
Mainly I think the authors have distorted or do not quite understand the koan that has been appropriated as the title. Beyond that, I just thought the posted letters and replies were kind of snarky and interesting and weird.
posted by Slagman at 8:17 PM on February 8, 2004
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