Comments on: Seven Loaves and a Few Fish http://www.continentaldrift.net/2006/05/02/seven-loaves-and-a-few-fish/ Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:16:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Barak http://www.continentaldrift.net/2006/05/02/seven-loaves-and-a-few-fish/comment-page-1/#comment-2665 Barak Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:16:51 +0000 http://www.continentaldrift.net/index.php/?p=80#comment-2665 I agree the foreign policies and humanitarian aid practices of the US (and most governments for that matter) are rarely beneficial in developing nations. However, while there are many things I respect about Buddhism, the negative impact it has in the individual lives of people I interacted with in Cambodia was both profound and deeply saddening. The sense of fatalism and belief in the karma of past lives caused created oppression and marginalization of the poor by the rich and created a sense of worthlessness among the poor who believed they deserved it and there was nothing they could do to change it. I worked in villages with amputee victims who were shunned by communities b/c it was believed they must be horrible people reaping the consequences of the past. I remember a child who was born with a horrible deformity that left him paralyzed and mute and his father saying "I wish my son could talk so I could ask him what terrible thing he did in a past life." In addition, people would take their hard grown food to temples and leave it there where it would rot and be eaten by monkeys instead of being given to their children who suffered from malnutrition and disease. There are many things I can respect in the Buddhist religion, but as a worldview it does not free people. Animism in turn had the people living in constant fear of the spirit realm. Wards were places around houses to keep away evil spirits and and great lengths were taken to appease the spirit realm. Combined together these have chained the people of Cambodia in deep poverty and make it extremely hard to bring change because you can't just bring a water project or address food security issues, you have to go deep into the cultural and spiritual issues of their worldview and teach them that they have value, they have worth, they have good ideas, and most of all that the future is not set and they have the ability to bring positive change to their families and their communities. I agree the foreign policies and humanitarian aid practices of the US (and most governments for that matter) are rarely beneficial in developing nations. However, while there are many things I respect about Buddhism, the negative impact it has in the individual lives of people I interacted with in Cambodia was both profound and deeply saddening. The sense of fatalism and belief in the karma of past lives caused created oppression and marginalization of the poor by the rich and created a sense of worthlessness among the poor who believed they deserved it and there was nothing they could do to change it.

I worked in villages with amputee victims who were shunned by communities b/c it was believed they must be horrible people reaping the consequences of the past. I remember a child who was born with a horrible deformity that left him paralyzed and mute and his father saying “I wish my son could talk so I could ask him what terrible thing he did in a past life.”

In addition, people would take their hard grown food to temples and leave it there where it would rot and be eaten by monkeys instead of being given to their children who suffered from malnutrition and disease.

There are many things I can respect in the Buddhist religion, but as a worldview it does not free people.

Animism in turn had the people living in constant fear of the spirit realm. Wards were places around houses to keep away evil spirits and and great lengths were taken to appease the spirit realm.

Combined together these have chained the people of Cambodia in deep poverty and make it extremely hard to bring change because you can’t just bring a water project or address food security issues, you have to go deep into the cultural and spiritual issues of their worldview and teach them that they have value, they have worth, they have good ideas, and most of all that the future is not set and they have the ability to bring positive change to their families and their communities.

]]> By: Steve N http://www.continentaldrift.net/2006/05/02/seven-loaves-and-a-few-fish/comment-page-1/#comment-2662 Steve N Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:08:16 +0000 http://www.continentaldrift.net/index.php/?p=80#comment-2662 Pardon me, but why does the text have to say "Chained in Buddhism and Animism, living with the uncertainty of disease, hunger, and political unrest." ? The Therevada Buddhism practiced in Cambodia mixed with anceint beliefs is probably one of the very few pillars holding up this war torn country together. If it weren't for the failed Nixon Doctrine and Kissinger's secret bombings, Cambodia would not have been in its present despair. The Vietnamese claim to have liberated us, but in Truth, they waited for the Americans to pull out so that they can invade and take what they've wanted for centuries. Speculation, you may say? Google the CIA's involvement in Indochina's war. All merchants of war, Crusaders, from a Christian Nation. The Kingdom of Cambodia's Motto: Nation. Religion. King. Forever. Pardon me, but why does the text have to say “Chained in Buddhism and Animism, living with the uncertainty of disease, hunger, and political unrest.” ? The Therevada Buddhism practiced in Cambodia mixed with anceint beliefs is probably one of the very few pillars holding up this war torn country together. If it weren’t for the failed Nixon Doctrine and Kissinger’s secret bombings, Cambodia would not have been in its present despair. The Vietnamese claim to have liberated us, but in Truth, they waited for the Americans to pull out so that they can invade and take what they’ve wanted for centuries. Speculation, you may say? Google the CIA’s involvement in Indochina’s war. All merchants of war, Crusaders, from a Christian Nation. The Kingdom of Cambodia’s Motto: Nation. Religion. King. Forever.

]]> By: Tell Dietzler http://www.continentaldrift.net/2006/05/02/seven-loaves-and-a-few-fish/comment-page-1/#comment-2575 Tell Dietzler Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:07:22 +0000 http://www.continentaldrift.net/index.php/?p=80#comment-2575 This is a beautiful reminder of how God is the God of anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even more profound to me is that He is the God of me, here, now. This is a beautiful reminder of how God is the God of anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even more profound to me is that He is the God of me, here, now.

]]> By: Veil Thom Summary at Continental Drift http://www.continentaldrift.net/2006/05/02/seven-loaves-and-a-few-fish/comment-page-1/#comment-2368 Veil Thom Summary at Continental Drift Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:43:13 +0000 http://www.continentaldrift.net/index.php/?p=80#comment-2368 [...] it is a group of people who love God and meet together and help one another. They are now led by a local lay pastor who being mentored by Rotha and a local Cambodian [...] [...] it is a group of people who love God and meet together and help one another. They are now led by a local lay pastor who being mentored by Rotha and a local Cambodian [...]

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