Buddhism Is Stupid And Evil

[KT45]

Don't hurt me, this isn't my view. But he brings up some good points. Thoughts

 

Lots of people love to make fun of Christianity and Islam. These same people inexplicitly like Buddhism. Here I, the Conservative Atheist, demystify the bullshit behind this evil and stupid religion.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPu7TI-XXXY

[smellincoffee]

Can't watch it (slow internet connection)...anyone mind telling me why he thinks Buddhism is evil?

[Yaoi Huntress Earth]

On the grounds that Buddism uses "suffering" as an excuse make people live in squallar and that many Buddist-heavy countries are so screwed-up.

[fallenleaf]

This guy is hilarious. He claims that people don't hate Buddhism because they know nothing about it. But then he shows his own ignorance. He misstates the 4 noble truths and equates all desire with evil and then uses that as his main thrusting point as to why Buddhist nations suck (because they have no desire to better their nation). That is completely wrong. It's better translated as "selfish desire" and the desire to make the world better and reduce the suffering of others is a primary goal of an active Buddhist. It is why many temples teach medicine, health care, and other skills to benefit the society around them as well as teaching Buddhism.

 

I love his anti-technology part of his rant. Especially when the only place many children or people in Thailand will even get training to use computers or have access to them is at the Buddhist temples. And they train these children in technology and the children set out to bring electricity and technology to their towns as well. It was shocking, even to me, when I realized how much technology is stressed in those temples and among those children. I can only reference Thailand here because it is the only place I know enough to speak about but technology is a big thing taught and encouraged in the temples. Young boys often commit to being monks for a few years to get a more complete education in these areas (like religious schooling). Without the temples it is unlikely they would have the opportunity to learn about this in their rural towns.

 

Yay, more Buddishts then atheists in prison. Of course, since you can be both I guess that doesn't count. And it also doesn't prove much. How many of these people are hippie Buddhists in prison for drug offenses or othe non-violent crime?

 

There are reasons to dislike Buddhism. There are reasons to think it's misguided and wrong. But none of them are brought up here and this guy doesn't even have the basic understanding of the core to begin to comprehend where it really breaks down on the edges.

[All Gods Fail]

On the grounds that Buddism uses "suffering" as an excuse make people live in squallar and that many Buddist-heavy countries are so screwed-up.

 

Sounds like Mother Theresa's philosophy.

 

Also, what Buddhist countries is he referring to? Are the reason they're screwed up a direct result of Buddhism?

[NotBlinded]

There are reasons to dislike Buddhism. There are reasons to think it's misguided and wrong. But none of them are brought up here and this guy doesn't even have the basic understanding of the core to begin to comprehend where it really breaks down on the edges.

The same can be said for any religion, IMO. The ones that so misunderstand the teachings to a degree that they are nothing more than shells by the time their minds are done with them are the ones that are fundamentalists...of any flavor. An atheist such as this is also a fundamentalist because he is rejecting the same flawed philosophy that he thinks the others accept. He is giving credence to that understanding. Not credence to Buddhism itself, but to the flawed understanding of it. He is as uninformed as he says they are. What this does is show that he thinks that is what Buddhism is also. It happens all the time. Of course it is right to reject a flawed philosophy, but his understanding of it is just as flawed as he thinks theirs is. That leaves the true teaching floating around waiting to be understood while the extremists fight over something that it is not. Damn...I don't even know if there are Buddhists that think they way that he thinks they think.

 

Dang it...I can't find the fallacy (or combination of fallacies) I'm looking for here.

 

Maybe the fallacy of hasty generalization covers it.

 

A variety of this fallacy combines the hasty generalization with an equivocation between "some" and "all." The argument exploits the fallacy of suppressed quantification (see the discussion under Ambiguity) to shift from an implied "some" to an implied "all."

 

At the turn of the century businesses were guilty of putting sand in sugar, water in milk, and lard in butter. The purity of canned goods was always suspect. Such practices necessitated the passage of the Food and Drug Act. This proves that businesses cannot be trusted--they are crooked.

Rapes are committed by men, robberies are committed by men, murders are committed by men. Benedict Arnold and Adolf Hitler were men. Men are liars, seducers, and cheaters. Therefore, men ought to be caged up, because men are terrible.

College students in Southern California take dope, get drunk, sleep around, commit crimes, and don't care about anybody but themselves. So don't ask me for a donation; college students are just worthless punks.

 

He takes what he understands and claims this is what Buddhism is. Wow...where have we heard that before?

[leftofpunk]

You'll all notice at the bottom of the video at the end it says "The opinions in this video are satire."

[HuaiDan]

Sounds like Mother Theresa's philosophy. Wendyshrug.gif

 

Also, what Buddhist countries is he referring to? Are the reason they're screwed up a direct result of Buddhism?

 

 

 

Yeah! I thought the reason China was screwed up (but recovering niicely these days) was because they entered the 20th century under a decadent monarchy which kowtowed to western colonialism, came under control of the equally corrupt and clueless KMT, were butchered and exploited by the Japanese for nearly 10 years, and then....Mao, the cold war, and his cultural revolution. And a soon as they start getting on their feet again, are victim once again to the attempted stifling by US oil-resource control 'diplomacy'.

 

Buddhism had little or nothing to do with it. In fact, Buddhism suffered its darkest days under the leadership of Mao.

 

I think a far, far better argument could be made that western colonialism is the reason these countries are so screwed up.

[Jun]

Desire for goods increases happiness? Richer countries are happier? Is this guy for real? Is HE happy? What is happiness? Having all the modern commodities and a luxurious lifestyle, is THAT happiness? Happiness is relative.

 

During my stay in the Philippines I met many happier people than in Australia.

 

Rich countries have less crime? Huh? What a load of bullocks. I'd like to know where he gets his statistics.

 

Richer countries have less war? Er, wait a minute, Are the U.S., Australia, and England considered richer countries (what does he mean by RICH? - in wealth?), if so, didn't they just wage a war in Iraq?

 

Japan overwelmingly Atheist? This guy really has NO IDEA! Buddhism (real Buddhism as taught by the Buddha) IS AN ATHEISTIC PRACTICE. As a Buddhist one IS ATHEIST. There are NO GODS or DEITIES in Buddhism. There is NO worship, or praying. There are NO gospels or supernatural powers.

 

He shows a complete and shallow misunderstnding of Buddhist teachings. 99% of what is labelled "Buddhism" in Euro countires is in fact WAY off the mark. These ideas of PEACE and HARMONY get thrown around a lot. When it catches peoples attention that there has been a clash/fight/war involving Buddhists (or even lay Buddhist practitioners), suddenly the WHOLE of Buddhism and the teachings are to blame. People are HUMAN, and we all make MISTAKES.

 

Lust, hatred, jealousy, pride etc. which arise in one's heart spoil one's whole being and bring about self-destruction and suffering - not to mention the suffering of others. The cause of these defilements of the heart is unmindfulness, based on ignorance. If one tries to be attentive and mindful throughout life - caring for others and ourselves, controlling our desires, ignoring our hate, letting go our pride - such attentiveness would lead to calmness and peace.

 

Keeping the precepts (the "guide to successful life") or building good character, is the foundation for the development of higher virtues. Ignorance is removed by wisdom, insight or realisation about our true nature and the world which we are a part of. We should all make a deep search into ourselves, to find the answers to life for ourselves - not to listen to some dogma or tradition. Nothing can be successfully done by one who has no self control and a willingness to let go of preconceptions. One must have control over ones actions and speech.

[chefranden]

What a dopey rant.

 

All religion should be examined critically, but this guy appears so infected by his cultural memes that he may be for all intents and purposes as brain dead as any religionist.

[sithprincess]

I've actually just started studying Buddhism, and I kind of like it. I doubt I'll ever have the patience for the meditation, though .

 

I honestly don't see where it puts a huge emphasis on suffering, it just acknowledges it as a part of life. Rather, it appears to teach more on how to deal with it, and the way we see "good" and "bad"things that happen to us. From what I can tell it doesn't mandate that one must live in squalor to become enlightened. The principles sound pretty good to me, good codes to live by. I really believe that if the world were run by a Buddhist, it would be a better more gentle place.

[NotBlinded]

You'll all notice at the bottom of the video at the end it says "The opinions in this video are satire."

HA! oops...I didn't read the fine print!

[Amethyst]

I've actually just started studying Buddhism, and I kind of like it. I doubt I'll ever have the patience for the meditation, though .

 

There are different types of meditating, besides from the "sit quietly and say ohm" type. You can walk and meditate as well. It's called awareness meditation. Might want to google that.

 

I'm not Buddhist, but I find meditating a good form of stress relief.

[Lorena Rodriguez]

I am not a buddhist either, but I love meditation. It is good for my health.

I learned from a series of non-religious books by Herbert Benson, The Relaxion Response. (The books are from the 70's).

 

Benson did studies on the benefits of meditation. Quite interesting.

 

I've actually just started studying Buddhism, and I kind of like it. I doubt I'll ever have the patience for the meditation, though .

[Jun]

There are different types of meditating, besides from the "sit quietly and say ohm" type. You can walk and meditate as well. It's called awareness meditation. Might want to google that.

 

ALL meditation is awareness meditation. The sole purpose of meditation is to open your senses to your environment. To experience your present moment in complete stillness - the art of paying attention. Meditation puts you in tune with the universe.

 

The definition of meditation largley depends on who your teacher is and what tradition you practice. Regardless of the many different methods and focuses - the underlying reason for meditation is to become aware and learning how not to think - how to slow down and absorb all around you. All methods meditation use a focusing of attention to one-pointedness - a sorting out of our thoughts so that they are no longer scattered and undirected.

[HuaiDan]

I'm not Buddhist, but I find meditating a good form of stress relief.

 

What is a buddhist? To label yourself as a Buddhist, it seems, is not Buddhist. Is anybody a "perfect" buddhist? Do you have to wear a sign around your neck?

 

Some people just follow the teachings of Buddhism more than others. The only difference between a Buddhist and a non-Buddhist is the awareness that one is following the teachings of Buddhism. Some of the most devout self-proclaimed buddhists in history were not Buddhists at all, just religionists, while some of the greatest Budddhists that ever lived never even knew the term "Buddhism".

 

There are no real Buddhists.