God is Not Great Chapter 14: There is No "Eastern Solution"

[SatoriWins]

If you really want to understand Buddhism.. then search Alan Watts or Ajahn Brahm into your search box at the top. Or don't.. You could just wonder around ignoring philosophical questions by answering them what you think they're not like Hitchens has. Then you can sit at home worshiping your celebrities and hoarding your material possessions sitting in your clothing made from children in a less fortunate existence.

[SatoriWins]

It's a shame Christopher Hitchens never met Ajahn Chah or Alan Watts, I'm sure his synical view would be very different. Why does he do this? Hitchens seems to attack different philosophical branches just for the same of pleases his readership. He uses words of ignorance such as "Japanese Buddhism" but then doesn't include people such as D.T Suzuki and Alan Watts. You can't box people together with one word like Buddhism or even religion unless ofc you just want to make money...

[MrSunrise1961]

Mr. Hitchens is quite right that those Buddhists who have erected a religion of faith around the teachings have caused unjustified pain and suffering. However, Shakyamuni asked confidence of his students, not faith - his dying words were "be as your own lamps." Confidence comes from your own research and analysis, not received wisdom. Mr. Hitchens understanding of Buddhism as a personal spiritual discipline (as opposed to the nearly unrelated social phenomena he describes) is disappointing.

[SatenIsMaiWaifu]

So buddhism is wrong because Buddhism and Japanese imperial society fused to create a fusion religion which gave rise to violence?

[blackopsman525]

God is great and if you don't praise him your soul well die and you well go to hell

[TheLockon00]

@blackopsman525 Oh, I get it. I saw this in the new Sherlock Holmes film. Your comment begins with a consonant, which means it is the mirrored truth. So you're really saying, "God is not great, and if you don't praise him you have nothing to fear after death". Either that or you're a fucking idiot and/or a liar.

[roentgen571]

Hitchens' analysis here would be devastating if it actually reflected what millions of buddhists actually believe. It does reflect what some of them believe, but not nearly all. He doesn't have a very broad or deep understanding of what buddhism really is.

[Vanguard25895]

@roentgen571

You don't need a deep understanding of bullshit in order to see that it is bullshit.

[roentgen571]

@Vanguard25895 No, you don't. Just ask Ray Comfort or Venomfangx. Oh, wait--you mean if you only have a superficial strawman understanding of a subject, it might just LOOK like bullshit?

[Vanguard25895]

@roentgen571

So in order to criticize a belief system you have to devote your entire life to 'understanding' it?

Fuck no, bullshit is bullshit, no matter how hard you try to delude yourself into thinking otherwise.

Just look at the core of the religion, karma, reincarnation, meditation..... in other words: bull-fucking-shit.

[roentgen571]

@Vanguard25895 no, no more than I've devoted my entire life to the study of evolution to see that there's something to it.

Karma is nothing more than cause and effect. Reincarnation is a metaphor. Meditation is learning to live and be fully aware in the moment. What about any of this is bullshit?

[tysonsflag]

@Vanguard25895

i sort of see what you're saying but meditation? bullshit? get real. The physical evidence from recent studies show that meditation has REAL and PERMANENT positive effects on personality (as much as you can define a postive effect). It increases openness and decreases 'self centeredness'. (search 'meditation self centered bbc news' in google for an article) What you have just said shows that you do not even begin to understand the ideas behind humanism.

[tysonsflag]

@Vanguard25895

You do not have to devote your entire life to anything, but the smallest amount of research is recommended :)

[stjimmy933499399493]

how does buddhism promote rejection of the mind? i always thought hitchens very much has a misunderstanding of budhism

[dhx84]

@stjimmy933499399493

Meh, I suppose that's true if you take a very liberal or moderate view of it. Personally, I think you're fighting an uphill battle trying to insist that this hasn't been a part of the doctrine, much like Christians who insist on non-literal interpretations of the Bible.

[bigboy45454545]

I could listen to Hitch read his book all day long. I looked and didn't see any other chapters. Can we expect anymore ShwaNerd? Praise the magic invisible space chicken, I hope so.

[ubergossen]

lol "change comes only from within"

also, aren't buddhists supposed to rid themselves of all desires?

He shouldn't have even wanted his change in the first place!

[roentgen571]

@ubergossen not rid themselves of desires--realize where the desires come from and why they exist. When you have a deep understanding of that, the desires themselves tend to fade in importance in the buddhist's life.

[jay666KJ]

I actually have this audio book on my Ipod.

I usually like to actually read the book, but sometimes listening to audio is better since I can just listen to it during insomnia.

[jay666KJ]

@jay666KJ

Not just insomia, but sometimes I listen to audio books such as this, or the atheist experience when ever I exercise, it's perfect for when you are moving around.

[FunETman]

I thought of making some audio only vids and read the bible or something, but maybe first start with Demon Haunted World

[geminyo]

@FunETman

Very yes.

[FunETman]

@geminyo I'll likely review it on my podcast i do called RPGrinders on allgames.com at 6:30(maybe i'll be just 6 soon) to 8:00 pm est or on itunes.

[ubergossen]

@FunETman Dude, I'd be down, I've been meaning to get a hold of that book. Reading Broca's Brain right now, and the cosmos book as well as watching the series haha.

[umacarrot]

@FunETman that is an awesome idea. 

[kokobaboko]

Too bad this book didn't come out 20 years earlier, it would have saved me so much time.

[umacarrot]

@kokobaboko LOL

[human2011able]

@kokobaboko Yes it could have & can save millions of lives who are brainwashed!