Re: [Marxism] In Solidarity with the People of Tibet

[Live session user <johnedmundson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 2008-03-23 at 16:27 -0400, Jim Farmelant wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:49:06 -0400 Les Schaffer <schaffer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> writes:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > i got into Zen back in the early 70's, and at that time a 
> > significant 
> > fraction of those coming to the discipline had been attached, in one 
> > 
> > form or another, to the anti-war movement. i never saw Buddhism in 
> > any 
> > way enhance the political acumen of these people in any way.

I don't have anything in particular against Buddhism - in fact I have a
good friend who's a very devout Buddhist; she's Korean and often talks
in terms of "God", but I haven't been able to establish whether or not
that's a specifically Korean concept within Buddhism. What seems clear
to me though is that, the Dalai Lama's positive comments about Marxism
notwithstanding, Buddhism seems to me to be as much about "individual"
salvation as any other religious or spiritual system.

As for Buddhists being uncommonly peace loving, a quick glance at the
histories of any Asian country, Tibet included, should disabuse anyone
of that notion. Christians describe Jesus as the Prince of Peace, Islam
means peace. None of them have a monopoly on it.

Strictly speaking, the reactionary feudal nature of old Tibet, and even
the reactionary nature of aspects of the Dalai Lama's beliefs - eg on
homosexuality - shouldn't be any more an obstacle to the left than the
reactionary views of Hamas. The difference for me is that Hamas doesn't
seem to take money from the CIA and cosy up to imperialism, as the Dalai
Lama has done.
Cheers,
John


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