tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284690686321744854.post4335399562554644120..comments2023-04-25T11:39:41.508-07:00Comments on Buddhist Military Sangha: Honor, Courage, Commitment: For Buddhists, Too?Jeanette Yuinen Shinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17712459960189461740noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284690686321744854.post-36082095357748326222008-06-16T11:11:00.000-07:002008-06-16T11:11:00.000-07:00Hello RP1!I don't mean to suggest that this happen...Hello RP1!<BR/><BR/>I don't mean to suggest that this happens all the time, but it DOES happen, just not very often, thank goodness. But when we do openly say that we are Buddhist, we cannot control what other people may think of us - who knows what mental image they may have? Where did they learn these mental images? From church? From the media? For some Buddhists, this may not not a big deal and it makes sense - after all, who cares what people think? But for some lines of work, it does tend to matter. I know of more than one military Buddhist who always kept their religious identity under wraps, because it just wasn't worth the potential hassle to make it known, and get endless Goofball Comments (or unwanted invitations to accept Jesus) from their buddies, their command, their chaplain, whomever. It may not be fair, but it really is up to us to try to change that image, which we can do by setting the positive example, as in that story with Chaplain Yost. It may only have been an anecdote, but maybe he then understood that all Buddhists weren't evil-doing idolaters.Jeanette Yuinen Shinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17712459960189461740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284690686321744854.post-856514546197123062008-06-16T06:30:00.000-07:002008-06-16T06:30:00.000-07:00Wow, that's absolutely fascinating to me. I can't ...Wow, that's absolutely fascinating to me. I can't say I've actually ran into that type of thing persay, but I HAVE run into several Christians who believe us to be idol worshippers. I've always kindly explained to them the actuality of it, but yes, there is very definitely a perception about us, which thankfully, over the past few years, has begun to change in a positive way. But it doesn't stop it's occurances. I was always quick to jump on the defensive when things like this were said by anyone, but it is true, your actions do indeed speak louder than words. I will always strive to be mindful and aware but above all, compassionate... that alone speaks volumes.<BR/><BR/>Done correctly, happiness is an inevitable end.Jerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05256412312756093300noreply@blogger.com