Pope, Bin Laden and Me
Pope did it again. He was able to spread his message beyond Christian community again. Addressing science representatives in University of Regensburg, Pope quoted 14th century Persian Empire & scholar Constantine Paleologos's comment about teaching of Islam's prophet Muhammad.
"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached" (This is not this blog owners personal view - I'm just commenting what Pope Benedict citation from Paleologos)Muslims around the world went outrages on this citation. Muslims in India went to the road, burn Pope's puppets and swear to burn him if they can get him.
Church point out this is not Pope's view about Islam nor his preaching to world, but he is addressing academic audiences and that only part of his lecture about faith and reason. But Muslims didn't bought that explanation at all.
Finally Pope apologizes about outrages he made. But look like that apology is not enough. Lets hope what ever happen after this wont effect the Petrel price.
When Al Qaeda attaches all over the world last couple of years - including Asia and Africa, Muslims around world didn't mind as much as they did with Pope's comment. But they pointed Bin Ladan's action is not true Islamic and he must warn victims first and give them a option to convert to Islam. Looks like Bin Laden accepted this advice and corrected himself now. He has warned the world 3 times so far and request others to convert to Islam. CNN notes that Bin Laden has received permission from a religious leader to kill up to 10 million people (In the Footsteps of bin Laden, Christiane Amanpour, CNN) I'm not sure who 'the religious leader' is - but I'm willing to convert to Islam if my life is threaten.
Meanwhile US department 'international religious freedom' annual report ranked Sri Lanka among the '12 countries where religious freedoms are far from secure'. (Afghanistan, Brunei, Cuba, Egypt, India, Israel and the occupied territories, Laos, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are the 12 countries).
How did we came in to this point?
We have no issues with Muslims in Sri Lanka. They do not come to my door and explain why my birth is offensive and why I should born again. They do not come to my door and advice me why I should not masturbate or use condoms. They do not come to my door and advice why I should not drink tea or coffee or take medicine. They do not act the way Bin Laden does. Relatively Muslims in Sri Lanka mind their own belief and look after their society.
Hindus and Buddhists have no religious conflict. Most of my friends take a fruit basket to Katharagama at least one time a year. Even one of my friends who wanted to suicide, went to Katharagama with me so he can give away his cloth to poor before his end. (No. he didn't suicide - we intended he should do that Sunday because we have to go to work Monday - but after the Sunday/Monday argument he give up his idea on the way back form Katharagama).
Christians and Buddhists in Sri Lanka didn't have much of issues for long time. Most of my Buddhist friends had lights a candle in St.Anthonys' Church (Kochikade) at least one times in their life time. Even Buddhists in Sri Lanka went far as adopting Catholic way of living - like abstinence, no sex before marriage, Sunday school, Buddhist school, Vesak cards, Vesak carols, and so much more.. But right now we seem not to have the same harmony.
When this situation changes? How did we end up in '12 countries where religious freedoms are far from secure' list?
The situation went up side down when foreign grown Evangelicals start promotion campaign in Sri Lanka. I know we don't have Evangelicals Television commercials in Sri Lanka like in other countries - not yet. But none can deny aggressiveness of the campaign going on. I know at least 10 people in my small circle of friends (Hindu and Buddhists) converted last few years. Now this is the point 'Buddhists' starts to act like a bull in china shop.
I don't blame Evangelicals for this at all - it is not their fault. I expect fire to be hot - ice to be cold - and Evangelicals to convert other people - that is their nature - not their fault. But 'Buddhists' reaction to this is not the way anyone expected form Buddhists. It was childish; it did not bring Sri Lanka any fame but shame. If Buddhists need to stand against Evangelicals, they must find a Buddhist tactic to do so. No one likes to see Buddhists acting like gangster rappers.
Top of all that bullfighting one day I bump in to Pakistani Islamic teacher/promoter in Petta-Moratuwa bus. He taught me why I should kill as much as animals I can and why it is wrong that I do not eat beef.. This is something I'm really scared of. No one wants to see foreign Islamic extremists take over the Sri Lankan Muslim community.
We face two world wars behalf of deferent political philosophy. In Sri Lanka we had two arms struggles behalf of socialism. It was the global fashion then. World changed. We don't fight for political philosophies no more. Fight for Religion and Ethnicity is the global trend in this century. We - Sri Lankan - already struggle with Ethnic issue.
US report is good warning what is coming up ahead if we look at it open minded. How can we survive this global trend? Can we?
Labels: Freedom, Religion, World Affairs
posted by Sam at
5:00 AM
11 Comments:
What you and me refer to as "budhist" and "christians" in Sri Lanka, are the common people we meet in our every day life. But, the people who throw stones at christian churches, or people who try to convert bhudists by offering money are not the "common people". They act with a very well laid out "screen play". They are the same people behind promoting Sri Lanka as a country with low religious freedeom. But, you and me know, that common budhists in Sri Lanka doesn't want to throw stones at churches, or common christians want to convert me to their religion. It all depends on money & power.
And, my personal opinion of "Budhists" in Sri Lanka (I'm a one too) is "They are not real budhist today" (Frogive me. That's the truth).
If 65% of all Sri Lankans are real budhists, why do we have this much of murders, rapes, robberies drug deals etc etc? (Pancha Sheela Prathipada???)
If 65% of Sri Lankans are real Budhists, why do we have this much of law suites at courts for matter of a 6 inches in a fence deviding two lands owned by 2 brothers? (Anithya Darma???)
If 65% of Sri Lankans are Budhists, why people still vote for politicians of their own castes, and consider caste as a decisive factor in marriage? Who are "Sinhala" Budhists? (Buddhah said, there are only 4 races on this earth. Bikshu, Bikshuni, Upasaka, Upasika. Then who the hell are "Sinhala" Budhists?)
I think we (Sri Lankans) give away enough materials for foriegners to laugh at us.
//How can we survive this global trend? Can we?\\
We can. We have to do radical changes to the way "Budhism" is teached in this country. It should not be just lessons of cramming "Ammata wandina Gatha, or Deviyanta Pin Dena Gatha".
The education sytem should be reformed to teach our young ones the real budhism. The real philosophy of Buddha. The "Ata Lo Dahama (8 principles of life) - Real meaning", etc.
If we can change our heads to aniticipate the real Budhism, we could easily survive this global trend, and make a global trend ourselves for others to embrace Budhism!
But, will the long established monacrchies of Sri Lankan monks (Based on caste system) allow it to happen?
We need some one simmilar to Martin Luther in mediaval Europe, to rescue "Real Budhism" in Sri Lanka.
I have some relatives who are not very rich people. They were living in a LTTE border area and had to flee the area due to the violence there. They had settled down in Polonnaruwa and because they had no money they were supported by an NGO. The NGO had given them some cattle and wanted their 2 sons to convert into their religion. The parents had no option but to let their sons convert into this religion. Mind you, they were Buddhists. When we had visited them sometime ago for the Sinhala New year the 2 sons did not bow down to us because they thought we are worshiping the DEVIL. They were brain washed as to believe all Buddhists are Devil worshipers and Buddha is the Devil him self. They have removed all the Buddha statues and pictures from their house because they thought their GOD will not come to houses possessed by the devil. So I asked the two sons, if their GOD is so powerful, why would he not come to the houses possessed by devil, is the GOD afraid of the Devil or the GOD is not so powerful to defeat the Devil. Since then they didn’t speak to me!
There are many stories such as this where Evangelicals have got lucky with there mission when innocent Buddhists are facing troubled times. Evangelicals have big money and funds to carry out mission every where in the world and NGO’s are their mask. I personally hate NGO’s ( I don’t know why. Maybe the things some of them do) so I strongly believe that a government should have hard and strong policies when it comes to welcoming and dealing such NGO’s.
Most of the religions in the world are now obeying one religion and that ultimately is MONEY. Moral values are becoming cheaper and cheaper because they do not spark interest in the corporate world.
HEYYYYY !!!! I've met the pope! and mr.laden!! But so far I haven't met you!! MWaha ha ha haaa!
Ok forget my humorous attitude towards life :D lol :)
but seriously I havent met any of them :D lol :) although I think mr ladens family does business with SL i think,.
You know what the pope probably wanted to look cool with more security and personal bodyguards.. several bullet proof cars.. jets .. helicopters alllll funded by the government !!
WAIT WAIT ???!?! IS THE POPE A SRI LANKAN??
Looks like something a SL polititian would do :D ha ha ha :D
Sadly religion is nothing. it is on paper. was rather. it is not on paper any more. Governments were established by religious leaders to control the countries when the populations were getting too high. After which governments came into power and became a trend. What is religion? It is a path one follows. it is showing the ability of the human race to have no confidence in themselves. Faith and hope are not related to religion in my opinion. They are words taken hostage by religion. I know many people who give hope and faith to people without any credit to any god. This world is full of fucked up people. Religion is advice on how to live life well and peacefully. It is not about giving credit to the leaders? What do we do? We give credit to the leaders of religion.. the creators of religion. yet we barely follow this advice. FUCK most people don't even understand the original languages! Most people don't even understand the books! They read it like they're memorising the words and relating it to their own personal incidents! I say we learn the advice and stop bitching about who's the better god. After all. all these gods came at one time . I'm sure it was a trend that started this . the "I HAVE A BETTER GOD THAN YOU" campaign.. thats how all this minimal evidence stories of religion got made. They shold give pulitzer prizes to those fucking morons! Cos we're still reading and buying and editing all their fucking books!
voice_in_colombo,
// And, my personal opinion of "Budhists" in Sri Lanka (I'm a one too) is "They are not real budhist today" (Frogive me. That's the truth).//
Yes!. Cultural Buddhism takes over the spiritual Buddhism.
Can we really have a ‘Martin Luther’ in Sri Lanka? In This age whole world going in to religion extreme. There is no liberal uprising in religious ideology. Islamic Jihad training cams to Evangelical’s Jesus camps – every one season next generation for cosmic war against good vs evil.
What will happen when Sri Lankan jump in to this wagon. We are already taking baby steps (baby rocks may I say) towards that.
Rabbithole,
Yes. True. That is what going on.
Evangelicals have right to convert any one to their religion. Also every one have right to follow any book they want – It can be Harry Potter, Star Wars, Snow white or Bible. I don’t care. It is their soul. Not mine.
One day I talk with one of my Evangelical friend and I told him I do not believe in anything. He said – ‘it is alright. Once I was lost too..’. Fucking hell. I’m lost! I needed to be rescued!??
Once I talk to a Buddhist monk in very very rural area - he said – ‘son. We can’t do ‘Yama Maha Pelara’ – but we have arms and sticks’. When did Buddhists start to defend themselves like that? This is dangerous ground.
But unfortunately that is the global trend in this century. Religion extremism is the next big social problem Sri Lanka has to face.
Father Man,
Yes. Some of the NGOs have realigns agenda behind them. There is no ‘free lunch’ in this world. When we get the ‘free’ dollar form foreign NGO’s they take part of us without us knowing it. That is alright as long as it is fair deal.
Not all the NGO’s have dirty agenda behind them anyway. But some do.
Mr Evil,
Hummer is always welcome in my religion. According to my savior, more you laugh more virgins you will get when you go to haven. Make me laugh buddy.
I don’t blame Pope for having a small army around him. But I don’t like the fact he has to do something like that in this century.
Right now pope even can’t quote a book without making grown ass adults killing each other!
All you and me can do is ~ looking at this ignorance shit ~ laugh our loud at them.
Suferdude,
You said the most enlighten thing. Yes. We worship the book rather than the content in it. We worship the messenger rather than the message. We take the messenger as the savior rather than the message. We eat the menu not the food.
There is a Chinese story – a man pointing to the moon every day – people in the village used to look at him and find the moon. But one day this ‘pointing man’ didn’t come out at night. People went back home thinking there is no moon.
People can buy and read any book they want. Happy potter, Show White, Load of the Ring,.. it do not matter. But shit happen when they starts fight each other.
How can Sri Lankan handle this (when it get bigger - and it will)?
Are we ready for it?
What we doing to stop that?
All I can see is ‘Nothing’.
TAHP06 The best blog you have!
lO9c9R Magnific!
Nice Article.
Magnific!
actually, that's brilliant. Thank you. I'm going to pass that on to a couple of people.
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