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Something I've been wrestling with a lot and reminded of...
I saw so many rejoicing over Jeff Sessions being dismissed from the White House - and although I was so glad for it too and called his behind out from day 1 (just like Coretta Scott King did in the 80s when warning folks about NOT putting him in power), I was saddened at how many said "See!! You're all the same. The kidnapping of children was horrible enough at the border - and him trying to quote a Bible passage out of context like Romans 13 made me want to slap him..
But as many of those same migrants were Christians as well, it made no sense trying to make their experience (authentic in the same way Jesus was a migrant) the same as what Jeff did.
.
If folks say "How are Christians supporting so much mess with immigration"(as it concerns the foolishness with Trump Evangelicals) and ignoring all the many who never were donw with that, why do many generalize? I try to remember there's a difference between Christ, Folks who are real disciples of Jesus Christ ("Followers of the Way"), Christian Nationalism, Christian Paganism, Christo-Fascism and Neo-Manifest Destiny. The latter is what we have a lot of masquerading as the heart of Jesus...
There are camps, just as you had Types of Buddhists and one type (Imperial Buddhism with Shinto Buddhism) murdered/eradicated Christians for 400 yrs before it was legal to come out.
Facts: In the late 1500s, ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi expelled all missionaries, and between 1612 and 1614, the Tokugawa shogunate banned Christianity outright, forcing them to practice their faith in secret and If discovered, face torture or death. Some fled for more remote locations, such as Nozaki Island. Previously, Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi viewed Christianity in the same negative light as they viewed militant Buddhist sects which had been a major irritant to Nobunaga in particular. And the genocide of the Japanese Christians was among the most effective/extensive in world history. During the Tokugawa Shogunate, from 1614 to 1867, Christianity was outlawed and the ban was lifted only after a change of government in 1873 - and the folks here went through all manner of hell/murder.
Japanese Martyrs....
I don't and won't label all Buddhist folks as genocidal - Buddhism has several camps anyhow. Same goes for other groups..
But it was nowhere close to the stereotype many have in saying ALL Buddhist are about peace/tranquility. All religions have extremes that can gain control. There are crazies in every bunch - and sometimes, the crazy ones get a hold of the wheel. And I think in 2018, if you see someone quoting a Bible but doing craziness, go back to the person of Jesus - see his example - and then go back to your history charts to see what group you're dealing with.
The following is Maria Kannon figure in carved wood, in Japan's Early Edo Period.
Has anyone here ever heard of the Kakure Kirishitan ("hidden Christians")?
How previous generations of Christians interacted with Buddhists always stands out to me when seeing how honorable they were, compared to later generations.
Amazed seeing the ways believers walked across the world to the places many refused to go so that they could make certain others would know who they knew....and yet not many remember their footsteps or the impact they had when they stepped - and that witness was lost over time as history went on
"The Hidden Christians of Japan" ( https://niho.nnozasshi.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/book-review-in-search-of-japans-hidden-christians/ ) is another excellent read I am forever grateful for, in regards to what you were noting, as it's an excellent read on the ways that political leaders took advantage of religions for the purpose of carrying power for themselves
Beyond the actions of Fr.Francis of Xavier and his pioneering work, many of the Jesuits who were Portuguese were very dismissive of what local Buddhist were going through since the dominant focus was conversion.
And there's also discussion on where the Buddhist in certain camps used the opportunity for political power.
One of my Native friends Ramone Romero said this once to me (as he lives in Japan):
I thought that was timely to remember. Something I keep in mind is that many other teachings within the camp of Buddhism also made room for violence to occur as well. I am reminded of the Nirvana Sutrana Sutra, a canonical Buddhist text, which narrates a story about one of Buddha’s past lives: in it, he kills some Hindus (Brahmins) because they insulted the Buddhist sutras (scriptures) ( Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra ):
--"The Buddha…said…”When I recall the past, I remember that I was the king of a great state…My name was Senyo, and I loved and venerated the Mahayana sutras…When I heard the Brahmins slandering the vaipulya sutras, I put them to death on the spot. Good men, as a result of that action, I never thereafter fell into hell. O good man! When we accept and defend the Mahayana sutras, we possess innumerable virtues.”--
The very first reason we're told the Buddha put the Brahmins to death was out of pity for them in order to aid the Brahmans in avoiding the punishment they had accrued by committing evil deeds while continuously slandering Buddhism. And that is a theme found throughout Buddhist thought when it comes to “compassionate killing” since killing is normally forbidden because it is done with evil intent (hatred, vengeance, etc.), yet the times when it is done with “compassion” makes it permissible and worth celebrating..
And it goes into depth further on the types of death discussed as well.
And of course, we also have the The Icchantika:
We also cannot avoid the fact that Buddhism WAS spread by violence and war, at least in three specific cases - Sri Lanka, Tibet, and the Khmer Empire. Remembering the example of Mahavamsa remembering Buddhist King Dutthagamani from his deed killing non-Buddhists - more shared in Violence and the World's Religious Traditions: An Introduction
edited by Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts, Michael Jerryson
And of course, considering Zen Buddhists who supported Japanese Militarism, it is not a small issue....and is very nuanced.
One excellent perspective I came across put things into perspective when it came to noting the ways that experiences in status can cause a shift in one's leanings.
For more information, one can go to "Nichiren The Original Face of Buddhist Terror" ( Full Text Of The Banned Time Story - "The Face Of Buddhist Terror" )/ (http://theendlessfurther.com/nichiren-the-original-face-of-buddhist-terror/ ) and here, as seen in the following:
For anyone not aware of the struggle of the Kakure Kirishitan/ Hidden Christians and their experience with the global church outside of their world as well as the priests sent to help them as they adapted to the religious world around them...this is something that will really cause intensive discussion on how to keep your faith (and what happens when you lose it - and just how much grace God really has when you falter).
Consider the place of violence in the world - and how it has been used by all camps when it comes to religion. It was not that long ago when Christianity via the Spanish Empire expanded itself through others claiming Peace/Shalom and yet justifying wholesale slaughter if/when you did not convert to their thoughts, with others seeking to combat people quoting the name of Christ as government officials wanting to expand their political reach...while the missionaries found it difficult representing for their faith when their countries of origin were very contradictory. The same can be said with regards to what happened in Buddhism, as the same people being fearful in Japan of European intrusion (and thus, fearful of Christianity) went against ideals of peace by choosing to slaughter others in religions different than them - DESPITE the fact that there were Buddhists who vehemently disagreed with the violent antics while their Buddhist neighbors mocked the Christians. We see the same happening in our world today on differing levels and we need to keep it in mind when it comes to how we converse....
I saw so many rejoicing over Jeff Sessions being dismissed from the White House - and although I was so glad for it too and called his behind out from day 1 (just like Coretta Scott King did in the 80s when warning folks about NOT putting him in power), I was saddened at how many said "See!! You're all the same. The kidnapping of children was horrible enough at the border - and him trying to quote a Bible passage out of context like Romans 13 made me want to slap him..
But as many of those same migrants were Christians as well, it made no sense trying to make their experience (authentic in the same way Jesus was a migrant) the same as what Jeff did.
.
If folks say "How are Christians supporting so much mess with immigration"(as it concerns the foolishness with Trump Evangelicals) and ignoring all the many who never were donw with that, why do many generalize? I try to remember there's a difference between Christ, Folks who are real disciples of Jesus Christ ("Followers of the Way"), Christian Nationalism, Christian Paganism, Christo-Fascism and Neo-Manifest Destiny. The latter is what we have a lot of masquerading as the heart of Jesus...
There are camps, just as you had Types of Buddhists and one type (Imperial Buddhism with Shinto Buddhism) murdered/eradicated Christians for 400 yrs before it was legal to come out.
Facts: In the late 1500s, ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi expelled all missionaries, and between 1612 and 1614, the Tokugawa shogunate banned Christianity outright, forcing them to practice their faith in secret and If discovered, face torture or death. Some fled for more remote locations, such as Nozaki Island. Previously, Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi viewed Christianity in the same negative light as they viewed militant Buddhist sects which had been a major irritant to Nobunaga in particular. And the genocide of the Japanese Christians was among the most effective/extensive in world history. During the Tokugawa Shogunate, from 1614 to 1867, Christianity was outlawed and the ban was lifted only after a change of government in 1873 - and the folks here went through all manner of hell/murder.
Japanese Martyrs....
I don't and won't label all Buddhist folks as genocidal - Buddhism has several camps anyhow. Same goes for other groups..
But it was nowhere close to the stereotype many have in saying ALL Buddhist are about peace/tranquility. All religions have extremes that can gain control. There are crazies in every bunch - and sometimes, the crazy ones get a hold of the wheel. And I think in 2018, if you see someone quoting a Bible but doing craziness, go back to the person of Jesus - see his example - and then go back to your history charts to see what group you're dealing with.
The following is Maria Kannon figure in carved wood, in Japan's Early Edo Period.
Has anyone here ever heard of the Kakure Kirishitan ("hidden Christians")?
The experiences with the Japanese Christians are Something we need to remember (
)
How previous generations of Christians interacted with Buddhists always stands out to me when seeing how honorable they were, compared to later generations.
Amazed seeing the ways believers walked across the world to the places many refused to go so that they could make certain others would know who they knew....and yet not many remember their footsteps or the impact they had when they stepped - and that witness was lost over time as history went on
- -Jesus and Japan (Religious sites, relics indicate Christ beat Buddha to Japan | The Japan Times )
- -Keykio Christianity ( all kinds of writing  )
- -Jesus Sutras ( Jesus Sutras | Search Results | The Jesus Question | Page 2 ).
- -BY FOOT TO CHINA Mission of The Church of the East, to 1400 (By Foot To China: Mission of The Church of the East, to 1400 )
"The Hidden Christians of Japan" ( https://niho.nnozasshi.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/book-review-in-search-of-japans-hidden-christians/ ) is another excellent read I am forever grateful for, in regards to what you were noting, as it's an excellent read on the ways that political leaders took advantage of religions for the purpose of carrying power for themselves
Beyond the actions of Fr.Francis of Xavier and his pioneering work, many of the Jesuits who were Portuguese were very dismissive of what local Buddhist were going through since the dominant focus was conversion.
And there's also discussion on where the Buddhist in certain camps used the opportunity for political power.
One of my Native friends Ramone Romero said this once to me (as he lives in Japan):
_________________________________________________
-"One of the things that doesn't get much mention is this: Oda Nobunaga gave the Buddhists *hell*. And when the Christians came, he gave them whatever they wanted, using them as a tool of course, likely in the hopes that their efforts could further weaken Buddhist resistance to him.
The Jesuits had initially tried to convert the emperor but found he was powerless. They latched onto Nobunaga and considered his favor to be given by God.
When Daimyo (warlords) were converted, they in turn used the sword to raze temples and convert their subjects. The Jesuits witnesses this and wrote back to Rome glowingly about the zeal their new converts were showing (by razing temples, etc.).
When Nobunaga was killed, everybody mourned but really they didn't like a lot of what he did. They stopped persecuting the Buddhists, and instead turned on the Christians Nobunaga had given so much favor to. Hideyoshi wanted to make sure the Christians were submitted, and he also had lingering ire at the Christians' teachings and demands on Japanese culture.
How much of the subsequent persecution would there have been, I wonder, if the Jesuits and their converts had stood up in solidarity for the Buddhists that Nobunaga had persecuted so much?"
_________________________________________________
-"One of the things that doesn't get much mention is this: Oda Nobunaga gave the Buddhists *hell*. And when the Christians came, he gave them whatever they wanted, using them as a tool of course, likely in the hopes that their efforts could further weaken Buddhist resistance to him.
The Jesuits had initially tried to convert the emperor but found he was powerless. They latched onto Nobunaga and considered his favor to be given by God.
When Daimyo (warlords) were converted, they in turn used the sword to raze temples and convert their subjects. The Jesuits witnesses this and wrote back to Rome glowingly about the zeal their new converts were showing (by razing temples, etc.).
When Nobunaga was killed, everybody mourned but really they didn't like a lot of what he did. They stopped persecuting the Buddhists, and instead turned on the Christians Nobunaga had given so much favor to. Hideyoshi wanted to make sure the Christians were submitted, and he also had lingering ire at the Christians' teachings and demands on Japanese culture.
How much of the subsequent persecution would there have been, I wonder, if the Jesuits and their converts had stood up in solidarity for the Buddhists that Nobunaga had persecuted so much?"
_________________________________________________
I thought that was timely to remember. Something I keep in mind is that many other teachings within the camp of Buddhism also made room for violence to occur as well. I am reminded of the Nirvana Sutrana Sutra, a canonical Buddhist text, which narrates a story about one of Buddha’s past lives: in it, he kills some Hindus (Brahmins) because they insulted the Buddhist sutras (scriptures) ( Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra ):
--"The Buddha…said…”When I recall the past, I remember that I was the king of a great state…My name was Senyo, and I loved and venerated the Mahayana sutras…When I heard the Brahmins slandering the vaipulya sutras, I put them to death on the spot. Good men, as a result of that action, I never thereafter fell into hell. O good man! When we accept and defend the Mahayana sutras, we possess innumerable virtues.”--
The very first reason we're told the Buddha put the Brahmins to death was out of pity for them in order to aid the Brahmans in avoiding the punishment they had accrued by committing evil deeds while continuously slandering Buddhism. And that is a theme found throughout Buddhist thought when it comes to “compassionate killing” since killing is normally forbidden because it is done with evil intent (hatred, vengeance, etc.), yet the times when it is done with “compassion” makes it permissible and worth celebrating..
And it goes into depth further on the types of death discussed as well.
What is death? By death is meant the relinquishing of the carnal body which one has been given. In relinquishing the body which one has received, there are two kinds, which are: 1) death through the expiration of life [i.e. from one's life naturally coming to an end] and 2) death from external causes. In death through expiration of life, there are three kinds, which are: 1) ending of life, which, however, is not the ending of fortune; 2) ending of wealth, which, however, is not the ending of life; 3) ending of both fortune and life. There are three kinds of death from external causes, which are: 1) unnatural suicide, 2) death caused by others, and 3) death from both causes. Also, there are three kinds of death, which are: 1) death from indolence, 2) death from violating the precepts, and 3) death from severing the life-root. What is death from indolence? If one slanders the Mahayana-vaipulya-prajnaparamita, this is death from indolence. What is death from violating the precepts? When one breaches the prohibitions laid down by the Buddhas of the past, future and present, this is violating the precepts. What is death from severing the life-root? Forsaking the body of the five skandhas is death from severing the life-root. That is why we say that death is great sufferingWhat is death? By death is meant the relinquishing of the carnal body which one has been given. In relinquishing the body which one has received, there are two kinds, which are: 1) death through the expiration of life [i.e. from one's life naturally coming to an end] and 2) death from external causes. In death through expiration of life, there are three kinds, which are: 1) ending of life, which, however, is not the ending of fortune; 2) ending of wealth, which, however, is not the ending of life; 3) ending of both fortune and life. There are three kinds of death from external causes, which are: 1) unnatural suicide, 2) death caused by others, and 3) death from both causes. Also, there are three kinds of death, which are: 1) death from indolence, 2) death from violating the precepts, and 3) death from severing the life-root. What is death from indolence? If one slanders the Mahayana-vaipulya-prajnaparamita, this is death from indolence. What is death from violating the precepts? When one breaches the prohibitions laid down by the Buddhas of the past, future and present, this is violating the precepts. What is death from severing the life-root? Forsaking the body of the five skandhas is death from severing the life-root. That is why we say that death is great suffering.
And of course, we also have the The Icchantika:
We also cannot avoid the fact that Buddhism WAS spread by violence and war, at least in three specific cases - Sri Lanka, Tibet, and the Khmer Empire. Remembering the example of Mahavamsa remembering Buddhist King Dutthagamani from his deed killing non-Buddhists - more shared in Violence and the World's Religious Traditions: An Introduction
edited by Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts, Michael Jerryson
And of course, considering Zen Buddhists who supported Japanese Militarism, it is not a small issue....and is very nuanced.
One excellent perspective I came across put things into perspective when it came to noting the ways that experiences in status can cause a shift in one's leanings.
For more information, one can go to "Nichiren The Original Face of Buddhist Terror" ( Full Text Of The Banned Time Story - "The Face Of Buddhist Terror" )/ (http://theendlessfurther.com/nichiren-the-original-face-of-buddhist-terror/ ) and here, as seen in the following:
- "Why Are Buddhist Monks Promoting Violence in Sri Lanka - Political Violence @ a Glance." (Why Are Buddhist Monks Promoting Violence in Sri Lanka? )
- -"The Long and Strange History of Buddhist Violence" ( The Long and Strange History of Buddhist Violence - Modern Notion)
- -" Killing in the Name Of | Tricycle" ( https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/killing-name/ )
- -" Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603" ( http://gobernanzamedioambiental.org/brugger/samurai/Warrior 070 - Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603.pdf )
For anyone not aware of the struggle of the Kakure Kirishitan/ Hidden Christians and their experience with the global church outside of their world as well as the priests sent to help them as they adapted to the religious world around them...this is something that will really cause intensive discussion on how to keep your faith (and what happens when you lose it - and just how much grace God really has when you falter).
Consider the place of violence in the world - and how it has been used by all camps when it comes to religion. It was not that long ago when Christianity via the Spanish Empire expanded itself through others claiming Peace/Shalom and yet justifying wholesale slaughter if/when you did not convert to their thoughts, with others seeking to combat people quoting the name of Christ as government officials wanting to expand their political reach...while the missionaries found it difficult representing for their faith when their countries of origin were very contradictory. The same can be said with regards to what happened in Buddhism, as the same people being fearful in Japan of European intrusion (and thus, fearful of Christianity) went against ideals of peace by choosing to slaughter others in religions different than them - DESPITE the fact that there were Buddhists who vehemently disagreed with the violent antics while their Buddhist neighbors mocked the Christians. We see the same happening in our world today on differing levels and we need to keep it in mind when it comes to how we converse....
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