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Criticism of Buddhism: Difference between revisions

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==Buddhist nations==
==Buddhist nations==


Sam Harris argues that the [[kamikaze]] attacks of WWII were inspired by Buddhism<ref>Harris, Sam (2004).  ''[[The End of Faith]]'', ch. 7, "Experiments in Consciousness."</ref>, despite the fact that [[Shinto]] was the state religion in Japan at the time and certain restrictions were actually placed on Buddhism. Moreover, Buddhism taught not to end any living things' lifes.<ref>Buddhism [[Five Precepts]]</ref>, and the Japanese kamikaze only use religion as an excuse for invading; while foreigners understand the religion wrongly without correct acknowledgment.
Sam Harris argues that the [[kamikaze]] attacks of WWII were inspired by Buddhism<ref>Harris, Sam (2004).  ''[[The End of Faith]]'', ch. 7, "Experiments in Consciousness."</ref>.


The writer [[Michael Parenti]] has also criticized pre-Chinese [[Tibet]] for having theocratic and feudal elements <ref>[http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html Friendly Feudalism - The Tibet Myth<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, despite the fact of Tibet being a remote region that is hard to contact. The theocratic idea as applied to Buddhism shows a misunderstanding of the religion, as well as ignoring the more serious feudal elements in Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
The writer [[Michael Parenti]] has also criticized pre-Chinese [[Tibet]] for having theocratic and feudal elements <ref>[http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html Friendly Feudalism - The Tibet Myth<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.


==Contemporary leaders==
==Contemporary leaders==

Revision as of 05:47, 16 October 2008

Template:Buddhism

Buddhist denominations, nations and leaders have been criticized by the anti-religious, by proponents of other religions and by practitioners of Buddhism itself.

Devotional practices

Most forms of Buddhism are nontheistic or atheistic.[1][2][3]

Australian Buddhist monastic Shravasti Dhammika has criticized Theravada for being superfluous - and sometimes damaging - in ritual and tradition,[4] while some forms of Mahayana such as Pure Land Buddhism[5] are theistic, and this form of Buddhism is criticized by atheistsTemplate:Who?.

Conversely, "New Atheism" proponent Richard Dawkins stated in his book The God Delusion that there is a case to be made for seeing Buddhism and Confucianism as ethical systems and philosophies rather than religions [6], whereas Sam Harris, another prominent proponent of New Atheism,[7] practices Buddhist meditation. Harris believes that the term “Buddhism” should be removed entirely, and that Buddhist meditation should leave the realm of religion and enter the realm of science.[8]

Harun Yahya, an Islamic creationist has criticized Buddhism for being idolatrous, through producing films on Buddhism.[9]

Buddhist nations

Sam Harris argues that the kamikaze attacks of WWII were inspired by Buddhism[10].

The writer Michael Parenti has also criticized pre-Chinese Tibet for having theocratic and feudal elements [11].

Contemporary leaders

Regarding the Dalai Lama, Christopher Hitchens has been a vocal critic.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Is Buddhism Atheistic?
  2. ↑ Buddhism is Atheist
  3. ↑ Buddhism and Atheism
  4. ↑ Broken Buddha
  5. ↑ Mahayana Buddhism and Japanese Thought see p.220 section
  6. ↑ Dawkins, Richard (2006). The God Delusion. Bantam Books. ISBN 0-618-68000-4. 
  7. ↑ Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens and Daniel Dennett have been described as the "Four Horsemen" of the "New Atheism". See 'THE FOUR HORSEMEN,' Discussions with Richard Dawkins: Episode 1, RDFRS - RichardDawkins.net and » Blog Archive » The Four Horsemen of the New Atheism
  8. ↑ Killing the Buddha by Sam Harris
  9. ↑ Islam and Buddhism – Harun Yahyah
  10. ↑ Harris, Sam (2004). The End of Faith, ch. 7, "Experiments in Consciousness."
  11. ↑ Friendly Feudalism - The Tibet Myth
  12. ↑ Hitchens, Christopher (2007). God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Twelve Books, Hachette Book Group. pp. Chapter Fourteen: There Is No "Eastern" Solution. ISBN 978-0-446-57980-3. 

Template:Criticism of religion