[Buddha-l] What's wrong with a little Dharma?

[jkirk]

Bernie wrote:
>
> The situation is no worse than the past. In fact it's probably better, 
> mostly thanks to the public's positive opinion of the Dalai Lama. 
> ..................
> The Christians who would attack other religions only discredit themselves, 
> as surveys show that even their own congregations don't support "extra 
> ecclesiam nulla salus." I think we're seeing the high water mark of 
> evangelical outspokeness and the tide will recede soon.
================
This is my sense of it today as well. Jesus freaks will never be able to get
people off their yoga (which is now advertised extensively on TV, even the 
"fair and balanced" station), Hinduism and incense, malas & mandalas, Sufi 
zhikrs, orange garments, or off HH the Dalai Lama. He is seen by many US and 
EU young people (I don't include young Tibetans who have problems with 
HHDL's politics) as a man who was hounded out of his country by imperialist 
Chinese, analogous to what the US is doing in Iraq. Thus, he is all the more 
a hero. All these religious or whatever beliefs and practices are just too 
ingrained at this point, too satisfying, and too popular, having got a good 
head start (no pun intended) in the 60s, for evangelical Christians to 
destroy.

Also, re: congregations, there are several polls showing that a large 
majority of  US Christians don't think people of faiths other than their own 
are condemned to hellfire. I still think the Christian extremists (like the 
Dominionists) are no better than cults, although some of them might be 
rather populous. The government connections that Dan cited are mainly a 
product of Republican administrations of the Bush family genre, and like 
neo-conism, the war-fever stimulated by both Bushes, plus the wars, are on 
their way out.

I admit that who gets on the Supreme Court does have me worried because they 
are there for life. The others are getting their 15 minutes of fame and 
that's all they will get as politics moves on.

Joanna