tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2548165748459005072.post5081301359188271873..comments2023-06-29T19:12:18.125+01:00Comments on West Wight Sangha: Burma PetitionsWest Wight Sanghahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100145053628113280noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2548165748459005072.post-37083542963609539652007-10-21T17:57:00.000+01:002007-10-21T17:57:00.000+01:00Include Burma! Include all humans!My point here i...Include Burma! Include all humans!<BR/><BR/>My point here is that there’s potential for falling into the wrong view of identifying with the suffering of Buddhists more than with the suffering of other humans. We might feel that we have a sense of spiritual kinship - but that is to identify relatively superficially, something that, surely, we're seeking to move beyond, finding an experience of deeply-felt, natural connection with all that lives, unmediated by concepts of 'the same as me' or 'different from me'.<BR/><BR/>However, as so often, this is 'work in progress'! For myself, and probably for some others, it'll be practical to contribute in only a tiny way to speaking out against the enormous suffering experienced as a result of basic human rights abuses. So, as an active step, I'd suggest that one possible way of contributing is via the Amnesy 'Act Now' site, http://www.amnesty.org/actnow/ so that we at least sense that we have some creative response to offer in the face of such terrible things affecting people's lives, in Burma and elsewhere.<BR/><BR/>There are other human rights groups out there. Any suggestions?<BR/><BR/>palakaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2548165748459005072.post-12297781826028883052007-10-09T12:32:00.000+01:002007-10-09T12:32:00.000+01:00Thanks to Palaka for his thought provoking piece o...Thanks to Palaka for his thought provoking piece on the petitions for Burma. We had a similar discussion last week at our West Wight Sangha meeting and the majority broadly took a similar line to Palaka. So what follows, therefor, is very much my personal take on the issue.<BR/><BR/>Palaka's first point re: the wording of petitions is perfectly valid. We should try to practice "Right (skillful) Speech" in all circumstances, including what we put our names to. Equally to withhold our compassion from the oppressor is unskillful. It would therefor seem that the "Buddhist" thing to do is to actually read what you're signing!<BR/><BR/>As to unease with rallying to a Buddhist-linked cause, do we ignore it because we're Buddhists? Yes we should "stand with humans suffering horribly, whether they're Buddhist or not" and wherever they are. Personally I have signed many a petition and donated to many a charitable cause, as no doubt have other readers of this. The vast majority of these have had nothing to do with either Buddhists or "Buddhist Countries".<BR/><BR/>Why then do we have to exclude Burma?West Wight Sanghahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12100145053628113280noreply@blogger.com