Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

White House hosts fourth annual Vesak celebration
Religion News Service ^ | May 23, 2024 | Jack Jenkins

Posted on 05/23/2024 2:03:33 PM PDT by Morgana

(RNS) — The White House will play host to a Vesak ceremony on Thursday afternoon (May 23), the fourth time President Joe Biden’s administration has marked the annual Buddhist holiday celebrating the Buddha’s birth, death and enlightenment.

Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff will once again host the ceremony commemorating the holiday, which had never been celebrated by the White House until Biden came into office in 2021. According to a White House official, the event, which coincides with the full moon, will include the lighting of lamps and feature ambassadors and representatives from the embassies of Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Mongolia and Laos.

“We are very grateful to the Second Gentleman for his leadership and vision for our communities in hosting the fourth ever Vesak ceremony at the White House — this is a tradition that he established in the very first year of our first term to celebrate the most sacred day for Buddhists in America and around the world,” Erika Moritsugu, deputy assistant to the president and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander senior liaison, said in a statement.

“As President Biden has said: ‘Vesak is a time to reflect on the Buddha’s teachings, including the need to work for peace and justice, and cultivate humility and compassion as we work together towards a brighter future.’ Lord Buddha’s lessons of harmony and care are timeless, and reminder every day of what we can do to advance our common values.”

As in the past, the event will take place at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and is part of a partnership with the International Buddhist Association of America. Wangmo Dixey, IBAA’s executive director, told Religion News Service this year’s celebration will again include leaders from Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, as well as young lay Buddhist leaders from the Tibetan American and Khmer Krom communities.

According to Pew Research, Buddhists make up around 1.2% of the U.S. population as of 2010.

Dixey said Roger Rosner, who is vice president of applications at Apple Computer and founded a Buddhist group within the company, will also be in attendance, and she expects Biden to issue a statement marking the holiday as he has in previous years.

“Under the second gentleman’s office, we’ve been able to symbolically light this lamp for inner harmony and world peace,” Dixey said. She added that the event has grown as the years have gone by and that she expects a “much larger turnout” this go-round.

In addition, Dixey noted the IBAA is partnering with Tzu Chi USA to host a separate “Light Up Peace” Vesak event at the Washington Monument on Thursday evening featuring prayers and remarks from interfaith leaders. Participants are expected to circumambulate around the monument three times.

“It’s going to be quite scenic to see traditional Buddhist dress, laypeople, monks all coming together,” Dixey said.


TOPICS: Eastern Religions; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: biden; buddha; buddhism; vesak; whitehouse

1 posted on 05/23/2024 2:03:33 PM PDT by Morgana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Morgana
God is not pleased. The White House has become a temple of paganism, honoring everyone except Jesus Christ.

2 posted on 05/23/2024 2:11:50 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

President Pagan


3 posted on 05/23/2024 2:12:41 PM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

4 posted on 05/23/2024 2:14:07 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Remember that time, at a prayer breakfast, where Obama told us to get off our high horse, and recognize alleged crimes done in the name of Christ?

There seems to be a mindset, that we should honor and celebrate faith traditions other than Christianity and Judaism.


5 posted on 05/23/2024 2:24:26 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

As far as I know (admittedly not a lot), Buddhists don’t believe in God, so what’s sacred about this holiday?


6 posted on 05/23/2024 2:32:55 PM PDT by Orosius (“Wake America Up Again )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana; pookie18

7 posted on 05/23/2024 2:37:52 PM PDT by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Buddhism isn’t paganism. Doesn’t make the RATs any less of a bunch of panderers though.


8 posted on 05/23/2024 2:41:12 PM PDT by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Actually I don’t think Buddha would be pleased either. This kind of crap is the antithesis of what he taught.


9 posted on 05/23/2024 2:59:23 PM PDT by FalloutShelterGirl (Cool! I found my original screen name!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tell It Right

Thanks, Tell It Right!


10 posted on 05/23/2024 3:10:50 PM PDT by pookie18 (You don’t have to be high on crack to enjoy Pookie’s Toons! - Tell It Right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

The very first words written about Budda were penned 600 yearas after his assumed death. There is no documented proof he ever existed.


11 posted on 05/23/2024 3:51:40 PM PDT by Lou Foxwell (The bleak winter of catastrophe is upon us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson