Is it an oxymoron for a Nichiren Buddhist to be Republican?

[bcol01]

[KristenM]

No, it makes perfect sense.

[bcol01]

How so?

[Johnny Dangerous]

Overt political views are one thing, but it is very "normal" IMO for nearly any Buddhist to be somewhat personally conservative in terms of habits, preferences, etc. That doesn't necessarily transfer to political conservatism, but sometimes it does. There are no political beliefs barred to Buddhists save those that would openly advocate things that violate Buddhist ethics.

[amanitamusc]

Leave off the oxy.

[narhwal90]

i know foaming at the mouth conservatives, Trump people, and tree huggers in SGI, as well as folks who dont make a production about their political views. kind of like everywhere else.

[Queequeg]

There are a wide range of views within the Republican party, just as there are a wide range of views in the Democratic party. Given those wide ranges of views, the answer to your question is no. Just as it is not an oxymoron for a Nichiren Buddhist to be a Democrat.

[Queequeg]

Overt political views are one thing, but it is very "normal" IMO for nearly any Buddhist to be somewhat personally conservative in terms of habits, preferences, etc. That doesn't necessarily transfer to political conservatism, but sometimes it does. There are no political beliefs barred to Buddhists save those that would openly advocate things that violate Buddhist ethics.

[明安 Myoan]

It is counterproductive for any Buddhist to cherish X identity over their desire to save all beings.
But others' delusions are not our concern until we're buddhas.
Until then, my own constant stream of BS is plenty to manage.

[Minobu]

Don't shoot the messenger:

I'm not american, but most people outside the USa have their own views on what it means to be a democrat or republican.
In my opinion the recent media coverage the past couple of years enforces those fears about republicans.

I'm trying to be fair here when i say media coverage.

So democrats are like tree hugging , peace corps activists, trying their best to solve social issues such as poverty, mental health, affordable housing, and universal medicare.

So like republicans are like, fool the poor , brainwash the population with populace right wing nut job ideals, war mongers, gushing over their military,
america first and the rest of the world is there to rape and ignore their needs, bullies , insulting to anyone that doesn't adhere to their populace ideals, and just the worst of the worst that is american...where as Democrats are the best of the best that are american.

The dems are like a saving face....

so that being said...why even bring up this topic when it comes to anything Buddhist.

Politicians are admitted liars, and generally people who would either steal a child's candy or figure out how to con the kid out of it.

I have always found that any Nichiren buddhist far surpasses any other form of Buddhism practiced today when it comes to generating actual compassion and taking responsibility for one's own karma and fearing adding to that Karma.

you don't have to look any further than this very board...the fighting, the trolling, baiting, game playing, name calling, abject one upmanship......


everyone here knows what the elephant in the room is here i am talking about.

You just get less of this from Nichiren practitioners...the practice challenges the person to better themselves...and aids in doing so...

the Gakki , leaving some of their leaders out of it...is one of the most advanced organizations of social change on the planet.

when i say leave some leaders out of it , that might sound like an oxymoron....but the practice is so powerful it outweighs the warts the practice so decisively attacks.

[Simon E.]

Aye.
I know little about Nichiren Buddhism.
But in general Buddhist terms, I have met left wing Buddhists. Right wing Buddhists. Wealthy Buddhists. Poor Buddhists. Vegan Buddhists. Largely carnivorous Buddhists. Extrovert Buddhists. Introvert Buddhists. Teetotal Buddhists.Wine loving Buddhists...including a well known teacher who had his own vineyard.

None of that is where it's at.

The real problem here is the 'No True Scotsman' fallacy.

[Wayfarer]

Note the OP title is about 'being a Republican'. It's worth recalling that in a representative democracy, you can vote for a party without belonging to it - in other words, not actually being a party member. So the thread could have been titled 'to vote Republican', rather than to be Republican.

Many of the huge problems in current political discourse come from investing the ego, the sense of 'who I am', in a political movement or party. Then it instantly becomes a matter of us vs them, our way vs theirs, and so on. This is writ large all over politics, especially American politics.

I think one of the Buddhist virtues in this regard is detachment - which doesn't mean apathy, not voting, not caring. It means, voting for the policies and representatives that you think represent the best overall solution. But that doesn't have to mean 'being a Republican' or 'being a Democrat'. Ultimately, all of those identities are conditioned and fabricated. Yes, we have to have political systems and pay for roads, schools, and hospitals, but it doesn't pay to get too involved in identity politics.

[boda]

Religious people value tradition (to varying degrees I suppose) and conservatives uphold traditional values. To my mind it’s rather unintuitive that Western Buddhists tend to be liberal.

Maybe it’s the difference between choosing a religion and being indoctrinated into it? Perhaps in the former case core values have already been set?

[Minobu]

Note the OP title is about 'being a Republican'.

exactly!
so lets define the modern day republican.

i failed to note that it seems to outsiders republican party is home for white supremacists, homophobes, racists , bigots.

Even the republican president presently is accused of being all these things.

I don;t think Nichiren Practitioners , even if they come from these backgrounds, prolong this sort of ignorant living..
due to the power of the practice.

[PSM]

I'm trying to be fair here when i say media coverage.

So democrats are like tree hugging , peace corps activists, trying their best to solve social issues such as poverty, mental health, affordable housing, and universal medicare.

So like republicans are like, fool the poor , brainwash the population with populace right wing nut job ideals, war mongers, gushing over their military,
america first and the rest of the world is there to rape and ignore their needs, bullies , insulting to anyone that doesn't adhere to their populace ideals, and just the worst of the worst that is american...where as Democrats are the best of the best that are american.

I remember the years of Bush Derangement Syndrome in the UK, where anything from the right wing in the US was made out in the media and chattering classes to be a hair away from Satanism.

Of course, almost nobody with these opinions on the US was able to pass an ideological Turing test...

[Johnny Dangerous]

It is counterproductive for any Buddhist to cherish X identity over their desire to save all beings.
But others' delusions are not our concern until we're buddhas.
Until then, my own constant stream of BS is plenty to manage.

Yep, I agree with this.

It's one thing to hold whatever political views you decide on in your relative circumstances....

It's another thing entirely to take refuge in your political views, and is something to be avoided if one is really practicing, in my opinion.

[Simon E.]

I would add, not just political views. Taking refuge in what are essentially lifestyle choices is, in the end, an obstacle to understanding also.

[Queequeg]

lifestyle choices

That's a fraught phrase...

I'd restate something like,

"bad idea to take refuge in any conditioned identity."

[boda]

lifestyle choices

That's a fraught phrase...

I'd restate something like,

"bad idea to take refuge in any conditioned identity."

Uh, better go with something like,

"bad idea to take refuge in any conditioned identity, with the exception of Buddhist."

[Queequeg]

Uh, better go with something like,

"bad idea to take refuge in any conditioned identity, with the exception of Buddhist."

Ah, mm. Can't agree.