Rohingya refugees stand in their shacks in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Sept. 27. Cathal McNaughton/Reuters
Harry Bruinius, CSM: Is Rohingya crisis changing West's 'romanticized' view of Buddhism?
When it comes to religious extremism, Buddhism has mostly escaped the scrutiny that Muslim militants, fundamentalist Christians, and Hindu nationalists in India have faced, observers say.
For many Americans, popular images of Buddhism have often included those of monks in saffron-colored robes, meditating peacefully on windswept mountains, revering all forms of life while seeking higher states of enlightenment.
In the context of such clichés, it has been jarring, many say, to see very different images coming out of Myanmar. Many monks, barefoot and clothed in the traditional robes of Burmese Buddhist monasteries, have been at the forefront of the violent repression of the Rohingya Muslim minority, which the United Nations has characterized as ethnic cleansing.
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WNU Editor: If Western views on Buddhism are not changing in view of what is now happening in Rohingya they should .... they should. It should also be acknowledged that the Rohinigya have not helped their own situation .... Rohingyas' long history of jihadism must be acknowledged (Asia Times).
