# I guess Buddhists aren't always peaceful and mild **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058 "2013-03-26T23:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/1 "2013-03-26T23:50:17Z")
Apparently in Myanmar (Burma) one side benefit of the rigid military rule for so long was that it protected the Muslim minority in some areas from being attacked by the Buddhist majority. Story [here](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/26/175408334/myanmar-imposes-new-curfews-amid-anti-muslim-violence). This is a pretty bare-bones story, without much background. This recent pillaging was apparently triggered by some disagreement between a Muslim merchant and Buddhist customers. Is this really an ethnic conflict, rather than a religious one? Can anyone point to a source of background information? Roddy ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/2 "2013-03-27T19:10:05Z")
Nope, but it doesn’t stop some people, often with Free Tibet shirts, from insisting Buddhism is always peaceful. See Bhutan expulsions. Ikkō-Ikki. The nominally Buddhist Japanese Empire. The Sinhala vs. the Hindu Tamils. After the tsunami (2004 one I think), I even heard about a monk going full-on Southern Baptist preacher and saying it happened because people were sinful. I don’t know a whole lot about Burma, although I understand that many ethnic groups are tightly tied into a religion, e.g. the Rohingya. Christianity was also oppressed in Burma (see the documentary, Rambo 4). Keep in mind, and as you suggest, not all crimes between two religions are religiously motivated, e.g. religion is an issue in NI, but it would be a mistake to say that it is currently religiously motivated. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/3 "2013-03-28T17:21:04Z")
You most likely know it as Myanmar, but it will always be Burma to me. You there on the motorbike! Sell me one of your melons! ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/4 "2013-03-28T17:50:42Z")
Buddhists are people. People are mostly selfish, narrow minded, egotistical, xenophobic and occasionally violent. Therefore, Buddhists are mostly selfish, narrow minded, egotistical, xenophobic and occasionally violent. Heh, zenophobic Buddhists. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/5 "2013-03-28T17:55:44Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Buddhists are people. Apparently there’s a Buddhist guru who does a lot of speaking engagements. Hell get on the stage, pour himself a glass of whiskey, and light up a cigarette. Then he says “What? I’m a Buddhist, but I’m still a human.” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/6 "2013-03-28T17:57:56Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Buddhists are people…\…occasionally violent. > > Heh, zenophobic Buddhists. _hits you with a stick_ _runs away_ ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/7 "2013-03-28T19:04:33Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > You most likely know it as Myanmar, but it will always be Burma to me. > > You there on the motorbike! Sell me one of your melons! My neck is one gargantuan monkey fist. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/8 "2013-03-28T19:36:23Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Heh, zenophobic Buddhists. Yes, it’s quite a paradox. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/9 "2013-03-28T19:44:46Z")
I doubt anyone has ever claimed that Buddhists are always peaceful and mild. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/10 "2013-03-28T19:47:31Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Nope, but it doesn’t stop some people, often with Free Tibet shirts, from insisting Buddhism is always peaceful. See Bhutan expulsions. Ikkō-Ikki. The nominally Buddhist Japanese Empire. The Sinhala vs. the Hindu Tamils. > > After the tsunami (2004 one I think), I even heard about a monk going full-on Southern Baptist preacher and saying it happened because people were sinful. > > I don’t know a whole lot about Burma, although I understand that many ethnic groups are tightly tied into a religion, e.g. the Rohingya. Christianity was also oppressed in Burma (see the documentary, Rambo 4). Keep in mind, and as you suggest, not all crimes between two religions are religiously motivated, e.g. religion is an issue in NI, but it would be a mistake to say that it is currently religiously motivated. Heh, one of the more incongruous moments in history is the parade of nagatina-armed “warrior monks” trooping through the streets of Kyoto at the end of the Heian period toting a Buddhist icon along with them, on the way to intimidate the government. Not the usual image in the West of the meek and mild unworldly Buddhists … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/11 "2013-03-28T20:04:31Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I doubt anyone has ever claimed that Buddhists are always peaceful and mild. Not literally, no. I don’t have a cite for this, but as mentioned above there is a widespread notion on the internet that, among religious adherents, Buddhists are the least likely to resort to violence to achieve (apparently) religious ends. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/12 "2013-03-28T21:04:27Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I doubt anyone has ever claimed that Buddhists are always peaceful and mild. I’ve heard it. Usually from the same people who insist animals never have wars. And on the internet from some people. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/13 "2013-03-28T21:08:09Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I’ve heard it. Usually from the same people who insist animals never have wars. And on the internet from some people. You show me one instance online and I’ll eat a hat. As for what you heard, you are almost certainly remembering incorrectly but there’s no way to settle that here. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/14 "2013-03-28T21:08:13Z")
I seem to recall a multi-part documentary about a Buddhist who wandered through the 19th Century American West, beating the crap out of half a dozen people in every town he visited. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/15 "2013-03-28T21:09:32Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Not literally, no. I don’t have a cite for this, but as mentioned above there is a widespread notion on the internet that, among religious adherents, Buddhists are the least likely to resort to violence to achieve (apparently) religious ends. > Roddy Well, _are_ they the least likely? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/16 "2013-03-28T21:38:13Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > You show me one instance online and I’ll eat a hat. > > As for what you heard, you are almost certainly remembering incorrectly but there’s no way to settle that here. Just Google “buddhism peace” or similar, I’m not doing your homework. And seriously, how long have you been on the internet? Never heard of Yahoo! Answers or 4chan? Never ran into a SDMB guest who worships the TimeCube or something? And if you’re quibbling over “always,” then it is unlikely, but a disingenuous argument as _most_ people have nuance to recognize exceptions and don’t believe always, but it doesn’t then follow that absolutists don’t exist. The only way I can answer the second sentence is with :rolleyes:. I’ve spoken with people who think fluoride is poison, who believe in crazy conspiracy theories, but online), who think Lyndon LaRouche is the best hope for America. There are people who think that Xenu bombed Hawaii or that a guy named Yakub created the evil white race. Is it really that far of a stretch that Buddhism apologists exist? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/17 "2013-03-28T22:02:46Z")
I’m not quibbling over “always” I’m taking the OP’s claim on its face. If he meant something else he should have said something else. What you’re saying about nuance applies to spoken contexts, not written contexts. (Or anyway, written contexts more formal than a text message.) ---
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/18 "2013-03-29T12:02:33Z")
The idea of Buddhist monks leading rioting crowds against Muslims in Sri Lanka kind of blows my mind. > **[Sri Lanka crowd attacks Muslim warehouse in Colombo](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21973292)** > > Several people are injured in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, as Buddhist monks lead hundreds of people in an assault on a Muslim-owned clothing warehouse. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/19 "2013-03-29T13:41:38Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Nope, but it doesn’t stop some people, often with Free Tibet shirts, from insisting Buddhism is always peaceful. See Bhutan expulsions. Ikkō-Ikki. The nominally Buddhist Japanese Empire. The Sinhala vs. the Hindu Tamils. [Baron Ungern-Sternberg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Ungern-Sternberg) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058/20 "2013-03-29T14:27:21Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I’m not quibbling over “always” I’m taking the OP’s claim on its face. If he meant something else he should have said something else. What you’re saying about nuance applies to spoken contexts, not written contexts. (Or anyway, written contexts more formal than a text message.) The OP already explained why he wrote what he wrote-- which was an ironic comment on a popular perception which I’m sure even you are aware of— so at this point you’re just being contentious and pedantic. It would be amusing to watch you consume a hat, though, so I encourage \*\*thelurkinghorror \*\*to provide the requested cite. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-buddhists-arent-always-peaceful-and-mild/654058.md?page=2)