Now, for you, all of you in Christianity, please don’t differentiate between your religion and Buddhism, or other great religions. It’s just the Buddha has been a Peace Preacher. He has never advocated violence, and that’s what I like. The same with Christianity, but the later followers of Christianity, or Islam, or other several religions, misuse the teachings of Christ and create so much chaos or bloodshed in this world. That must not be. That should never be allowed by any master. But sometimes, they are forced into that situation. Like for example, Sikhism was also relentlessly persecuted by the government at that time.
“Excerpt from ‘THE MARTYRDOM OF SIKH GURUS’ at WeSikhs.com: The story of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (vegetarian), the fifth Sikh Guru, is one of profound strength in the face of unimaginable pain. He was a man of peace, known for His gentle heart and vision for a harmonious society. […] But the world around Him was filled with hostility and intolerance. The growing influence of Sikhism disturbed the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, who saw the community’s unity as a threat to his rule. In His unwavering dedication to the Truth, Guru Arjan Dev Ji refused to bow to Jahangir’s demands. His courage to stand by His faith was met with unbearable consequences. When Guru Arjan Dev Ji was arrested and brought to Lahore, He was subjected to days of torturous agony. His captors forced Him to sit on a searing hot iron plate while scalding hot sand was poured over His body. The excruciating pain was unimaginable. Yet, amid that suffering, Guru Arjan Dev Ji sat in meditation, reciting ‘Tera bhana meetha lage’ – ‘Your Will is sweet to me, O Lord.’ Despite His body burning, His soul remained untouched by hatred or revenge. […]
At the time of Emperor Aurangzeb, […] for standing against tyranny, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (vegetarian) was arrested and brought to Delhi. His loyal companions were tortured and killed in front of His eyes – Bhai Mati Das (vegetarian) was sawed in half, Bhai Sati Das (vegetarian) was wrapped in cotton and set on fire, and Bhai Dayala Ji (vegetarian) was boiled alive. Yet, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji remained unwavering, His heart filled with the love of humanity. On November 24, 1675, in the bustling marketplace of Chandni Chowk, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was beheaded. […]”
Etc…
It’s just like nowadays, even the Christian believers have been persecuted, even to death, in different countries. Believe it or not. We're in the 21st century, they still treat some believers very brutally. Just let them be, man. Just because they don’t preach the way you want them to preach, doesn’t mean what they preach is not true. But there’s always something. There was always human stuff. It’s very sad to hear even nowadays, many Christians are persecuted, even to death, because they’re Christian.
And also, some Muslims are being persecuted because they’re Muslim. So there are some Muslims who did bad things, like terrorism. So that blankets the whole Muslim reputation. And many of the Christian priests abuse the faithful, including children and even babies. That makes people revolt against them and then against Christianity as a whole.
These are very sad things. It all became terrible and brutal because of ignorance. Just like this monk Thích Nhật Từ, he says such things about Christianity like there’s no God. It is still a small thing. But if it continues, and if many people believe him, and then continue to harass the Christian people, then there might be a blowing up into a bigger tension, higher tension, and then there might be war between Christians and Buddhists. That is the thing. It’s always how it happens to begin with. And even between Christians, they also have war with each other, not to talk about between different so-called religions, like in Ireland a long time ago, for example like that.
“Excerpt from ‘Protestants vs Catholics In Northern Ireland: The 100 Year War’ IRA Terrorism Documentary by Witness - May 17, 2024: Between 1968 and 1998, a fratricidal conflict left over 3500 people dead. On the Ormeau Road in Belfast, the army couldn’t keep apart Protestants and Catholics. Paramilitary groups carried out attacks and assassinations. In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement put an end to this civil war, but there was agreement and eventually a ceasefire.”
So what are we going to do? I suggest whatever you believe in, if you think it’s yours, good, you believe in it, keep it with your whole heart, whole mind. But do not interfere with other religions and criticize their faith, except when they do bad deeds, like molesting children, for example. But surprisingly, such a horrible sin and lawbreakers, pedophiles, for example, have hardly been punished. Still not now.
Etc…
It’s not religions that make trouble. It is some ignorant, having-a-position people in that religion that will make trouble because of their aggression, because of their bad deeds, bad temper, bad personality or stupidity, very uneducated in their own religious belief or in the worst case, the devil-possessed that make trouble between religions, or even between those in their own religion. That is the problem. So please do forgive, forget. Or if he makes a bigger deal, then you just have to do something according to the law. Otherwise, do not condemn Buddhism, do not hate other Buddhists just because of this devil-possessed monk who says something that is offensive to your people, to your faith.
You have the right to feel offended, but please do not blame it on the religion because Buddhism has always been very peaceful, mostly peaceful, except for individual monks or nuns who do bad deeds and blemish the great religion, just like Buddhism. The differentiation between religions by the faithful also have a big deal of influence on how religions can perish or survive, progress or decline.
Even nowadays, there was a big filmmaker. I forgot his name. I know it, I just suddenly forgot now. He’s the one who made “Cowspiracy.” And recently, we also introduced the latest of his films, this documentary called “Christspiracy.” He interviewed me once. I was in Taiwan (Formosa). Taiwan (Formosa) is a beautiful country, by the way. They even have high mountains and low valleys. In the high mountains, you live there, you even see snow that covers, blankets the whole mountain – Alishan, beautiful, beautiful everywhere. Even though it’s a small country, but from north to south, different weather, it is mesmerizing. This documentary filmmaker is a co-filmmaker. The other one is Mr. Kuhn – I think Keegan Kuhn. I gave both of them the Shining World Award for good filmmaking that influences many people, that might make them think twice before they put that bloody, animal-people flesh in their mouth again. And I thank them a lot.
Now, not Mr. Kuhn, the other one, the co-filmmaker, asked me what religion I belong to. I felt very, very surprised by him because I thought he meditates – that’s what they said – meditates and knows a lot about religion. So I thought he knew a lot more than just that. He asked me, “What religion do You belong to?” I didn’t answer him because I didn’t know what to say to him. But he should know by now that I am for all religions, good ones, not by the name of it, but by the faithful who follow that religion. Should I put down all other religions, to glorify my own opinion just for one choice, maybe his choice?
“Excerpt from an Interview with Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) by Kip Andersen (vegan) - March 29, 2018, Kip Andersen: This is really, truly such an honor. I’ve been vegan 10 years and when I went vegan, 6 years before ‘Cowspiracy.’ A lot of ‘Cowspiracy’ was inspired by Your book that I found. You had a big part in ‘Cowspiracy,’ so thank You so much.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Very honored to be.
Kip Andersen: We’ll just start asking some questions. […] What religion would You say that You follow? […]
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Well, actually, all religions taught similar things. Even in the Bible, it’s said: ‘Be you not among meat eaters and wine drinkers.’ But you see, we do follow or not? And in Buddhism, it’s also similar like that. Buddhism has Five Precepts, including all those ‘Don’t eat meat’ and stuff like that. Buddha said: ‘If you eat meat, you’re not my disciple.’ And the Bible says the same: ‘Don’t be among meat eaters and wine drinkers.’ So I don’t understand why people don’t read that.
Kip Andersen: Well, what religion do You follow?
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Originally, I followed my parents, like Catholicism and Buddhism. But I’m not saying that I am just Buddhist or I am just Catholic, because as I grew up, I studied different comparative religion doctrines and I found out their Masters have taught the same thing. They talk the same language. It’s just that we misunderstand a lot, or we don’t want to understand a lot. So, I’m not Buddhist, I’m not Catholic, I’m not Muslim, I’m not Jain. I respect all of them and I understand all of them and I really am a follower of all good religions in the world, compassionate ones. […]”
If you do good, you’re peaceful, you help others, and you believe in your own religion, your Saints or God, then I am that religion, not the name. So it was very difficult for me to tell him.
I’m just telling you that even nowadays, there’s so much information about different religions, and people are still kind of making a border, a boundary between great religions and still persecute their faithful in different countries, in different ways!! Oh how sad! If you are a Christian, oh, you might be in big trouble or fatal danger. If you are in Buddhism, you might have the same problem. If you’re a Muslim, you might have the same problem, etc.
“Media Report from Firstpost - June 28, 2023: India has summoned a top Pakistani diplomat. The issue at hand is the safety of the Sikh community. It has demanded an investigation into the attacks on them. India has demanded the investigation. It has also sought the investigation report from Pakistan. Because the trend in Pakistan is alarming. In the last three months, five Sikhs have been killed.”
“Media Report from South China Morning Post – Jan. 17, 2019: One in every three Christians in Asia are suffering from a ‘high level’ of persecution. That’s according to a new report by the UK-based Christian advocacy group Open Doors.”
“Media Report from CBN News – Jan. 21 , 2024: Open Doors US has just released its annual World Watch List and the global persecution trend is alarming.
Violent attacks against Christians and their churches are rising dramatically especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
“Media Report from Vox – Sept. 25 , 2017: What makes Myanmar a textbook example [of ethnic cleansing] is that the military has been launching attacks on the Rohingya – a Muslim minority in a majority Buddhist country. Violent tactics have forced tens of thousands of Rohingya to flee their homes. While many fled to Malaysia and Thailand, most ended up in Bangladesh. The recent wave of violence is the latest in a pattern of discrimination that started over 50 years ago.”
“Media Report from Al Jazeera – Oct. 2 , 2012: A 250-year-old Buddhist temple burned to the ground in only minutes. Sogoton Barua says he couldn’t do anything to stop a crowd of angry Muslims from destroying it.”
Etc…
Nowadays, we have so much information. Still people don’t understand the main point of all religions. What’s the goal? What are all religions pointing to? It’s very sad for me sometimes, frustrating.
Photo Caption: Not Just Pretty, Also Helpful to Others
