This Proof of Afterlife Deserves an Award

[Tsukasa Buddha]

"My inner certainty and conviction come through meditation and Tibetan Dream Yoga's lucid dreaming practice; other fruitful methods could include intense holotropic breathing training, Jungian dream work, out-of-body experiences, psychic awareness development, rebirthing and so forth- all tools and techniques available in today's burgeoning spiritual marketplace."

-Lama Surya Da, "The Big Questions"

Well, that settles it!

Is it just me, or does woo seem to have a particular affinity with Tibetan Buddhism? Or is it just that the Dalai Lama is the only Buddhist that most Americans know?

[bobcarp]

"He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga."
- Carl Spackler

[Moochie]

Buddhists, of whatever persuasion, are no more immune from woo belief as the rest of humanity. Their existence doesn't detract from Buddhist teachings one jot. You can actually be a "Buddhist" without belief in any woo whatsoever.

M.

[JoeEllison]

Isn't all of that just a fancy way of saying "I believe it because I want it to be true"?

[CapelDodger]

Is it just me, or does woo seem to have a particular affinity with Tibetan Buddhism? Or is it just that the Dalai Lama is the only Buddhist that most Americans know?

These guys have been at it the longest. It's a template for a lot of modern woo. What you're really seeing is plagiaraism.

[CapelDodger]

Isn't all of that just a fancy way of saying "I believe it because I want it to be true"?

It's a fancy way of saying "I'm taking the piss".

[CapelDodger]

Buddhists, of whatever persuasion, are no more immune from woo belief as the rest of humanity. Their existence doesn't detract from Buddhist teachings one jot. You can actually be a "Buddhist" without belief in any woo whatsoever.

M.

Buddhism does have an accessible layer that can be applied to the real world. Beyon that it's woo all the Way.

[Showmeproof]

Out of all the "religions" I definitely prefer Buddhism. Though it does have its woo sides, I enjoy many of their philosophies on how to live ones life.

[arthwollipot]

Out of all the "religions" I definitely prefer Buddhism. Though it does have its woo sides, I enjoy many of their philosophies on how to live ones life.Yeah, Buddhism's pretty good. But if I were ever to jump the fence, I'd probably go Baha'i.

[linusrichard]

Yeah, Buddhism's pretty good. But if I were ever to jump the fence, I'd probably go Baha'i.

Baha'i's awfully nice, but you can't be an atheist Baha'i, and you can be an atheist Buddhist. I don't know if you can be an atheist Tibetan Buddhist...

[Flo]

"My inner certainty and conviction come through meditation and Tibetan Dream Yoga's lucid dreaming practice; other fruitful methods could include intense holotropic breathing training, Jungian dream work, out-of-body experiences, psychic awareness development, rebirthing and so forth- all tools and techniques available in today's burgeoning spiritual marketplace."

-Lama Surya Da, "The Big Questions"

Well, that settles it!

Is it just me, or does woo seem to have a particular affinity with Tibetan Buddhism? Or is it just that the Dalai Lama is the only Buddhist that most Americans know?

Woo has a great affinity with anything coming from far and obscure enough to ensure most people will not be able/willing to really learn about it. Most people, and not only in America, vaguely know who the Dalai Lama and where Tibet is, that it has been invaded by the Chinese, and have at least read the blurbs on the cover of the DL's books. They have no idea of what exactly are Tibetan, or any other, Buddhism history, beliefs and traditions, they don't know where to look to get educated on the subject should they ever want to.

That makes it a fabulous business opportunity for all peddlers of woo, and helps to explain why so many Asian "native" Buddhists generally try not to associate too much with Western self-proclaimed buddhists.

[Beerina]

Isn't all of that just a fancy way of saying "I believe it because I want it to be true"?

No, it's a fancy way of saying, "I believe it precisely because there is no reason to believe it."

I suppose he could produce detailed instructions of each method that would be reproduceable by others, along with the logical analysis of same, then we all could believe, too.

Shall we hold our breaths?

[Moochie]

Woo has a great affinity with anything coming from far and obscure enough to ensure most people will not be able/willing to really learn about it. Most people, and not only in America, vaguely know who the Dalai Lama and where Tibet is, that it has been invaded by the Chinese, and have at least read the blurbs on the cover of the DL's books. They have no idea of what exactly are Tibetan, or any other, Buddhism history, beliefs and traditions, they don't know where to look to get educated on the subject should they ever want to.

That makes it a fabulous business opportunity for all peddlers of woo, and helps to explain why so many Asian "native" Buddhists generally try not to associate too much with Western self-proclaimed buddhists.

I agree. There has been a huge pile of steaming dung written about Buddhism by Westerners out to exploit the gullible. That's not to say some Asian Buddhists aren't superstitious, because many are. But Buddhism doesn't posit nor require belief in a god. Nor does it require joining anything or tithing to a "church." To me, Buddhism satisfies in a way that religions (I don't think of Buddhism as a religion) can't and never will.

M.

[GreyICE]

Woo has a great affinity with anything coming from far and obscure enough to ensure most people will not be able/willing to really learn about it. Most people, and not only in America, vaguely know who the Dalai Lama and where Tibet is, that it has been invaded by the Chinese, and have at least read the blurbs on the cover of the DL's books. They have no idea of what exactly are Tibetan, or any other, Buddhism history, beliefs and traditions, they don't know where to look to get educated on the subject should they ever want to.

That makes it a fabulous business opportunity for all peddlers of woo, and helps to explain why so many Asian "native" Buddhists generally try not to associate too much with Western self-proclaimed buddhists.
To be fair to the western buddhists, at least half of that is simple racism.

[MattusMaximus]

Buddhists, of whatever persuasion, are no more immune from woo belief as the rest of humanity. Their existence doesn't detract from Buddhist teachings one jot. You can actually be a "Buddhist" without belief in any woo whatsoever.

M.


True. I've known Buddhists who are atheists and have no belief whatsoever in afterlife woo.

But here's the weirdest one... a guy who calls himself a "Christian atheist." Figure that out :confused:

[Flo]

To be fair to the western buddhists, at least half of that is simple racism.

I really don't think so, having known and talked with many Buddhists from all over Asia, both monks and simple believers, either where I live (Geneva) or mostly in Japan. They are very wary of talking about religious matters with Westerners because they've seen so many examples of Westerners trying to tell them what buddhism was all about, based on the writings of such luminaries as Ms Blablablatski or Plumber Rampa.

I've personally met a number of would-be zen buddhists in Japan who were incensed at the thought that they would not necessarily be welcomed as the enlightened beings they thought they were, and were sure buddhist religious life involved spending most of their time meditating in the lotus position and the rest practicing esoteric methods towards illumination ... I remember one walking out in disgust during a one day visit of a zen monastery in Yaizu (Shizuoka prefecture) when we were asked to help in the garden, claiming that it was a fake and the head monk didn't know what real buddhism was about. (it was part of a 2 weeks kendo seminar where we also had the possibility to take part in various cultural experiences).

In addition, I've rarely met a more aggressive, self-conceited, bunch than the people who, during a discussion about woo notions like Qi, various sCAMS, etc, will try to support their arguments with "I'm a buddhist, moi !", which tends to make "native" buddhists prudently retreat.

FYI, I'm neither a buddhist nor Asian.

[Undesired Walrus]

True. I've known Buddhists who are atheists and have no belief whatsoever in afterlife woo.

But here's the weirdest one... a guy who calls himself a "Christian atheist." Figure that out :confused:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/44398765_75b1f575b8.jpg??

[simonmaal]

Is it just me, or does woo seem to have a particular affinity with Tibetan Buddhism? Or is it just that the Dalai Lama is the only Buddhist that most Americans know?

I remember Hare Krisna having the same vogue appeal in the 80s before Buddhism came into fashion (endorsed by the celebrity bunch). We may well see Kabbalah taking over in the next few years, or even something else. I think it's a simple case of both woo and "exotic" religions having a particular affinity with the bored, white, middle-class consumer population. It all makes life a little bit more exciting and creates the illusion of control over one's fate; in other words it makes people feel less bored and anxious about the vagaries of human existence.

We also need to remember the attacks on science from the woo crowd and the propagation of conspiracy theories to support the idea that conventional medicine, for example, is just one approach among a democracy of ideas. That, and medicine is being dressed up as inflexible, boring, stuffy and authoritarian. CAMs appear, on the surface, to be more consumer friendly.

You could swap the Dalai Lama for Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Prabhupada, Ravi Shankar or any other Asian guru who has popped out of the woodwork since the 1960s. The faces change but the appeal to the consumer does not fade.

[Charlie Monoxide]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/44398765_75b1f575b8.jpg??
The oxymoron, it hurts my brain....

Charlie (http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/) Monoxide

[Moochie]

True. I've known Buddhists who are atheists and have no belief whatsoever in afterlife woo.

But here's the weirdest one... a guy who calls himself a "Christian atheist." Figure that out :confused:

Yes. I've also heard of "Christian Buddhists." Not very surprising since Buddhism doesn't appear to have a view on belief in god or God.

Now, it would really be a coup if it could be shown that Jesus was an atheist. :D

M.

[simonmaal]

Yes. I've also heard of "Christian Buddhists." Not very surprising since Buddhism doesn't appear to have a view on belief in god or God.

Now, it would really be a coup if it could be shown that Jesus was an atheist. :D

M.

Hell yeah!

And maybe syncretism will be the new religion for the consumer generation - a sort of "you got it your way" McReligion!

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

And maybe syncretism will be the new religion for the consumer generation - a sort of "you got it your way" McReligion!
You mean I could just make up my own stuff, rather than submitting to the made-up stuff of others? Now you're talkin'!

~~ Paul

[linusrichard]

You could swap the Dalai Lama for Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Prabhupada, Ravi Shankar or any other Asian guru who has popped out of the woodwork since the 1960s. The faces change but the appeal to the consumer does not fade.

Ravi Shankar is an Asian guru? I wonder if you mean Maharishi Mahesh Yogi?

[simonmaal]

You mean I could just make up my own stuff, rather than submitting to the made-up stuff of others? Now you're talkin'!

~~ Paul

Yes, that's it! Now don't go asking me for tithes though!

[simonmaal]

Ravi Shankar is an Asian guru? I wonder if you mean Maharishi Mahesh Yogi?

Not quite sure I get the joke here if there is one :p

[Hokulele]

Not quite sure I get the joke here if there is one :p


Ravi Shankar is the classical musician associated with the Beatles, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the religious guru.

http://www.ravishankar.org/bio.html

[simonmaal]

Ravi Shankar is the classical musician associated with the Beatles, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the religious guru.

http://www.ravishankar.org/bio.html

I don't want to derail this thread by going any further down this route, but I was under the impression that Ravi Shankar was considered a bit of a guru. I suppose it's all a moot point anyway because the idea that we have had a stream of Eastern gurus still holds even if George Harrison's old buddy turns out not to be one!

[Rasmus]

But here's the weirdest one... a guy who calls himself a "Christian atheist." Figure that out :confused:

Well, you could be a follower of the "historical Jesus" without believing in his divinity. I.e. you follow what you belive the teachings of a mortal man called "Jesus".