Navy SEAL uses Zen Buddhism

Navy SEAL uses Zen Buddhism to unlock his potential on the inside. While Navy SEAL training focuses externally, Mack focused using Zen to develop the heart of himself. He now has a deeper relationship with himself and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s28jxGnKeE

$3,000 scholarship for M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy

University of the West just received word that our friends at the International Buddhist Education Foundation are offering $3,000 scholarships to qualified students admitted into the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy training program.

IBEF makes 50 of these scholarships available to students each semester.

DEADLINES APPROACHING: IBEF: Please be aware that the deadline for the IBEF scholarship is July 15!

Download an application here, or go to http://www.uwest.edu/financialaid.

Admission: The deadline to apply for the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy is July 1. Students are only accepted into the fall semester. Apply here.

You can learn more about the chaplaincy program here or by visiting http://www.uwest.edu/chaplaincy.

Become a fan of UWest on Facebook.com

Read the blog on University of the West

Vietnam War Casualties by Religious Preference

Statistical Abstract of 1970
V'nam Casualties By Religious Preference
Preference % / V'nam Dead %
Protestant 136010000 (67.0) / 37483 (64.4)

Catholic 50750000 (25.0) / 16806 (28.9)

Jewish 6090000 (3.0) / 269 (0.4)

Other 5400000 (2.6) / 262 (0.4)

None/Unknown 4750000 / 3332 (5.7)

Protestants were representative from all areas of the country but slightly less so from outside the South where they were more likely to be college candidates. Officers of all services, by tradition largely Protestant, remained so in V'nam sustaining casualties on about a 5 to 2 ratio.
Protestants in the 10's of millions are no longer members or have simply always considered themselves as vaguely Protestant. This is quite specifically apparent in the Protestant denominational breakout from the DoD database where 16640 of 37483 (44.3% ) listed their religious preference as simply Protestant with no specific denomination. Of those Protestant casualties who did list a denomination, the Baptists were the largest (25.6%) followed by Methodists (10.8%), Lutherans (6.0%) & Presbyterians (3.4%). Percentages shown are of the Protestant total.

If we use the religious preference percentages we can see that Catholics were over-represented -almost 29.0% against a natl preference of 25% In the genl population, while Protestants were slightly under-represented- 64.4 of the V'nam casualties against a natl preference of 67.0%. The low Jewish representation was probably due, in large part, to the high rate of under-graduate & post-graduate matriculation among young Jewish males, estimated at 2 to 3 times that of Protestant & Catholic 17-24 year olds nationwide.

Black casualties were over 85% Protestant. If the 7115 enlisted blacks are removed from the enlisted casualty universe then the white preferences become 60.2% for Protestants & 33% for Catholics.

Other includes Hindu, Thai, Buddhist & Muslim casualties.

Data and anaylsis compiled William F. Abbott from figures obtained shortly after the construction of the Vietnam War Memorial
(Link available at: http://www.americanwarlibrary.com/vietnam/vwc7.htm

Memorial Day

Memorial Day:
This holiday honors troops who have died in past wars.

Memorial Day was first held in 1865 after the American Civil War. It was called Decoration Day at that time. The holiday was first called Memorial Day in 1882. It became a federal holiday in 1967.

Let's take this time to remember all the men and women who have served in our armed forces and all they have sacrificed to allow us to live free.

"Even if the world is filled with fire
make sure of hearing the essential Dharma
and enter the path of the Buddha
Cross the wide breadth of birth and death!"
-Larger Sukhavativyuha Sutra (Ogon-ge)

Namo Amida Butsu

Institute of Buddhist Studies Buddhist Chaplaincy Program Open House and Orientation: Saturday May 23rd, Berkeley, California

The Institute of Buddhist Studies will host an Open House and orientation for their new Buddhist chaplaincy program. The IBS has affiliate programs at the Sati Center and the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. I am an IBS alumni and will be presenting in the late morning on military chaplaincy. There will be opportunities to meet the IBS faculty and a look at facilities at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley, CA. The program is below. Hope anyone who is interested can attend!


Theme: Introducing the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program offered at IBS
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2009
Venue: Jodo Shinshu Center
2140 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
Registration: Complete the registration form and e-mail it to events@shin-ibs.edu or fax to (510) 809-1443 by May 15, 2009. No registration fee.
Contact: Kumi Hadler
Phone: (510) 809-1444
e-mail: kumi@shin-ibs.edu

[Tentative Schedule]
9:00 am Doors Open & Registration
9:30 am What is Buddhist Chaplaincy?
1) IBS/GTU Overall Program Presentation
2) IBS & Buddhist Chaplaincy Program Presentation
3) IBS Partner Programs Presentation [Sati Center & NYCCC]
11:00 am Coffee Break
11:15 am Voice from the Field of Buddhist Chaplaincy: Military Chaplain
11:45 am Q&A / Free Discussion
12:15 pm Lunch & Building Tour
1:00 pm Buddhism Lecture by Prof. Lisa Grumbach (IBS Faculty)
2:00 pm Adjourn