tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post5006039911269183816..comments2023-10-07T03:51:45.053-07:00Comments on The Buddhist Conservative: Political divideThe Buddhist Conservativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17781493637726411401noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-80047785378663493832009-12-09T17:48:19.897-08:002009-12-09T17:48:19.897-08:00It has been a busy time for me but I want to respo...It has been a busy time for me but I want to respond to everyone who has commented.<br /><br />@Carole,<br />Many people go into politics with good intentions only to be corrupted by the process. When voters stop paying attention to the issues, we become victims of the policies enacted in the name of political expedience. <br /><br />@YogaforCynics<br />The reason I became involved in the political process again after many years of being away is exactly what you are talking about. Most of the political dialog is anger based which keeps us arguing amongst each other rather than looking at the issues. This is by design, used to mask the real agendas behind the rhetoric of political divide. Rage is not the answer. To make a difference, we have to become involved and look at each issue carefully before deciding how to cast our votes.<br /><br />It is much easier said than done.<br /><br />@Sean,<br />Once we identify with a specific political ideology, we can become victims of carefully crafted arguments that make us believe that we must blindly follow the champions of the ideal. Attachment leads to narrow vision to the real issues.<br /><br />@WR<br /><br />I hope we can get past the hate and work together for the common good. I have been working with groups of every political persuasion in an effort to find common ground on the issues that affect us all. We are so much more alike than different.<br /><br />@Dixie,<br /><br />Your support means a lot to me. Through our struggles, we can find the sense of community we seem to have lost.<br /><br />@Pragmatic Buffalo, <br /><br />I believe that the separation of church and state is nothing more than a smokescreen used to stifle opposing views. Buddhism for the moment has not drawn the ire of the separation movement because it is not seen as a threat to the Progressive agenda. America was founded on the principle of religious freedom and it is a tragedy that we are taking sides as to what is an acceptable and what is not and acceptable religion. The real argument is not about religion, it is about a grab for power sadly.<br /><br />@Lorem Ipsum<br />I hope we can all wake up soon. I struggle each day with the balance between political activism and my practice. It would be far easier to just let the world turn but I see too many things happening that are destroying individual spirit which will prevent future generations from enjoying the blessings I have had throughout my life. Some days are better than others :)<br /><br />@Count Sneaky,<br />Well said. Technology has brought us many wonderful things but the fact we do not need to interact on a personal level creates a real danger as hate is used as a substitute for debate. I don't know when we lost the ability to disagree on some things yet work together for the common good. I hope we can find a way to get it back.The Buddhist Conservativehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17781493637726411401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-36933856197773409802009-12-07T18:25:39.477-08:002009-12-07T18:25:39.477-08:00Excellent commentary. Technology does ot brng us c...Excellent commentary. Technology does ot brng us closer together, but further apart making our ideological divides more obvious and enabling groups to vent their hostilities without coming face to face with another. It enables propogand to be far more widespread and dangerous because the technology itself is beguiling. We are becoming more divided every day by this ability to divide that we are now possessed by.Count Sneakyhttp://countsneakysjournal.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-70862854342244843962009-12-03T11:40:24.775-08:002009-12-03T11:40:24.775-08:00It must be an interesting balance, attempting to w...It must be an interesting balance, attempting to work in the political arena while pursuing your practice. You highlight the adversarial (dualistic) nature of political debate as the blinkers before our eyes. When will we all wake up?Ed Rowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944838511258303518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-88095329436052645832009-11-30T10:13:59.091-08:002009-11-30T10:13:59.091-08:00Has Buddhism experienced any Seperation of Church ...Has Buddhism experienced any Seperation of Church and state bannings like Christianity and Judiasm? It seems some religons like new age are acceptable to the courts and the ACLE and not christianity.pragmatic buffalohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09095808506070511672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-4098277958374519642009-11-27T21:57:23.119-08:002009-11-27T21:57:23.119-08:00Very well said! I agree and support your perspecti...Very well said! I agree and support your perspective. Thank you.Dixie@dcreliefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11558671709412200904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-37792274938031415492009-11-25T19:36:07.642-08:002009-11-25T19:36:07.642-08:00There is something that runs deep in we humans tha...There is something that runs deep in we humans that wants to believe in some certain truth. Lately the desire for that 'truth' has led to hateful public discourse. Perhaps it is a throw back to some other tribal time? Can we have strong verbiage without drowning in our various political ideologies? Compromise while uncomfortable is undoubtedly a necessary component of a civilization and political system that is going to survive. And compromise is probably why the law deals with remedy not justice. Our society may need to decide if being right is more important than enduring...WR https://www.blogger.com/profile/05730763054918340998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-87600654062259285292009-11-23T14:41:27.794-08:002009-11-23T14:41:27.794-08:00Of all the forms of attachment, attachment to ideo...Of all the forms of attachment, attachment to ideology is by far the most dangerous. It is vastly more damaging than greed or lust.<br /><br />A few fanatical ideologues like Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot have probably killed more people than all the robber barons in history.Sean Robsvillehttp://seanrobsville.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-83762048901052630622009-11-23T07:25:31.465-08:002009-11-23T07:25:31.465-08:00In trying to deal with my own anger in recent year...In trying to deal with my own anger in recent years, I tend to struggle most with what might be called "political anger." Whereas letting go of anger toward loved ones who made mistakes or someone who beat me up thirty years ago, or myself for not living up to my idle dreams makes perfect sense, I tend to think that anger over big issues, often involving the lives or deaths of millions is different, because "those things really matter." But, then, I think, "how is my rage helping? Am I really making the world a better place by ranting and raving, yelling insults, or having violent fantasies about the political figures I hate getting theirs?" Of course not. The way to make any positive change has got to involve letting go of all that rage, seeing as clearly as possible, and acting in as thoughtful a manner as possible, which generally involves a certain openness and compassion towards those who think differently. Ah, but so much easier said than done...YogaforCynicshttp://yogaforcynics.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-23452233060157233392009-11-23T04:47:08.016-08:002009-11-23T04:47:08.016-08:00On local radio last week, comment about the greed ...On local radio last week, comment about the greed of our politicians, the speaker expecting lots of support, I sent a text that if we were working in Parliament most of us would probably have done the same....his next comment was about the weather.....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957545161716269528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301675256765218918.post-1151353560735239132009-11-23T04:45:15.163-08:002009-11-23T04:45:15.163-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957545161716269528noreply@blogger.com