Don’t get infected by Buddhists??
Dear friends,
Can you believe this. So many things here are just so wrong in this article. Segregating people due to religion and religious superiority are both very damaging and takes us further away from world peace. No one’s religion is superior to another and all are equal. We must respect all religions. Do read what this man is saying.
Tsem Rinpoche
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Pat Robertson: Quit your job if you work with Buddhists so you don’t ‘get infected by it’
by David Edwards
09 MAR 2015
Christian Broadcasting Network host Pat Robertson told viewers on Monday that Buddhism was like a “disease” and that Christians could get “infected” if their coworkers practiced it.
“I work in an environment where all of my coworkers are Buddhists,” a viewer named Tina explained in an email to Robertson. “They talk about Buddhism all day long and try to preach to me. It didn’t matter much to me before, but since I recommitted myself to Jesus a year ago, it has started to bother me a lot.”
Robertson replied by noting that “healthy” people might not contract a “mild contagion.”
“But if you put yourself in the middle of a hospital ward where everybody has the disease except you, sooner or later, you will be infected by it,” the TV preacher warned. “If you’re in the middle of hundreds and hundreds of people who believe that way, you’ve got an uphill fight.”
“And I think your best thing at that point is to withdraw with dignity,” Robertson said. “Get out of that environment because they’re going to get to you before you get to them.”
Watch the video below from CBN’s The 700 Club, broadcast March 9, 2015.
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/patrobertson.mp4
Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/pat-robertson-quit-your-job-if-you-work-with-buddhists-so-you-dont-get-infected-by-it/
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Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
One of the best ways to show respect for someone is focus and listen to another person’s point of view. Sometimes, we may disagree with one another, but we should allow each other to have and express our own views regardless of whether we agree or not. Bear in mind, we are not living alone but living together with other living beings (including animals, plants and etc) that everyone is deserving respect. As such, we should have empathy and put ourselves in their shoes to understand each other well.
The message brought by Pat Robertson was really sound discriminated and prejudiced about Buddhism. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this and this has reminded us be respectful of people’s with different religious beliefs, different races, different cultural differences and etc.
Pat Robinson also said to a caller who had received Buddha statues as a gift to throw them away or destroy them – it might have been more skilful to donate them to a charity or a Temple or Buddhist practitioners, nobody would ever dare to trample a crucifix, so unwanted Religious artefacts of all faiths still deserve to be treated with respect, and as such can be “let go of” quite skilfully, my Great Aunt’s house was full of Jesuses and Marys, when she passed away – her children didn’t share her faith, so they passed it all on to those who would cherish it.
Sad – proselytising can often be distasteful, whichever religion it comes from, any practitioner of any religion should be careful to talk about their faith skilfully so as not to cause disharmony or exclusivism, all kinds of sufferings come from ignorance, “mental laziness”, all of which can be avoided by a little consideration before we do or say anything.
What Pat Robertson said is discriminative and support segregation among different believers. Everyone has the right to have different view, freedom of speech and religious freedom.
Of course sometimes we may meet with people who are not sensitive with religious issues and hence said the wrong thing. But I believe we should encourage people to think and act in positive motivation/intention. He being the host of a religious programme should be mindful of his words and give right advise.
We should always promote peace and harmony living.
This is interesting news to me because growing up as a Christian in a Chinese community “infected” with Buddhism, no one has ever preached Buddhism to me. I have though seen Christianity being preached aggressively.
When I first came to known Buddhism after 40 years, one of the first few questions I used to ask was why doesn’t Buddhist preach Buddhism aggressively like the Christians. I was told Buddhism is not about converting people to your religion. Buddhism doesn’t believe it is the one and only way.
So what Pat Robertson is saying here is either fabricated or exaggerated. Birds of feathers flock together – it is just normal standard behavior for people who has common interest to talk about what they are passionate about. If a group of footballers get together they will not be talking about tennis, they will be talking about football, football and football. It’s not to disrespect tennis or put down tennis or trying to convert the tennis player to football, it’s just for the love of their game.
It is okay for leaders of every religion to tell their people to be strong in their faith so that they are not so easily swayed. Preach your doctrine and practice your religion so that your faith is strong. Creating dissension, disharmony and discrimination to preserve one’s faith puts shame onto one’s religion. Have you so little faith in the truth of your own doctrine that you are so easily threatened and swayed.
OMB Robertson is such a weird and grumpy person, if your faith on Jesus is strong, then no matter what others say it’s not going to affect you anyways. His statements shows the state of his mind, what he says does not make sense at all.
Everyone should have the freedom of religion and speech, no one should be putting down other religion(s). What makes him really ignorant is the fact that he thinks his religion is the best of all and everyone else who have different faiths are “ill”? May I ask then, what is the difference between him and the ISIS terrorists? Except that he doesn’t kill people, but other than that they all have that same narrow way of thinking and that is, their religions are the best and others are just useless. That is very wrong, he’s giving a very very bad advise to Tina and the public.
He has degraded himself in such a way that no one respects him anymore, discrimination against others’ religion is not a small issue nowadays.
OMG! Pat Robertson is a crazy man. He said that the Haitians are cursed with bad luck because they “Made a pact with the Devil” and as a result the 2010 was because they are “cursed.” Most people don’t even take him seriously anymore, but whatever. He’s crazy.
My opinion is that everybody should have their own free choice for religions. Nobody has the right to tell someone else about which religion is right and which is wrong. Different people have different perspectives, so we cannot blame others for practicing other religions as it is not wrong at all. I am not saying to defend the Buddhist or to offend the Christians but I am here to say that being a Buddhist is not wrong therefore there is nothing for the Christians to say that we should believe in God and fear God. Also to tell the Buddhists colleagues that we shouldn’t offend someone just because he/she is a Christian. I believe that this isn’t what God or Buddha wants, I believe what they want is to actually bring peace to the world. Thank you for reading.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this video. His solution for the lady is to get out of that environment..,but for me this is not the solution no matter I am Buddhist or not, if one think what her believe is real, why should the one get out of that, it means that in some certain points they do not insist on what their believe, that is y they are afraid of getting infection. If like what he said, God bless Tina will never come to Malaysia, because at here we have people with different religions. She should stay in that office, if she does not like the topic the coworkers talk, tell them..and most important thing, show her the way a Christian should does to others, so people respect her and her religion.
Poor elderly guy, having extreme perverted views. Don’t listen to him lady who questioned because his answer is not helpful to you or anybody else. I’m surprised how an aged person with much experience and ”learned” in religion can be extremist? Anyway good luck to him.
Oh gosh. That is just unpleasant. Buddhism and Christianity are, on a general level, practically the same. Both religions teach us to be kind and compassionate to other beings and to never lie, steal, cheat and etc.
However, I will acknowledge that there are certain differences on certain topics. But if this is the case, then we should work around those differences and compromise. These two religions can very easily co-exist. We should accept these differences and not be offended by them.
Perhaps in Tina’s case, her co-worker Buddhists were not very open minded or had a misunderstanding on the teachings of Christianity that thus got offended or critical and vice-versa.(I mean no offence to anyone when I say this, this is only my speculation.) If so, then everyone should learn what it is that offended them or what it is that they do not get and learn to understand them. That way, a solution where everyone is happy could be achieved.
In my opinion, thus is what Tina should do, find a win-win situation with her Buddhist co-workers and not ‘withdraw with dignity’ as Robertson had said. (Again, if this offends anyone, to offend you was not my intention.) One should never run away from a problem like this, because if they do that and go off to another environment where everyone has the same views as you, then we will ultimately learn nothing and the problem will just spread and get worse.
This doesn’t just go to Tina. This also goes to her buddhist co-workers.
If this is left alone and everyone just leaves when this problem arises, then two sides will build up overtime, and we will be looking at another ridiculous (and stupid) war over religion. 🙁 And I thought we were all past this…. this is just saddening. 🙁
Everyone should be openminded towards every religion, no matter what. All religion is the same, with equal value in their teachings. No matter what.
A humble student,
Keng Hwa.
This is just pitiful. For those Buddhists to “gang up” on that Christian is really just not cool. I feel that they should leave other people with other religions alone. I don’t find it right that you should force others to change to your religion because you think it’s right. Your religion is your own to practice and if others are practising another religion, let them be.
What is being said is just a form of discrimination. There is no wrong for people to be talking about their believes. I cannot imagine that in such an advanced country there is still discrimination like this. It is just so saddening to be seeing this.
On one hand, people are trying very hard to promote harmony and religious freedom, on the other hand, people like Pat Robertson are preaching for differences. Saying that it is a disease. What kind of Christians are they by doing such actions? It is just not right.
People share ideas as a form of exchange and learning experience, there is no wrong for anyone to be sharing information about their religion. It is just a way of learning for them. Why hate when we can be showing love instead?
When we listen to the sharing of others of their religion, we can learn different information as well. Allowing us to know better about that person and how they view things. From there it would be easier for us to communicate with that party in the future as well. Reason being that we would not be offending or even able to better express our ideas and opinions.
Thank you Rinpoche for the article.
We have a great Guru that teaches us to be tolerant of one another’s religion and to respect one another’s religion.
This Rob Paterson, though a man of great devotion to his religion, shouldn’t be saying such things as being infected or that other religion is a “contagion”??!?
That is such a wrong way to preach to others.
I agree strongly with what Pastor David commented, they must be of such low faith in their own religion.
If the lady Tina is strong in her faith, she can always decline to speak to others about each other’s religion and focus on the actual thing at hand in her work…i.e. HER WORK!!
Why discuss about other sensitive stuff that both parties might be offended about? If she didn’t try to convert others, she will not face the same issue.
We all have our own believes and we all have our own devotion to our faith.
Buddhism is said to be Universal. In the words of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama himself, a spokesman for non-violence who has worked untiringly for World Peace, for him, “Buddhism is not a dogma, or religion but a way of Life! It is a source of happiness, inner peace and Wisdom, and it awakens in us, kindness and love.” Buddhism is therefore said to be unique, owing to its tolerance, non-aggressiveness, rationality, practicality, and Universality. It is said that practitioners of different faiths should realize that each religious tradition has its own intrinsic value and the means for providing its mental and spiritual health. One religion, like a single type of food, cannot satisfy everyone. In accord with their own varying mental dispositions, some people benefit from one kind of teaching, others from another. Each faith has the ability to produce fine, warmhearted people; and all religions have succeeded in doing so! Therefore, there is no necessity and reason to engage in divisive religious bigotry and intolerance, but every reason to cherish and respect all forms of spiritual practice. With such “unity in diversity”, we can learn to come to a deeper understanding of how we can live together in greater harmony and peace with ourselves, with each other, the earth and the Universe! Om Mani Padme Hung.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing.Well..I would think it is wrong to blame others when the individual faith is weak and logic(dharma) tend to catch up with reality.
In Malaysia we are expose to many beliefs and religions.We are always given a free choice to follow and practice.If we think the religion we follow is beneficial to others .Then sharing it would be something good.But to be able to share it effectively .The person must be well verse in the philosophy or the bases of the topic first.If in the process of sharing ,you start to have doubts in your own self .Then you should look deep in yourself ,whether your knowledge is strong enough to convince or the fact mention create doubts with yourself.
All orthodox religion is beneficial.It depends on what the individual opinion in life and what is the ultimate goal they hope to achieve.An individual should not segregate them self from others in order to strengthen their own faith if we wish to live in a communal society.Advising others to do so is also wrong as they do not have faith in their followers and afraid in losing them.
Mother Teresa went to India to help the less fortunate.The only thing she preach and practice is Love and Compassion without any agenda.She was never afraid of getting infected by Buddhism,Hinduism and Diseases.
I think what this man said is very wrong how can a true that speak by holy being in this case Buddha can compare with disease because Dharma is holy even the words of gods is holy there should not be any discrimination among people who has different religion. This is really silly.
Sorry to say, but this person sounds more like an insecure person, hanging on to the ‘lifeline’ of man-made tenets.Religion is practiced in spirit not by following dogmatically and rigidly the tenets or the doctrine. The spirit of love and kindness is the true spirit of every religion. This comes from seeing the universal message of all religions.
However, the negative language and analogy used here can spread an “infection” of dislike and aversion toward Buddhism. Shallow-minded and close-minded people, reading this, will straightaway dismiss any engagement with Buddhism.That will be to their loss and even to their detriment.
My thoughts are that
1) Buddhists shouldn’t be trying to convert Tina.
2) Nobody should be talking about religion at work. In the US you would get warned and possibly fired if it continues. The fact that Buddhists are talking about Buddhism and Tina is responding by talking about God is not only exactly why one doesn’t talk about religion at work, but,
3) Where are they working in the first place? I’ve never worked a job where there was time to philosophize while working. I guess in some manner they work at the right place.
4) I don’t blame Pat Robertson at all because he isn’t knowledgeable about Buddhism, and he is teaching that one should stick to their own faith, which is usually true. However,
5) I love how he describes a situation where one gets infected by a faith when they’re surrounded by hundreds of people of that faith. I’m pretty sure I’ve never “work”-worked with another Buddhist in my life, and if I did then neither me nor that other Buddhist talked about it at all. There are Muslims or Jews in the US who probably have it the same way.
So I don’t mean to criticize the people involved in this story, but at the same time the situation is pretty absurd. I don’t think scathing comments from people of varied faiths on this Youtube video helps either. It creates an imaginary conflict between Buddhism and Christianity when there really isn’t one. I think Pat Robertson is an easy target because of his age and that he doesn’t mean any harm. I don’t think it’s okay to make a straw man argument against Christians because Pat Robertson (the straw man, no offense intended) says something regrettable. I have said things before where I wasn’t qualified to speak and I probably sounded exactly like him.
This is so funny, she’s trying to preach Christianity to “help” her Buddhist co-workers but end feeling it has backfired because they are Buddhist? They all probably gave her logical Buddhist answers “like we don’t believe in a God saviour cos you are your own saviour” that she could not handle or digest.
I wonder what is it with Christians who are always need to go out there to spread the word of God and convert people to make themselves feel worthy? Maybe to ‘spread the word of God’ from the Bible means do actions that are kind and compassionate like Jesus and be a living example of goodness? If no one ask for your opinion, advice or knowledge about your religion, I think one should not go around preaching it because religion is something personal and unless the seeker seeks it, it should be forced upon anyone.
And for the preacher… now we know why there are people like the lady who wrote in and ask such questions. And why there is so much segregation, racism, prejudice and disunity amongst people due to religion… look at what’s being taught. Ingredients for disharmony. This is how “religion” gets a bad rap and why more people rather be atheist. Sad.
Correction: If no one ask for your opinion, advice or knowledge about your religion, I think one should not go around preaching it because religion is something personal and unless the seeker seeks it, it should NOT be forced upon anyone.
thats just silly. this poor man is very old. a couple of days ago ha said he had and anti homosexual necklace. a necklace that “repels” homosexuals. and yesterday or so he said they have and AIDS ring that when you shake someones hand it cuts you and you get AIDS. most of what this man has been saying is complete nonsense. and i think ppl are getting hip to that. he has even come under fire from his own follwers for some of his remarks. i feel for anyone who harbors such unnecessary fear. can you imaging going into the bardo having been afraid of everything ,especially other humans , for so long? how much of that will he carry into death?
well thats about my two cents 🙂
I feel sorry for the old man, and even sorrier for the woman who wrote in. Her turning to religion led her to become less tolerant, less accepting and less kind. You wonder if she is receiving the right interpretation of her faith or otherwise.
It is telling that the person who wrote in with the question felt ok about listening to her co-workers talk about Buddhism before she “recommitted to Jesus” but not ok after that. It says to me that a lot of ordinary people are taught to become intolerant by wrong teachings. Jesus taught everyone by his parables and the way he lived his life, that we must have a heart of love for all. I don’t think a genuine religious practice regardless of whether we follow Jesus or the Buddha, is supposed to make the practitioner feel superior over others, but instead more humble.
Neither Jesus nor the Buddha taught that believers must be segregated from non-believers. But we see how non-believers are regarded as a disease and I see that same thing happening within the Tibetan Buddhist community. For example, to worship Dorje Shugden is regarded as a sin and to be an enemy of the Tibetan people.
I tend to agree with Pastor David. If a person can be so easily “infected” by Buddhism it could mean that either:-
1) One’s faith and relationship with Jesus/God/[insert choice of deity] is not strong
2) The Dharma is the ultimate truth and that is the only salvation that one would need.
Would it be better to face the Buddhists and test how solid your own faith is?
I am sorry but I can’t help myself from feeling that this is extremely funny and sorry to say, pathetic. Why are these practitioners of this particular religion so insecure about their faith? How can you call it a faith if you are are insecure about what you believe in.
Furthermore, I would have thought the advice would be to be learn up on the bible or to engage in more prayer and contemplation towards Jesus or God. How does running away from such situations to be the answer or solution to this issue? Although running away is very tempting and its made up to be the easy way out but long term it would not be. For the unfortunate practitioner receiving such bad advice, the problem would definitely and surely crop up again in another aspect of her life and the next time, there would probably be no easy way out.