[Gromiaaborn]

Out of all of this mess, something that made me


Tiger Woods' apology brings new attention to Buddhism - CNN.com

When Tiger Woods invoked his religious faith during his public apology on Friday, he readily acknowledged that a lot of people would be surprised.

"People probably don't realize it," he said, "but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years."

But Woods said his Buddhist faith would be a key part of his quest to put his life back together after revelations of his marital infidelity, which he admitted for the first time. Buddhist experts said Woods' summation of the tradition's beliefs was accurate -- and that his remarks likely will bring more attention to the faith in a week when its highest profile leader, the Dalai Lama, is visiting the United States. "Buddhism teaches that a creation of things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security," he continued. "It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught."
Not the best of situations, but it shows that "Jesus" isn't the only outlet, speaking of which...

When allegations of Woods' infidelity began emerging after a November 27 car accident, Fox News Channel host Brit Hume stirred controversy by publicly advising the golf pro to become a Christian.

"He's said to be a Buddhist -- I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith," Hume said. "So my message to Tiger would be: Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."


But Buddhist scholars say that forgiveness and redemption are core components of the faith. "You're always beginning again in the Buddhist tradition," said John Kornfield, a prominent Buddhist teacher based in California. "You see that you're causing harm, you repent and ask forgiveness in some formal or informal way, and you start again.

[wrbwrbwrb]

Well, Brit's right insofar as the concepts of forgiveness and redemption as Christians understand them don't occur in the Buddhist faith. I remember Thich Nhat Hanh saying something to that effect.

Since the Christian understanding reflects that "forgiveness" and "redemption" are properties of absolvement, which is much like a psychological erasure of the sin, it's easy to see why.

IIRC, though, Buddhism has a far more powerful mechanism--which is an alluring draw.

(By the way, the fact that Brit Hume said that on-air on Fox News--that to be forgiven and redeemed, Tiger should turn to Christianity--is, in fact, an excellent example of one of the most negative stereotypes of Christians--namely, the patina of superiority (when none really exists) and the subsequent willful ignorance of other religious traditions.)

Good for you, Tiger!

[Ikhqgvas]

I'm just hoping for a good ending to this, so Brit Hume can say he was wrong..Not that I ever expect any Fox News person to say they were wrong..

[Frinzer]

I'm just hoping for a good ending to this, so Brit Hume can say he was wrong..Not that I ever expect any Fox News person to say they were wrong..

I'm at a loss to imagine what a "good ending" to this would be, and even moreso what circumstances would prompt Brit Hume to retract his remarks.

If they had their druthers, Fox could simply spin Woods remarks as yet another "Hollywood Buddhist," and put some of Richard Gere's flakier sentiments on the sanctity of relationships or what have you to smear Buddhist as holders of a "selfish" spirituality -- which actually is a criticism that's often applied whenever Buddhism goes through a trendy phase in populations where it's not historically rooted (and, if you look at those periods honestly, is often applicable to a lot of that phases adoptees).

Hume's initial call for Woods' conversion, and the opportunity it presented for rebuttal, was a good thing for Buddhism. Woods' remarks are about as "useful" as the latest Steven Seagal movie. Really, whenever anyone throws out a faith clause in his or her effort to embrace again the media spotlight and the merchandising deals that embrace coincides with, no faith is served well.

Put it this way, in predominantly Buddhist cultures, when a prominent celebrity gets mired in a sex or other moral scandel, do they really go there with a "my Buddhist teachings" moment in their public apology? Woods' return to the camera is Judeo-Christian media theater, however he accents it.

[Ervins Dervish]

Tiger is probably not a "Hollywood Buddhist" since his mother is Asian and likely raised him in that faith. He did not come to Buddhism as an adult but rather, by his own admission, fell from it as an adult. If returning to his childhood faith helps him live a better life, I'm all for it. While I strongly disagree with Brit Hume- I don't believe that adherence to a particular faith or any faith for that matter is necessary to live a good life-I support anyone using any means, including religion, to lead a productive life.

[Kissntell]

Tiger is probably not a "Hollywood Buddhist" since his mother is Asian and likely raised him in that faith. He did not come to Buddhism as an adult but rather, by his own admission, fell from it as an adult. If returning to his childhood faith helps him live a better life, I'm all for it. While I strongly disagree with Brit Hume- I don't believe that adherence to a particular faith or any faith for that matter is necessary to live a good life-I support anyone using any means, including religion, to lead a productive life.

I wasn't talking about whatever "truth" there may to Tiger Woods' spiritual moral core of lack there of. I said, contra to Mixiboi's hopes that this public evocation of Buddhist spirituality would somehow be a boon for Buddhism and force Brit Hume to publicly apologize, that Fox could simply spin this story as an instance of "Hollywood Buddhism," i.e.taking the easy way out through "new agey" spiritual absolution as opposed to the "real tribulation" of christian redemption (a spin, which for the record, I also think is b.s.).

Like most functional adults, Woods will emotionally get through this personal crisis regardless of whether he repairs or has irrevocably ruined his family. This "Buddhist moment" isn't about his inner being so much as an effort to repair his image in the media. And so, why should we care? Woods giving a shout out to Buddhism in a "public apology" doesn't really sell me on the practices of Buddhism any more than any other product he's made his fortune endorsing.

[skupaemauto]

Larry the King, always asking the right questions:

Little-Known Buddhist Spiritual Leader Has Advice for Tiger Woods on Larry King - Larry King - Gawker


Mr. Lama had this to say to Tiger Woods regarding self-discipline:

Spiritual, moral ethics are self-discipline. Actually, just like taking care of your own body. According to doctors suggestions. They say certain food you should use. Certain food you should stop. Like that.

[Romarionsion]

wonderful aspect of current popular Christianity is that you can do any damned thing but if you say you seek redemption through Jesus and proclaim yourself to be "born again", then all is forgiven and you are rehabilitated. It works even better if you're a white celeb compared to if you're black (in pop culture, other skin colors are mostly on the sidelines).

-- the Colorado gay-bashing pastor who had gay relationships himself, then went to some christian retreat and claimed to have been "cured" of his gayness and was considered righteous again

-- the death row woman in Texas who claimed to have rediscovered her Christian faith and claimed to be born-again

-- Josh Hamilton of Texas Rangers is a crackhead, does binge drinking, is caught with women polishing off his knob (he's married), and yet-- he writes a book about all this, says he's born-again, and voila-- a great hit amonng Texas baseball fans.

You can say race doesn’t matter, but a look at how we treat the screw-ups of Josh Hamilton vs. Josh Howard indicates otherwise. - Page 1 - News - Dallas - Dallas Observer


I'm sure there are thousands of examples like this. And it's not even a recent phenomenon or just a Protestant/Evangelical/mega-church thing. Afterall, the pope back before Christian Reformation was selling tickets to heaven in order to raise cash so that he could wage his holy war against his personal enemies...pope was (is?) afterall considered Christian God's field general and commander-in-chief. The rich could buy the tickets and be assured a proper Christian (Catholic?) last rites and an unsmeared family name even in the face of all sorts of moral regression.


So it's not surprising to see FOX News playing to the gallery on this issue... "just become a Christian, all will be forgiven...(at least in the here and now, and you can go back to making millions and be adored by millions more). It's pretty seductive argument, at least to the ones who are brought up in nominal Christian households but never really got into the whole church routine...and likely never will again either even if they proclaim for public consumption their change of heart and sudden love for Jesus Christ.

[Peapeuddedbaw]

Buddha left his pregnant wife to find the cure for old age, sickness and death so a wife is not a priority in this religion.