GENIUS FORUMS

Kevin,

Does part of your motivation in criticizing the illogical components found in different practices of Buddhism specifically have to do with the idea that Buddhism contains a great deal of wisdom in relation to other religions, institutions, and organizations found elsewhere in humanity, and because of that you think it's worth trying to resurrect it as a more streamlined institution geared directly toward uncovering truth and attaining enlightenment?

I suspect this is part of Kev's motivation. There is so much that is of value in Buddhism that it's important to expose the delusional religiosity that has hamstrung and degraded that value for so long.

It makes sense to me. I'm surprised how much wisdom is still contained in Buddhism after all these years considering how large it has become. It's definitely worth saving if the wheat can be separated from the chaff.

I know Buddhism is gaining popularity in the west, but when I see how it's practiced it reminds of a kid who found his parent's shotgun and wields it around just because it looks cool and makes him feel special without realizing its true potential and power. These people could definitely use some help in understanding it on a much deeper level. It could work, I mean, they must have some-what of an open mind to be practicing an eastern religion/philosophy in the first place right?

This is my first post in the Forum. Im Rafael, 25 years old from Brazil, my first language is not english, so sometimes if I dont understand the sentences someone makes, I may be interested only about the litteral or intended meaning of the words combined.

As for the videos, Moti´s videos have brought me again on celebrating buddhism as something it never should have finished being, i.d a way of identifying truth (and more).

Its curious, like Dan, and also Nick Treklis, I also have tried buddhism here where I live, and I found its praticioners to be sometimes rude/naive/juvenille intelectually. I also came to regard them as "newborns" to a higher spiritual path, or something of the like. It was like Nick said, they are people with guns who dont know its potential.

Because of these praticioners, and my suspiciousness of every religion I have met throughout life, I stopped going on buddhism meetings, and started to study only its "important" points.

So I understand a lot of Kevin´s and Moti videos about this subject.

Hi Rafael and welcome to the forum. The good thing about Buddhism - if one is able to see it and one is of the right character to be able to see it - is that it needn't involve other people in any way whatever. Like philosophy itself, Buddhism is a personal matter. It is a method one employs as an individual to find truth. It's just unfortunate that humans, being the way they are, fall foul of the religious impulse and "religify" everything of value offered by men such as the Buddha. I speak a little about this problem in my video Spirituality v Religion.

This is why, despite its own flaws, Zen is probably the best contemporary form of Buddhism - it pushes the individual aspect more than most traditions.

I intend on making two responses to Mr. Solway's video. The first one would be about insanity in Hinduism. It'll contain some of clips of the religious activities of Hindus, and especially some clips of what happens in the yearly festival of Durga puja, and some commentary regarding that. The second one would be about insanity in general. I may make only the second video if I can't get hold of all the material for the first one. Let's see.

That sounds interesting. I think it would take a lot of videos to expose the insanity in Hinduism, let alone insanity in general :)

Dan Rowden wrote:That sounds interesting. I think it would take a lot of videos to expose the insanity in Hinduism, let alone insanity in general :)

I decided I'd just make a video on insanity in general, and throw some light on Hindu insanity in there.

People say that India is a patriarchal society, but in fact it is one of the most matriarchal societies around. We worship dolls, adorn them with flowers, and offer food to them so that they can eat it. Hinduism is a girl's religion.

At the exoteric level, it is certainly heavily "aesthetic".

Dont even get started on Hinduism rsrs....

Thanks Dan, I appreciate the welcome. I´m "Yupiie" from youtube, I guess we have exchanged some thoughts on that website also.

Uhm...

Zen is the "better" tradition in Buddhism, I guess... but is also full of deceit, brought by their own participants.

I know that, cause I went to a zen center here where I live. There are a lot of chanting, and things like that, and that all bullshit about getting a master - to me, that´s the top of the b.s. this particular line of buddhism had for me.

But in itself, in its thoughts and insights, zen buddhism is beautiful, as is buddhism in general. I still have some books from the time I went on those reunions and I sometimes read some parts, cause I think they are great.

Let´s see some fire from the vids on the MOTI channel.

Uhm.. any of you know the "American nihilist underground society"? What do you think of their thoughts and texts?

Rafael T.M wrote:Dont even get started on Hinduism rsrs....

Thanks Dan, I appreciate the welcome. I´m "Yupiie" from youtube, I guess we have exchanged some thoughts on that website also.

Yeah, I realised who you were. My next vid on the main channel will be to respond to your vid wherein you ask the question "What is the infinite".

Uhm.. any of you know the "American nihilist underground society"? What do you think of their thoughts and texts?

I've not heard of them - though their acronym is oddly familiar :) The website looks superficially interesting but I don't really have time to look at their material in any depth.

OK Dan,

I´m looking forward to this vid.

Nick Treklis wrote:I know Buddhism is gaining popularity in the west, but when I see how it's practiced it reminds of a kid who found his parent's shotgun and wields it around just because it looks cool and makes him feel special without realizing its true potential and power.

This is likely more insightful than you realize. I first noticed a surge in American Buddhists right after Richard Gere announced that he is Buddhist.

And let's not forget Brad Pitt. With those intellectual heavy-weights behind it, American Buddhism surely cannot fail!

Dan Rowden wrote:And let's not forget Brad Pitt. With those intellectual heavy-weights behind it, American Buddhism surely cannot fail!

Huh? I've met him [by way of Jon Voight] a few times over the years (last time in 2008) He was, I believe, raised Southern Baptist. But he's always described himself as something like "20% atheist and 80% agnostic."

Hmm, I could be thinking of someone else; perhaps Johnathon Livingstone Seven Seagull. It's hard to get facts right whilst yawning.

Dan Rowden wrote:

Rafael T.M wrote:

Uhm.. any of you know the "American nihilist underground society"? What do you think of their thoughts and texts?

I've not heard of them - though their acronym is oddly familiar :) T

Haha

One hopes it was intentional. Kinda witty for Nihilists, actually.

This is my first post in the Forum. My name is German Lourenço Mejia. I’m 26 years old and I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

It’s interesting to see another Brazilian (Rafael T.M. or ‘Yupiie’) here in this topic. If I’m not mistaken, I come across his YouTube channel once. It’s a channel with videos from the anime Saint Seiya.

Anyway, as a short presentation, I thought it appropriate to tell the main events that brought me here.

In 2009, I began to be interested in Buddhism. As I was learning more about it, I started feeling (intellectually) uncomfortable with all that talk about (literal) rebirth and gods and rituals. Watching a video series on YouTube (I still remember, It was ‘Karma & Rebirth’ by Brian Ruhe), I first meet Kevin Solway in the comments sections. (At the time there was a user named ‘BarbarraBay’ who also spoke against the literal interpretation.) Thanks to these words, I become familiar with the teachings of Ajahn Buddhadasa (1906 - 1993) from Thailand. I remember when ‘Nonsense in Buddhism’ was upload in the MenoftheInfinite’s channel. (Such a long time ago.) In the past 3 years I moved more and more to the Western side of Philosophy. (I had no prior interested on philosophical questioning. I was a mathematician.) And then I find myself engaging in ‘intellectual temptations' and the like. But that would be a long history. The last week I was studying the Galen Strawson’s Basic Argument… And that brought me back to the point where I started.

Well, thank you for taking the time to combat the nonsense and insanity in Buddhism in a popular media such as YouTube.

All best wishes,

German