Tag: Buddhism
Gay Marriage vs. “Shariazation” of American Civic Life
For Buddhist Americans, the spectacle of public outcry and legislation prescribing particular genders to secular, state-ratified marriage on the basis of religion must surely be received as completely... Read More
Embodying Compassion: a Journey of Teamwork and Patience
The men and women moved slowly past the prostrate women in her eighties. She repeated a modified sun salutation and prayer for peace several times in the aisle, even as a dozen or so latecomers passed... Read More
Social Justice as a Unifying Issue for Dharmic Communities
Religious communities are never the same once they reach America. In my view, they often become even more remarkable. As a third-generation American Jew, it is at times even challenging for me to thin... Read More
On Masks, Masking, Control, and Lack Thereof
In Hebrew, the words for face, “panim,” and internal, “pnim,” comes from the same root and has the same exact letters פנים. This is precious poetry in one word, singing in ... Read More
Culinary Pluralism; or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Olive
I was once what adults called a picky eater. There were only certain colors I would eat. The beige family is the most reliable, and it also encompasses most bread-based breakfast foods (rainbow-colore... Read More
Statehood, Selfhood, and the Importance of Boundaries
A few years ago I was going through a very hard time. I said to my father, “I just want my dignity back!” My father, a Navy survival instructor, replied, “Jenny, no one can take away your dignit... Read More
Religious Wisdom the World Needs Now
This was my first visit to the Zen Center. One of the Buddhist priests had invited me to encourage his students to engage in interfaith environmental work. I was a little nervous, but something about ... Read More
Emergence by Sujato Bhikkhu
Religion is, on the face of it, a social movement whose motivation is to inspire the best in humanity. So why does religion make us do the worst? Why, in so many places on so many issues, are religiou... Read More