Even for Fox News, this is surprising, yet this is how every believer ought to be prepared to respond–telling the truth with meekness and gentleness. Likely, Brit Hume’s statement will be regarded as arrogant and closed-minded, but Buddhism doesn’t provide for the needs of forgiveness and redemption and it will be interesting to hear the responses to his critique of Buddhism.
January 3rd, 2010 | 5:59 pm | #1
[...] Sarah Flashing at Evangel « Van Til, “If [a person] is self-conscious at all he is also [...]
January 3rd, 2010 | 6:30 pm | #2
Fantastic!
January 3rd, 2010 | 6:57 pm | #3
I do not watch Fox News regularly, but I have to say that I am incredibly impressed with Brit Hume’s response. I saw what he said as telling the truth–and I absolutely believe what he says–but I can just hear beforehand what nonChristians will say. Nonethless, Brit Hume is a model for us as Christians, and it was Christians like him who were not afraid to speak the truth, but who also lived the gospel with true love, who ultimately planted the seed in me to become a Christian in my mid-thirties.
January 3rd, 2010 | 9:03 pm | #4
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jack Daw, sarahflashing. sarahflashing said: Check out Brit Hume's courageous critique of Buddhism. http://tinyurl.com/ycxr4lp [...]
January 4th, 2010 | 9:50 am | #5
Critics are already sharpening their knives for Hume, saying that this is just another example of those right-wing evangelicals promoting their gospel over at conservative Fox News (neglecting that many of Fox News’ most conservative voices–like Kristol and Krauthammer–are Jewish and/or agnostic).
But, knowing the little amount that I do about Buddhism, I’m finding it hard to see where he went wrong. Christianity has forgiveness woven into its very fabric, far more (again, as far as I know) than other faiths.
So it seems like the anti-Hume argument will be more in the multiculturalism mold: he espouses a Eurocentric Christian worldview, and he promotes it on–horror of horrors–television!! Such Judeo-Christian nonsense is strictly verboten! Destroy Hume.
We’ll see how it all works out.
January 4th, 2010 | 11:41 am | #6
[...] and redemption Tiger needs. But he should be praised for having the courage to speak out. As Sarah Flashing says, “Even for Fox News, this is surprising, yet this is how every believer ought to be prepared [...]
January 4th, 2010 | 12:31 pm | #7
Dictionaries define “Judeo” as a combinative form. Thus, the compound word “Judeo-Christian” implies that Judaism (Torah) is no more than a dependent element of Christianity.
In typical supersessionist and displacement Christian tradition, Christians thoughtlessly presume the prefix “Judeo-” to lay false claim to Judaism (Torah) by means of an impossible union of “Judeo-” (pro-Torah) with “Christian” (supersessionist and displacement antinomian=anti-Torah=misojudaism).
Where values are shared, the accurate (and honest) way would be to state “Judaic and Christian…” (values, traditions, etc.) instead of “Judeo-Christian.”
January 4th, 2010 | 1:21 pm | #8
I was using “Judeo-Christian” in the manner typically used in the West: representing the prevailing religious worldview in Europe and America, that which is based in the Christian, and thus also the Jewish, tradition.
Whether it’s correct or incorrect, one must agree that this is usually how it is used in common parlance. I had no supersessionist intentions.
January 6th, 2010 | 5:02 am | #9
Although I respect his freedom of speech, Buddhism is far more forgiving than Christianity. While we are all being blunt, Ill go ahead and say this, your god helps no one and if he(?) exists, is doing a poor job. If your god truly cared about those of us who are “unsaved” He would do a better effort to save us from this hell to which we are yet to find irrefutable evidence of. If you had a child to whom you truly loved, who wanted to kill themselves in a violent and painful way, would you let them simply because they had the free will to do so? I would surely hope not. You Christians would benefit from a little Dharma in your lives, maybe it would dispel the warped views you have of the world and others around you who have different views and replace it with rational understanding. If Tiger Woods practices Dharma fully, he will overcome this easily. If he practices your path, by praying to something that will not respond, he may be met with disappointment.
January 6th, 2010 | 1:44 pm | #10
As Thomas Merton said when he began his dialogue with Buddhist leaders, it’s useless to debate doctrine. Christians and Buddhists will (and should) continue to believe what they believe, and no one is going to convince someone who doesn’t want to be convinced when it comes to religious faith. But why are arguing over which religion is better like schoolchildren? As someone who draws from both faiths in my views, I see great value in Christianity’s doctrine of a loving God AND the practical nature of the Buddha Dharma. Both offer paths to redemption, and in practice, both work for people. I don’t claim to know the truth of God’s nature – and no one else knows it either, no matter how convinced you are. I believe in God, but I know that God’s nature is beyond our grasp, and I don’t presume to tell others what God likes or dislikes as if I have privileged information. It comes down to faith. And as Merton discovered, different faiths are often more compatible than they originally appear. Buddhists and Christians have much to learn from one another, and we should be investigating those connections rather than arguing with each other. Because in the end, I think we, like all humans, want the same thing – salvation and happiness.
January 6th, 2010 | 1:47 pm | #11
Also, forgiveness is a huge part of Buddhism. There is no concept of sin, only suffering, so there is no reason NOT to forgive, especially since loving-kindness and compassion are the central focus of Buddhism. Plus, the Buddha taught that through the cultivation of morality and mental discipline you can change your actions and attitudes. So there is a clear path to redemption.
January 6th, 2010 | 2:18 pm | #12
“Also, forgiveness is a huge part of Buddhism. There is no concept of sin, only suffering, so there is no reason NOT to forgive, especially since loving-kindness and compassion are the central focus of Buddhism.”
Perhaps I’m missing something, but if Buddhism has no concept of sin, what is there to forgive? The word “NOT” seems out of place here.
Links
Blogs
Find Us
Contact