lundi, janvier 04, 2010

The second time as farce

I didn't think I was going to weigh in on former FOX anchor Brit Hume's suggestion that golfer Tiger Woods find forgiveness and redemption in Christianity, 'cause Buddhism doesn't offer it.

There are some good reasons for staying silent --

I didn't know Tiger Woods was a Buddhist. I still don't.

There's not the slightest chance I could assert more than a minimum of knowledge about Buddhism.

I didn't know Brit Hume was still on the FOX network. I thought he'd retired.

The whole controversy seems totally ridiculous to me -- excepting the comment about Buddhism.

What is wrong with somebody offering a well-meaning remark about a potential way for Woods, who apparently has caused his wife and family a lot of pain, to find a way to recover his soul? Hume displays a compassion for the man sorely lacking in other stories.

I wonder what the reax would have been like if Hume hadn't compared Buddhism and Christian notions of forgiveness. Frankly, I doubt he knows more about Buddhism than he might have learned in Christian apologetics 101.

But whatever he knows or doesn't, it was the setup for a perfect flurry of idiocy. Offended Buddhists. Outraged Christians feeling persecuted. And a narrative that a gossip prone press (c'mon fellas -- and I mean fellas) is loving.

They can condemn Tiger Woods for his alleged multiple affairs, admire his golf expertise (gag me) and most of all, they can KEEP TALKING about it.

As to the topic of all of this chatter? I think this spirit comes out with prayer, fasting and years of counseling.

Brit made the way of the cross sound too easy, which does faith no favors. But the fact that his comment has become press fodder (not to mention blogs!) is an indication of the shallowness of religious discourse in America.

Witness the fact that I wrote about it -- in spite of my best intentions.

Maybe I need also redemption.

Anybody in the media want to save me?

3 commentaires:

Stoo a dit…

Perhaps Woods would be better served just by applying himself more to his existing faith.

I'm not hugely familiar with Fox, but this does seem to fit its (not particularly good) reputation quite well. Why is a political pundit offering advice on which religion to take up?

BigLittleWolf a dit…

Perhaps we all need to leave private matters private. That said, we learn things and examine our own views when stories like this come to light.

dadshouse a dit…

I was raised Christian, and I've read a lot of Buddhist teachings in my adult life. I'm not Buddhist, but I have learned much from the Dalai Lama and others. I don't believe Christianity is the only way Tiger can feel better about himself.

I employed Buddhist techniques and practices to evolve my psychology and get in touch with my spirituality. Can others do that through Christianity? Sure. When I spent 3 days attending teachings by the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama encouraged non-Buddhists to keep their religious traditions. There are spiritual truths the cut across all religions. The stories each religion promotes are just one way to manifest those truths.

I feel a great deal of compassion for Tiger. I don't condone what he did. I think he has a ton of work - psychological, emotional, spiritual - to do.