re: #33 wrenchwench

It comes from the same smug ignorance Americans were content with after 9-11-01, causing them to blame Muslims for everything. To them (‘us’, sorry to say) religion is simple. There’s Christianity, and ‘Judaeo-Christians’, and then there are the heathens, who are to blame.

Just as in our founding documents, among the self-evident truths were the men who had to secure their rights, and there were also merciless Indian Savages who were excited against them by the king.

In their ignorance, Americans have accepted Buddhists as peaceful, because meditation and slogans and stuff.

We can learn, but sometimes it takes so long, and some blood.

American Buddhism tends to favor the pacifist, serene side of Buddhism, while ignoring the nationalist, sectarian side of Buddhism in the “old country.” There are as many sectarian differences among Buddhists as there are among Christians, and those differences have at times become quite violent.

Besides, what about the Shaolin monk stuff? Not exactly peaceful and serene when they beat the crap out of someone.