Why no Fundamentalists in Eastern Religions
I have noted for some time that most fundamentalists seem to come from either the 'Religions of the Book' (Islam, Christianity, Judaism) or the ethnic religions (Hinduism, Judaism). I cannot recall hearing of fundamentalists in Buddhism, Shinto, Confucianism, or Taoism. I have also read that the religions and cultures of the Middle East and northern India derive from very ancient cultures that originally swept out of the steppes of central Asia where they typically worshipped, all-powerful, warlike and violent male supreme dieties. Can there be a relation between the ancient warlike proto-gods of the steppe culture and the existence of fundamentalism among certain derivative religions?
posted by VOOOOV at 1:42 PM
2 Comments:
Is a Buddhist monk who sets himself on fire to protest a war considered a fundamentalist?
Not certain of that. I guess the real question becomes, 'what is a fundamentalist'? Is it considered fundamentalist of a Buddhist monk to so oppose the Viet Nam government that they set themselves on fire as a protest? At some level you'd have to question the notion of self-directed violence in the context of Buddhism. Good question, Clam.
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