Dharma Wheel

what is this ?

KonchokZoepa wrote:what is this ?

A documentary about a Buddhist Centre in Zululand South Africa.

It's interesting - largely white Buddhist centre in a predominantly black area. Raises some interesting questions I think about Buddhism in the South Africa.

The Zulu child is delightful. I ask what is the point of this, as the Zulu's had their own beliefs then they were all converted to Christianity. Now along comes a Buddhist from Holland and wants the locals to understand and practise Buddhism. The child is encouraged to be vegetarian even though there is real shortage of healthy food for her to eat as both parents squander the little money they have on beer instead of food for the children.
This is a problem world wide where local people, marginalised, often losing their small parcel of land, or their nomadic way of life are converted to Christianity or Islam and take to the bottle.
Yes help these poor families if you can but they do not need to be browbeaten nor do they need a new belief system.

greentara wrote:The Zulu child is delightful. I ask what is the point of this, as the Zulu's had their own beliefs then they were all converted to Christianity. Now along comes a Buddhist from Holland and wants the locals to understand and practise Buddhism. The child is encouraged to be vegetarian even though there is real shortage of healthy food for her to eat as both parents squander the little money they have on beer instead of food for the children.
This is a problem world wide where local people, marginalised, often losing their small parcel of land, or their nomadic way of life are converted to Christianity or Islam and take to the bottle.
Yes help these poor families if you can but they do not need to be browbeaten nor do they need a new belief system.

I think you raise interesting points. There is something both inspiring but also perhaps paternalistic about the film.