Posted on 12/09/2004 3:13:31 PM PST by fishtank
Lords of the Rings star embraces Buddhism
Item 9652 • Posted: Wed, Dec. 08 2004 • Weblogged by ReligionNewsBlog.com
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Hindustan Times (India), Dec. 6, 2004 http://www.hindustantimes.com
Another Hollywood star Orlando Bloom is to become a Buddhist. The Lord of the Rings star, 27, took part in an hour long ceremony at a centre to commit himself to the faith, according to a Mirror report.
Orlando, who jealously guards his private life, joined 60 other fledgling Buddhists at the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist movement HQ at Taplow Court Mansion in Maidenhead, Berkshire. A visitor was cited: "He looked really happy. He looked comfortable and quite excited."
Bloom was presented with his Gohonzon, a scroll with Chinese and Sanskrit characters on it. Dressed in jeans, a camel coloured sweater and shirt, he accepted his scroll from centre director Ricky Baynes. An onlooker said: "He shook Ricky's hand like the other people getting their Gohonzons and looked calm."
"When everyone had theirs we all clapped and cheered. Afterwards we all had a cup of tea together and Orlando went to the gift shop. People were queuing up to get his autograph and have their picture take with him. He was very friendly and didn't seem to mind."
Orlando said his Gohonzon would take place of pride in his home. It is likely to be kept in a wooden shrine, surrounded by candles. He would chant the holy Japanese mantra nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the scroll twice a day. He must also read and recite two chapters from the Lotus Sutra holy scripture.
Orlando, who played elf Legolas in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has never publicly spoken about his religious faith but has often been seen clutching Buddhist prayer beads.
You are dead wrong. Look at all the fierce battles between Thais and Burmese.
Glad to hear that. Speaking of which...what the heck is the allure with Paris Hilton anyway? The girl looks like a bleached-out Ethiopian kewpie doll. Yecch!
That's a fantastic ME site.Isn't it though?!
Encyclopedia of Arda kicks arse.
Um, WWII?
ROFL! You crack me up.....
Good one. Except for two things: It was Japanese Imperialism which sent them to war, not their religion (although they relied heavily on it while at war, as anyone does), and,
The Japanese practice a particularly primitive, animist form of Buddhism called Shinto, and is quite different from the many other sects of Buddhism.
Most of those wre Shinto.
IIRC Buddhists are in the minority in Japan- the no. 1 religion there is Shintoism (sp?).
Trust fund babies are always fascinating. The concept of being born into millions and never having to apply yourself to employment of any kind and float through life in luxury is unfathomable to most people and she's a walking example of that.
And being stupid enough to videotape yourself doing your boyfriends and then letting those videotapes get stolen - wherein they appear at the speed of light on the Internet for the world to see - well, her parents must be proud.
But you're right. She looks odd - she has a doper biker chick look to her and she's only 20 or so.
I had buddhist neighbors, they would hold meeting and people would chant and chant and they were loud! One time one of the people there were blocking our driveway so I had to go in their house. I rang the bell but over the chanting they could not hear it. I walked in and was tapping people on the should one by one. I didn't get any response, they were in some sort of trance and my tapping did get harder from person to person. I was also yelling in their ears to no avail. They had a little temple inside with a scroll, bowls of fruit and according to the neighbor kids they had voodoo dolls. One of the neighbor kids went to spend the night because he was friends with the buddhist child, he came home screaming in the middle of the night over something he had seen. Never did find out what it was.
There's a sock-puppet joke in there somewhere...
Didn't Melanie go on Oprah and announce Antonio was a communist and received applause from the audience?
Well, somebody had to say it. Anyone know if there's any Buddhist doctrine regarding homosexuality?
I could not see anything attractive in him in that movie at all.
He was not much better in "Pirates of the Caribbean" IMO.
Since I'm only allowed to look, it doesn't really matter what he is. In fact, I've already given him a different name!
Who cares, that's his right. At least he doesn't make everyone around convert as well, as Madonna seems to do.
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