Lunch with the Pope or Dalai Lama? [POLL]

[Mr_Adams]

Had this conversation with somebody from work after Piers Morgan interviewed the Dalai Lama. So, your choice. Who would you rather have lunch with?

[chang50]

Had this conversation with somebody from work after Piers Morgan interviewed the Dalai Lama. So, your choice. Who would you rather have lunch with?

The Dalai Lama would be much more interesting and instructive for me,even though I am not a Buddhist.Coming from a 'Western' background as I do,I think I would gain more from talking to the DL.

[Juan_Bottom]

Well I hate Nazis-racists and I also hate child rapists. Racists and rapists are two things that I hate. So this one is easy for me; I'm going with the Llama. Now, I don't think he's particularly smart or anything, so I'd be willing to sell or trade my lunch for something cool. But I wouldn't mind asking him WTF is up with him endorsing people setting themselves on fire, ya know?

[Army of GOD]

llama

[Mr_Adams]

llama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llama ?

[Army of GOD]

llama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llama ?

[Mr_Adams]

Dalai Lama:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama

[Army of GOD]

Dalai Lama:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama

the letter q: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q

[Maugena]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

[Mr_Adams]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

Piers Morgan had an interview with his holiness last week. look it up. very good, I watched it twice. very interesting man.

[chang50]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

Indeed some people say Buddhism and some other Eastern religions are more philosophy than religion,having lived in Thailand for over 4 years,and married a Thai Buddhist, I can testify the differences between Christianity,which by background I am familiar with,and Buddhism are enormous.

[AndyDufresne]

I probably have a closer world view with the Dalai Lama than with the Pope, so I'd choose him. Plus, his smile and laugh is pretty infectious.


--Andy

[2dimes]

[Army of GOD]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

don't the head cardinals or whatever have a debate for the new Pope too?

[saxitoxin]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

Indeed some people say Buddhism and some other Eastern religions are more philosophy than religion,having lived in Thailand for over 4 years,and married a Thai Buddhist, I can testify the differences between Christianity,which by background I am familiar with,and Buddhism are enormous.

I don't have chang50's breadth of experience with Buddhism, however, once I visited a Buddhist monastery adjacent to a Tibetan refuge camp in India. My taxi driver insisted I go there, though I was headed elsewhere and had no real desire to visit the place. On arrival I was handed over to a Buddhist monk who was probably 17 years old. He took me to the Abbot's room and then told me to give him $50. I did - he took me inside, told me to bow in front of the Abbot. The Abbot then looked over at me, turned down the volume on his television, threw a cheap polyester prayer cloth around my neck and murmured a blessing, then I was led back out and to the waiting taxi driver, who I'm pretty sure got a cut of the cash.

I guess the only reason I bring this up is to note that the depictions of ethically pure monks sitting in the forest communing with nature may (or may not) be as much a product of Hollywood as Ninjas. That said, to be fair, I guess someone's got to pay the cable bill at the monastery.

Again, though, that was one experience and I'm hardly an expert.

[BigBallinStalin]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

Indeed some people say Buddhism and some other Eastern religions are more philosophy than religion,having lived in Thailand for over 4 years,and married a Thai Buddhist, I can testify the differences between Christianity,which by background I am familiar with,and Buddhism are enormous.

I don't have chang50's breadth of experience with Buddhism, however, once I visited a Buddhist monastery adjacent to a Tibetan refuge camp in India. My taxi driver insisted I go there, though I was headed elsewhere and had no real desire to visit the place. On arrival I was handed over to a Buddhist monk who was probably 17 years old. He took me to the Abbot's room and then told me to give him $50. I did - he took me inside, told me to bow in front of the Abbot. The Abbot then looked over at me, turned down the volume on his television, threw a cheap polyester prayer cloth around my neck and murmured a blessing, then I was led back out and to the waiting taxi driver, who I'm pretty sure got a cut of the cash.

I guess the only reason I bring this up is to note that the depictions of ethically pure monks sitting in the forest communing with nature may (or may not) be as much a product of Hollywood as Ninjas. That said, to be fair, I guess someone's got to pay the cable bill at the monastery.

Again, though, that was one experience and I'm hardly an expert.

What do have against Ninjas?

[AndyDufresne]

He's probably just an Anti-Ninjite.

Saxi, are you an Anti-Dentite as well?




--Andy

[BigBallinStalin]

THIS IS SERIOUS, ANDY.

I AM AGAINST BIGOTED REMARKS ON MY NINJA BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

[Mr_Adams]

I find this interesting. an English speaking forum, majorly comprised of Americans, and therefore, presumably far more Catholics than Buddhists, and yet only 2 votes for the Pope? Not that I object, but I'd think people would be more inclined to talk to a leader more closely associated with their culture. I now wonder, what if the poll were Obama or the Dali Lama what the results would be? My vote wouldn't change.

[chang50]

Dalai Lama.
Philosophical thinking is one of their main focuses as opposed to, 'hOW i pReeZ gaWd'?
They even hold a debate for who is to be the successor to the Dalai Lama, if what I had read in the past is correct.
Honestly, I'd like to be able to talk to him/one of his subordinates some day just to see where my thoughts are in comparison to theirs.

Indeed some people say Buddhism and some other Eastern religions are more philosophy than religion,having lived in Thailand for over 4 years,and married a Thai Buddhist, I can testify the differences between Christianity,which by background I am familiar with,and Buddhism are enormous.

I don't have chang50's breadth of experience with Buddhism, however, once I visited a Buddhist monastery adjacent to a Tibetan refuge camp in India. My taxi driver insisted I go there, though I was headed elsewhere and had no real desire to visit the place. On arrival I was handed over to a Buddhist monk who was probably 17 years old. He took me to the Abbot's room and then told me to give him $50. I did - he took me inside, told me to bow in front of the Abbot. The Abbot then looked over at me, turned down the volume on his television, threw a cheap polyester prayer cloth around my neck and murmured a blessing, then I was led back out and to the waiting taxi driver, who I'm pretty sure got a cut of the cash.

I guess the only reason I bring this up is to note that the depictions of ethically pure monks sitting in the forest communing with nature may (or may not) be as much a product of Hollywood as Ninjas. That said, to be fair, I guess someone's got to pay the cable bill at the monastery.

Again, though, that was one experience and I'm hardly an expert.

Your story rings true to me,a lot of Westerners,including myself formerly,see Eastern religion generally thru rose-tinted spectacles.