This is a Buddhist greeting. I have nothing against Buddhism or Zen. I have in fact done Zen meditation. That's how I know what's going on.
Posted on 08/12/2004 2:03:07 PM PDT by dennisw
Yeah, John. Make sure to take that class act Margaret Cho along with you.
I guess that's why he's been doing those Buddah hand gestures all the time. I just thought it was a little hand game he played with Ta-RAY-zah.
This is a Buddhist greeting. I have nothing against Buddhism or Zen. I have in fact done Zen meditation. That's how I know what's going on.
He and Al Gore are going to go to raise campaign money.
I guess that's why he's been doing those Buddah hand gestures all the time......
Gestures like in post #4
I don't think there's anything nutty or new age about Buddhism. It's one of the world's great religions. Just because it's not practiced widely in American doesn't make it nutty.
And of course it's Bush who is the "religious zealot."
We prefer our Nuts to be Old Time Religion Nuts.
Buddhism is a religion of peace.
(It sounds true when it is true.)
I studied Shim Gum Do with Kim Chang-sik at his temple in Brighton, MA, and got my 1st Star Black Belt in Zen Sword there in 1991.
John Heinz Jr was a student there at the time. He amd I used to talk to each other a lot. One time I was talking about entrepreneurship, and John called me "the last true America."
We referred to Chang as "Sabonim," and I thought he was a pretty interesting character. One time he was showing me a new form, and I was having trouble with it. I kept trying it over and over, and finally asked him: "Am I getting better?" I'll never forget his answer: "Better? You expect get WORSE?"
I saw a video of Sabonim doing a blind-folded watermelon cut on a student's stomach. He did a cartwheel with a sword in his hand, came out of it and sliced the watermelon in half while it was on the student's stomach. Very impressive.
Sorry to hear that Sabonim turned out to be a Kerry fan.
Absolutely correct. Actually this greeting is originally from India and found its way throughout Asia via Buddhism. I also don't have a problem with Buddhism or Hinduism. However, if you are so reflexively using this sort of gesture (I recall Kerry even used it to greet a Catholic priest) then that is a strong indication that you are more than just a little involved with that tradition. Kerry is presenting himself as a Catholic while it appears to me in fact that he more strongly identifies himself with the Buddhist tradition (so much so that he gave "pranam" to a Catholic priest.) Seems a bit dishonest to me.
Buddhists don't believe in God. Not a very "great" religion for a Catholic like Kerry to be involved with. I think his stepson is a buddhist, and Terayza is a New-Ager.
I read somewhere recently that Kerry keeps a little buddha statue in his pocket and rubs the tummy for luck.
Explains a lot; but not his most favorite called - in Eastern parlance - 'bird flipping you' or somesuch.
Now isn't that precious ----or is it nuanced?
Didn't war hero, war criminal, war protester, secret agent man Kerry get enough exposure to Buddhist temples in the 'nam while participating in free fire zones, village burning, trips to Cambodia via swift boat, and killing fleeing cong.
What, no home movies?
No, Buddhism is not nutty. However it often becomes nutty when practiced by scattered brained liberals who think by latching onto something mysterious, foriegn and as different as possible from the spirituality that their parents practiced that they are going to get enlightenment.
Or perhaps confused. 'Jewish/Catholic/Buddhist'; whatever he needs; whenever he needs it.
Thanks much. This clasped hand greeting is Hindu in origin since it's an older religion but the Buddhists do it to. To my memory it means "hello, I salute your soul and higher being". With Kerry it's an au courant New Age thing that "hip" Americans do in places like California and Massachusetts.
Hey, I live in California, my wife is Buddhist and I have many Hindu friends so I use this greeting quite often. But I would never - repeat never, use this sort of greeting with a Catholic priest (as Kerry did) even though I have used this greeting probably thousands of times in my life.
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