STEPHEN BATCHELOR Extended interview - Sex Scandals In Religion

[@catandpiddle]

very interesting indeed. thank heavens you've said it as it is. spot on!

[@chrisnamaste3572]

"Social, Political, and Economic" is precisely the perspective that many of these "spiritual" men really do not acknowledge sufficiently (or at all). Many seem to revel in the perspective that if you look or experience inward enough these issues do not really matter. In fact the "social, political and economic" is wrapped up with Dukka and to be moved away from as a matter of moving up in the reincarnation cycle. I heard Ralph Nader say: "Turn on to politics before politics turns on you." The Tibetans have been dealing with the results of their social, political, and economic isolation in 1950's Tibet as they would say their "karma." To use an analogy: I do not think the best result is to only make the best of the ship being tossed about at sea but to build a better boat to avoid being tossed around. But many/most Buddists would say this is "grasping." I want to inform them that the reason that humans are here is because they "grasped". If they did not the species would not have survived.

[@squamish4244]

This discussion brings to mind Chogyam Trungpa's numerous extramarital affairs and orgies during the 1970s-80s and how his behaviour was justified by himself and other lamas because of his high level of spiritual attainment. That was also extended to include his alcoholism. (It was never invoked to explain his alleged cocaine use, but that was concealed from the wider community of his students.)

[@BarbarraBay]

Vows of celibacy are irrelevent to the matter. A practising Buddhist, whether lay or ordained, is devoted to non-harming. A so-called "teacher" that has no awareness of the types of sexual conduct that are harmful is simply unfit to be a teacher. From a religious or Buddhist point of view, there is no scope for excuses. However, from the point of view of an individual human being, sure, all unenlightened beings suffer from ignorance. But a transgressor must step down from teaching roles.

[@MrManumona]

The final question is: What has all these sexual business have to do in direct relation to The Buddha's Teaching? At last, the thing is that Tibetan "Buddhism" may not be Buddhism at all, but a perverted variation which came from Tibet's ancient Shamanistic practices and rituals.

[@khuggf]

Is this bullshit or what ? If such misconduct is taking place then why hasn't it been documented like Catholic sex abuse ? Spirituality is one thing, Institutionalized Religion another Budda DID NOT SAY institutionalize Me. Jesus DID NOT SAY institutionalize Me. Mohammed DID NOT SAY institutionalize Me The profund, the nothingness, the Void transcends human thought.