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Brother_Jones
- the cross and the lotus
In response to
Dogmatism & Buddhism posted by
paper_turtle:
There are some similarities in the teachings of Christ and Buddha but it doesn't seem even remotely similar in the idea of making a covenant with God.
C.S. Song writes:
...the cross and the lotus seem to have little in common, at first sight at any rate. The lotus springs from the surface of the water. When the wind blows and the water moves, the lotus also moves. It seems in perfect harmony with nature around it. In short, it gives the appearance of being at peace with itself. In contrast, the cross strikes out powerfully, painfully, and defiantly from the earth. It penetrates space and is incongrous with nature. The lotus appeals to our aethetic feelings, whereas the cross is revolting to the eyes of the beholder. The lotus is soft in texture and graceful in shape, while the cross is hard and harsh. The lotus moves with nature, whereas the cross stands ruggedly and tragically out of the barren earth. The lotus distinguishes itself in gentleness, while the cross is the epitome of human brutality. The lotus beckons and the cross repels. Indeed, what has the cross to do with the lotus? They represent two entirely different spiritualities which seem to be totally incompatible. They seem to have nothing in common.
Song does go on his book about what they do have in common after he sets the stage for the problem of suffering in such different cultures.
C.S. Song from Third Eye Theology; Theology in Formation in Asian Settings, 1990, p. 109.
i am just an oldtimer for the Lord.
