2/6/06
Buddhism is Offensive
I spent three hours tonight in my Experiential Methods psych class talking about Buddhism and its relation to psychotherapy. Or more like I spent three hours with my head hurting. I'll conceed that there are some nifty ideas like identifying a seperation between pain and the suffering that pain causes, but as a whole, Buddhism is a pretty wishy-washy belief system. It is impossible to rationalize Buddhist principals. This troubles me. Now, I know what you Buddhists are thinking: "Oh Matt, he's so cynical. It's about an understanding that he clearly doesn't have. Matt doesn't get Buddhism because he's so unenlightened and trapped in the Hell Realm (or whatever)." This is exactly my point. You can't offer a coherent argument for Buddhism except that a lot of people who are into it are hella chill. The fact that my not understanding it is my inherent obstacle in understanding it is not an argument. That's some childlike bullshit. So here's my big problem. Buddhism wants to shed the ego- this Western construction of self. Moving through the circle of life mandala, Buddhists say that you don't reside in any particular realm forever, we're constantly moving. Well, what of us is doing that moving through an intangible world of ideas if there is no intagible core of ideas (the self)?!? Furthermore, Buddhists say that trying to stay in a particular realm too long is bad news. But top level meditators are almost always in the God Realm. So we should be trying for that, right? But that's giving in to pride and want and stuff. So wait a minute... it's wrong to want something, but the whole point of Buddhist meditation is to reach a state of- HOLD ON! There's your problem. Buddhism has a point, a place you're trying to get to. So the values are not in line with the practises. Damn this stuff is tricky. Any Buddhists out there want to give me a rational argument for their faith?
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Hey Matt,
ReplyDeleteYeah, kinda like running around that whole what came first - the chicken or the egg thing, or better yet, why did the chicken cross the road, huh? Buddhism and all the spiritualities are a tricky bunch of business...very little is coherent or rational in any of them and most follow NO consistently aligned list of rules if you look close enough. I am not Buddhist and so have no ability to give a good explanation, can only sympathize. But, being of a belief system that is quite off the beaten path in the opinion of some, I have found one thing. Unless you are talking to someone who has spent their life studying and learning, you are probably not getting any information that is really all that good, and when it comes right down to it, each person interprets their faith differently. (Ask any good Catholic and then a good Baptist what Christianity means to them and how it works....sheesh). So, my suggestion...find a nice Buddhist Monk, take the guy out for a cup of tea and ask him to explain. If nothing else, it will be a very interesting afternoon!!!
Colleen