Posted on 09/26/2010 11:57:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Between processions of nuns and monks leading chants and prayers, tens of thousands of Buddhists have come to a warehouse in San Jose to pray before the Jade Buddha and pose before the popular statue for family snapshots.
"I came here to just pray for good things to happen, especially to the community of San Jose," Pauline Bui said Sunday morning at the makeshift temple. "It's for universal peace. That's what this Buddha is for."
A financial analyst who lives in San Jose, Bui has brought her mother and two children six or seven times. On a previous visit, she stood in line for three hours to buy a small pendant made from the same massive block of jade as the statue.
At least 113,000 people have visited the statue since the exhibition opened Sept. 19, according to the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace Organizing Committee in Northern California. Almost 29,000 showed up Sept. 20, prompting at least one complaint from a resident of an apartment complex next door about crowds, illegal parking and noise.
By this past weekend, however, the mood was relaxed, even festive, as the free exhibit headed toward its last day in San Jose -- Friday. It will then continue on its five-year worldwide tour. A spat between rival Vietnamese-American community factions over who would host the statue didn't dampen the community's enthusiasm.
Buddhism has seen countless statues of its founder in stone, bronze, gold and other materials over the ages. But this one is deemed special because it's the largest made of jade.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Ping
1)And God spake all these words, saying,
2) I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3)Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4)Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5)Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6)And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
And people wonder how the USURPER got elected!
Thats true....this is a direct parallel to the election of obama.....
Ahh yes Buddhism, the religion for the cool and enlightened people.
I went through a very short phase where I dabbled in Buddhism and the New Age, and knew in my heart that it was not what I believe.
Thank you Jesus.
The American Idol.
“...I dabbled in Buddhism...”
I think I remember you. Didn’t you rub my belly once for good luck? How’s that working out for ya?
Good luck and God bless,
-BuddhaBrown
(The Christian Buddha)
Missed the Jade Buddha, but did have some moon cake last week.
That's what Allah's for too, dhimmi. Submit!
At least they didn't put it next to San Jose's very own graven image of a blood thirsty pagan god.
AKA "the giant dog dropping"
Some day a human heart will be found in the jaws of that abomination, and the local libs will be shocked and astonished that anything like that could happen in 'their' progressive city...
No Sir, that wasn’t me.
That does look like one giant piece of dung.
By the way, how do they know that this “Jade Buddha” is the right Buddha; I think I have seen just about countless different variations of the Buddha from the Chinese, Thai, Indian, etc.
All Buddhas are the right Buddha...
Ahh, okay, that clears up the confusion. Buddhism does sound very Progressive. No wonder there’s plenty of geeky white people in orange garbs.
Heck if it gets near me I might go, not to pray or anything but how often do you get to closely look at a multi-ton jade statue of anything.
Sigh.
With all these fancy schmancy Buddhas around, it’s getting harder every day for we non-enhanced, all natural, organic Buddhas to make a decent living off belly rubs and donations.
Kids these days go for the superficial thrill of rubbing a gemstone or precious metal belly rather than the true spiritual connection achieved by rubbing one made of peanut butter and cheese burgers.
Maybe if I advertise myself as the “Jaded Buddha”, it might bring in some more business. If not, it’s time for another fast.
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