# Proof that Buddhism is the correct religion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 4, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323 "2001-10-04T03:20:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NiceGuyJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/niceguyjack/32/3069_2.png) [@NiceGuyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NiceGuyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/1 "2001-10-04T03:20:51Z")
About six months ago, the Taliban destroyed ancient Buddhist artifacts. Now their days are numbered. Could this be proof that Buddhism is the true religion? Perhaps Lord Buddha is showing his wrath? Is this proof enough for you to convert? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/2 "2001-10-04T03:30:14Z")
Buddhism is the correct religion. We see this in its very incorrectness. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/3 "2001-10-04T03:34:57Z")
The Lotus Sutra says that anyone who injures a practitioner of the True Law will have their head broken into 7 pieces. But it says nothing about retribution for damaging buddhist images. It would seem pretty silly to assert such protection for statues, since buddhism preaches nonattachment to material things. That being said, I am really really pissed at the Taliban for blowing up the statues. They were irreplaceable cultural treasures. The term “iconoclasm” sprang to mind. The Iconoclasm happened during the Crusades, thousands of ancient Egyptian artifacts were destroyed or obliterated by carving crosses into them. Whether or not you believe in the religion these artifacts represent, they are mankind’s heritage and nobody has the right to destroy them. ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/4 "2001-10-04T03:37:39Z")
since America will be doing the “day numbering” of the taliban, does that make America god? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/5 "2001-10-04T03:42:33Z")
According to Buddhist beliefs, there is no “Lord Buddha” up in heaven somewhere. Undoubtedly, the members of the Taliban incurred a heavy karmic price for their many thoughtless actions. But ultimately, they are in much the same shape as anyone who dies without freeing himself from attachments: the curse of being reborn into a life inherently full of suffering. There certainly seem to be suggestions that carrying such a negative karmic load into the next life can result in things like birth defects, or being born into low stations. However, the only true winners - the ones to reach _nibbana_ - are the ones who free themselves from all attachments and dodge rebirth completely. That being the Buddhist outlook, I would humbly suggest that no event thus far is probative of its accuracy or lack therof. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/6 "2001-10-04T04:36:19Z")
On the one hand, Buddhism has some really imaginitive hells; I mean, they really put fire and brimstone to shame. On the other hand, they’re treated (for the most part) allegorically; not as an outcome of Lord Anyone’s “wrath”, but simply as a karmic outcome–and just as impermanent as the various heavens are. If someone’s “converting” by that kind of reasoning, well, they’re being pretty silly, in my view. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/7 "2001-10-04T04:59:22Z")
Eh, Iconoclasm actually refers to Byzantine history. As everyone knows, the orthodox church makes great use of paintings and images of religious figures–Icons. Well, some people thought these were blasphemous, since they violated one of the commandments…thou shalt not make a graven image, or some such. So, when a sympathetic emperor got into power, loads of religious art was destroyed in a frenzy of purification. It didn’t quite take though…the Orthodox are still using Icons. Although all the Byzantine ones were destroyed by the Turks when Byzantium was conquered. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/8 "2001-10-04T05:05:20Z")
This kind of has been covered but. . . > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NiceGuyJack \* > **Perhaps Lord Buddha is showing his wrath?** To put the words **Buddha** and **his wrath** in the same sentence is a contradiction if there ever was one. From the Dhammapada: > [@](#): > > _verse 5_ > Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world; by non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. > > _verses 214-218_ > One should give up anger, renounce pride, and overcome all fetters. Suffering never befalls those who cling not to mind and body and are detached. > > Those who check rising anger as a charioteer checks a rolling chariot, those I call true charioteers; others only hold the reins. > > Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth. > > Speak the truth; yield not to anger; when asked, give even if you only have a little. > > By these three means can one reach the presence of the gods. English translation from [http://www.ishwar.com/dhammapada/](http://www.ishwar.com/dhammapada/) ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/9 "2001-10-04T06:28:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalt \* > \*\*since America will be doing the “day numbering” of the taliban, does that make America god? \*\* Not at all. When America destroys them it will be because of the one woman who got away with walking around with her naked face showing. That one guy who refused to grow a beard. Those people who, even though it’s obviously a sin, gave a woman they wern’t related to medical treatment. And of course RAWA has to take a lot of blame for this. Because of these things, Allah will take away his sheild of protection from Afghanistan and allow the Great Satan to attack it. (The above being the answer to “What would it be like if Jerry Falwell were muslim?”) ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/10 "2001-10-04T11:58:39Z")
> [@](#): > > _OP posted by **NiceGuyJack** _ > About six months ago, the Taliban destroyed ancient Buddhist artifacts. > Now their days are numbered. Best wait and see if their days are numbered. Sadaam’s were “numbered” 10 years ago… ---
**Author:** ![NiceGuyJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/niceguyjack/32/3069_2.png) [@NiceGuyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NiceGuyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/11 "2001-10-05T00:09:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sirjamesp \* > \*\* > Best wait and see if their days are numbered. Sadaam’s were “numbered” 10 years ago… \*\* True, but Sadam didn’t destroy Buddhist artifacts. ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/12 "2001-10-05T11:22:01Z")
True, but that’s not what I meant. The OP supposes that the Taleban’s days are numbered. I was pointing out that we don’t know this yet - we have only heard the US and the UK banging on about how their days are numbered, but this has been said before. Still, if we finish the job this time and remove the Taleban from power, I bet Sadaam takes good care of any Buddha statues he finds laying around Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-buddhism-is-the-correct-religion/85323/13 "2001-10-05T11:38:36Z")
NiceGuyJack, c’mon over here, bring your face in range… I want to show you the sound of one hand clapping 😉