Now here's a religious leader saying something the sentiments of which I'm unaware of any Christian,Muslim or Jewish head ever uttering..
'We must conduct research and then accept the results.If they don't stand up to experimentation then the Buddha's own words MUST be rejected.'..........The Dalai Lama.
I'm not converting,but no-one can deny these are impressive words for the head of a major religion,surely?
The responses of adherents to the Abrahamic faiths would be especially appreciated..
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:11 am
by notyou2
Those are religious words I can respect and agree with.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:35 am
by AndyDufresne
I think this has long been an idea embraced by the Dalai Lama I think. I recall him saying on a number of occasions saying that rigorous debate and conversation lead to advancement and understanding. He's also said that secular ethics are an important component of morality, just as any religious ethics.
--Andy
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:19 am
by 2dimes
It's nice but a little open ended.
Example, should we develop better biological weapons?
Re:
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:50 am
by BigBallinStalin
2dimes wrote:It's nice but a little open ended.
Example, should we develop better biological weapons?
Of course, they would be more environmentally friendly.
The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 11:25 am
by BigBallinStalin
Haggis_McMutton wrote:The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Yeah, before the Chinese rolled through in the 1950s, Tibet was essentially a caste system with a ruling minority of landlords while the majority of the populace were basically slaves.*
*sauce: from a years-old conversation I had with a Chinese history professor.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:45 pm
by notyou2
BigBallinStalin wrote:
Haggis_McMutton wrote:The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Yeah, before the Chinese rolled through in the 1950s, Tibet was essentially a caste system with a ruling minority of landlords while the majority of the populace were basically slaves.*
*sauce: from a years-old conversation I had with a Chinese history professor.
Whew, thank god the chinese saved us from the tibetans. That was close.
Re:
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:57 pm
by chang50
2dimes wrote:It's nice but a little open ended.
Example, should we develop better biological weapons?
I think he was talking about research in general in order to better understand the universe,I don't suppose weapons research would be high on his list of priorities.Really it's a ringing endorsement of the scientific method.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 2:04 am
by Maugena
notyou2 wrote:
BigBallinStalin wrote:
Haggis_McMutton wrote:The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Yeah, before the Chinese rolled through in the 1950s, Tibet was essentially a caste system with a ruling minority of landlords while the majority of the populace were basically slaves.*
*sauce: from a years-old conversation I had with a Chinese history professor.
Whew, thank godzilla the chinese saved us from the tibetans. That was close.
Lol.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:22 am
by Haggis_McMutton
Maugena wrote:
notyou2 wrote:
BigBallinStalin wrote:
Haggis_McMutton wrote:The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Yeah, before the Chinese rolled through in the 1950s, Tibet was essentially a caste system with a ruling minority of landlords while the majority of the populace were basically slaves.*
*sauce: from a years-old conversation I had with a Chinese history professor.
Whew, thank godzilla the chinese saved us from the tibetans. That was close.
Lol.
My point was simply that his "holier-than-thou" shtick is bullshit and he's a massive hypocrite. The fact that the chinese are shitty doesn't make him non-shitty by default.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:32 am
by chang50
Haggis_McMutton wrote:The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Interesting, but probably deserving of its own thread. The basic view of Godzilla is not always what Americans think it is. Godzilla, for example, always winds up destroying the ministry of taxation building in Tokyo, thus proving he is a friend of the common man. He also had a son (but let's forget those movies ... OK?).
Interesting, but probably deserving of its own thread. The basic view of Godzilla is not always what Americans think it is. Godzilla, for example, always winds up destroying the ministry of taxation building in Tokyo, thus proving he is a friend of the common man. He also had a son (but let's forget those movies ... OK?).
Your signature looks like a perfect place for godzilla to rampage.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:35 pm
by BigBallinStalin
notyou2 wrote:
BigBallinStalin wrote:
Haggis_McMutton wrote:The Dalai Lama's pretty cool as far as religious figures go.
From what I've heard though (and correct me if I'm wrong), while he was in charge Tibet was still a totalitarian, class-divided, shithole complete with enforcement of medieval style maiming punishments. So there's that.
Yeah, before the Chinese rolled through in the 1950s, Tibet was essentially a caste system with a ruling minority of landlords while the majority of the populace were basically slaves.*
*sauce: from a years-old conversation I had with a Chinese history professor.
Whew, thank god the chinese saved us from the tibetans. That was close.
I know, right? You see, the Chinese are here to civilize others. That's what the Cultural Revolution is all about.
I only bring it up because some people glamorize Tibet before the Chinese took over. When we examine these events, it should be about relative benefits and costs. Have a slave-master caste system or a Communist Chinese-dominated "Autonomous" Region? Hard to say, but at least that question would point us in the right direction.
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:30 pm
by Phatscotty
Re: The Dalai Lama
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:30 am
by Haggis_McMutton
If someone took over your dictatorial regime and stopped you from pretending to be a living god, it would be reasonable to trick holywood actors into thinking you're some holy man while also taking several million dollars from the CIA to try to get your dictatorship back.