Author |
Message |
Allietex
Member
08-16-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 12:00 pm
I can cut the Christian talk show lady some slack. She was thrown into a situation on the spur of the moment without a lot of time to think. Bowing to a Buddist statue during a ceremony conducted by Buddist monks would seem very much like a religious ceremony. I bet if we had not been told it was not religious, we would have thought it was. She felt very uncomfortable about it. She did try, but she just couldn't do it. It felt wrong to her. And after all, she did not storm out, she slipped out quietly, and she was crying. She felt badly about it, but she did what she thought was right Some may see it as rude and as not respecting other beliefs, but we really do not know the depth of her beliefs. I think the show is wrong in throwing people into situations like this with no warning. I think it is disrespectful of people's religious beliefs to put them on the spot like that. It puts them into the position of having to do something that feels wrong or in appearing self righteous and rude. Not a very comfortable spot to be in. I kind of admire her courage in making a decision that was bound to draw critism. It would have been much easier to go along.
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Mack
Member
07-23-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 12:02 pm
Kind of liked Chicken and wished he'd stayed longer. It was obvious he was toast because he was trying to teach them something but it came across as "attitude". Favorite so far is James, least favorite is Courtney.
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Nan
Member
09-25-2000
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 12:13 pm
Allietex I so agree with you concerning Leslie. While we were watching, I told my son, that I would not be able to go thru with something like that...it cuts at the core of my belief. I also applaud her not following through, as was said she was not indignant, but declined respectfully......I think she showed integrity.....and a courage for her convictions.
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Prisonerno6
Member
08-31-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 12:22 pm
Unfortunately for me, it showed Western religious ethnocentrism in its lack of understanding of Buddhism.
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Auntiemike
Member
09-17-2001
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 12:55 pm
Aaaaah, but Buddhism is a religion and Jeff clearly stated that this was a welcoming ceremony. I applaud her for standing by her beliefs in a quiet, respectful way. Good integrity; not a lack of understanding of Buddhism at all. Perhaps it was more a showing of her clear understanding of her Christian faith. She showed courage to stand by her convictions and what defines who she is.
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Denecee
Member
09-05-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:08 pm
I don't think it goes against her religion to have been a part of the ceremony and the show, but then I don't know what her beliefs are. It is Survivor, not Prove your Religion. I'm not trying to be mean her, just trying to understand. Acceptance of others does not mean that you are going against your own beliefs, does it? I mean, just because a person goes to church, that doesn't make them a Christian.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:17 pm
and we all know Survivor is a highly righteous game that promotes Christian values. If she had a hard time in the temple with Buddha idol/statues how is she going to justify this game she signed up for on her on free will? Isn't their an immunity idol involved that they worship?
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Karen
Member
09-07-2004
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:24 pm
I'm not religious in any way, shape or form, so maybe my input is moot. I think a lot of people who are devout in their faith (be it Christian or otherwise) have a hard time finding the distinction between religious and spiritual. Jeff distinctly told them that it was NOT a religious ceremony. Sure, the people presenting the ceremony were Buddhist, and the ceremony was presented in a Buddhist temple, but it was a spiritual welcoming to the location. The notion that she was bowing to another god was preconceived in her head only. Not to fault her for it -- if she truly believes that her God will look unfavorably on her for participating -- that's her own choice. I personally think it's a misguided choice, an eyes-wide-shut choice, but it is her choice.
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Spelll
Member
09-16-2005
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:29 pm
I think she mostly had a problem with idol type things. When they won immunity and she was handed the immunity idol, she refused to touch it too.
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Mocha
Member
08-12-2001
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:29 pm
Allie I was actually referring to the blond not the Catholic talk show host.
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Karen
Member
09-07-2004
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:31 pm
...the one who kept being corrected by the monk on the proper way to bow? Seriously, we were there bowing for daayyyyysss! (insert best Dani whine here...)
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Wahmmy
Member
07-24-2005
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:32 pm
The church lady should have just "tolerated" their ceremony, I think. I did crack up watching that Buddhist smack the Gwen Stefani looking girl around though. I thought that the Catholic nuns I had in grade school were tough!
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Spelll
Member
09-16-2005
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:35 pm
LOL on the "Dani whine"...
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Allietex
Member
08-16-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:47 pm
I think she came to a halt when it came to bowing to the statue of Budda. That would cut deeply into the beliefs of many Christians. Not participating in what seemed to her a religious ceremony is a far cry from not being accepting of others or not respecting other's beliefs. It was just a matter of respecting her own. I would never want someone from another religion to feel pressured to actually participate in a ceremony in my church and would certainly not be offened if they didn't. I would feel pressuring someone to do so would be disrespectful to their beliefs. But I would certainly welcome anyone who wanted to or anyone who just wanted to observe. It does not have anything to do with Western religious ethonocentrism. Where does this belief that westerners are somehow less tolerant than other parts of the world when it comes to religion come from? I think most Americans are as respectful to other religions than their own as anyone. Do you really think that members of other religions are any more open to other beliefs. If that is so, then why is there so much conflict between religions everywhere in the world? I understand that Buddism is a very gentle, understanding religion, and I suspect they would be the first to understand that holding to your own beliefs is not disrespecting theirs. I hold the show responsible for putting her in a very uncomfortable position. I think it was very unfair.
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Allietex
Member
08-16-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:53 pm
I know, Mocha. I was not responding to your post but to the ones critizing the Christian talk show host who actually left the ceremony. I have little sympathy for the blond girl. She was actully being disrespectful. It is one thing to feel wrong about the ceremony and leave. That in my mind is not disrespectful. But to stay and act like she did, that was a whole lot worse in my mind.
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Maris
Member
03-28-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:56 pm
Personally, I think you all ought to cut Courtney some slack. Poor girl probably had a flashback and thought she was at Kennedy Airport.
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Nickovtyme
Member
07-29-2004
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:56 pm
I still say, as I did in my previous post that she could have went through the motions of the ceremony. It's all about intent. Just because you kneel in front of Buddha, does not mean you worship buddha. It's all about intent and mindset...Maybe not easy for her, but I could have gone, robotically, through the ceremony while thinking about football stats and never even occur to me that in some shape or form I might be honoring Buddha. I think y'all should cut Courtney some slack...she's from NYC for god's sake.
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Denecee
Member
09-05-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:58 pm
Do you really think that members of other religions are any more open to other beliefs. If that is so, then why is there so much conflict between religions everywhere in the world? Nope, I don't and I think that some leaders use their religious beliefs to justify a war that is really just about oil, but that's a can of worms we don't want to open here, lol. I agree Karen.
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Allietex
Member
08-16-2002
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 1:59 pm
LOL, Maris. She really made me wonder what she was doing there. I tried to watch for her in the competition and other times around camp, but they didn't show her much? Maybe she will shape up and win us over....or maybe not.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 2:08 pm
I think it's telling for both these women. If they can't deal with a Buddhist welcoming ceremony they probably won't deal well in a diverse tribal setting where 1 million dollars is up for grabs. And idols are god. Considering the states is overwhelming Christian and there are other religions with much less of a population ...when Christmas and Easter are thrown in everyones face and you can't turn sideways in December without having Christ there....I'd say other religions are tolerant.
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Wahmmy
Member
07-24-2005
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 2:16 pm
LOL, Maris!
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Northwestblonde
Member
09-01-2005
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 3:01 pm
Considering Jeff made it VERY clear it was not a religious ceremony, but a welcoming ceremony, the Christian talk show host lady should have respected the culture in which she is temporarily a part of and embrace the teachings of the person she says she worships and be more considerate of those who may differ from her.
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Nan
Member
09-25-2000
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 4:20 pm
Just wanted to add....maybe she was thinking of ... thou shalt have no other Gods before me.......thou shalt not bow down to other Gods....(Ten Commandments)........that is what kind of made me really leary......even though it was not a "religious" ceremony...the other God was there...and they were bowing. I think there is probably a fine line between respecting others ideas, and feeling as though you are being untrue to your own belief system. I myself would opt for sticking to my beliefs, and trust that people would understand. I think in this instance, her relationship with God was more important than doing something she felt would be wrong. I really do feel she showed integrity .
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Rehtse
Member
08-17-2005
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 4:30 pm
I can understand the religious lady. If I went to visit another church/temple, etc. during services, I would quietly observe but not participate. Heck, I have a heart attack when people of my own faith get their butts up from the pews to go to the front of the church to take communion when they know perfectly well that they've not been to confession in the recent past. Blasphemy!
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, September 21, 2007 - 4:47 pm
The Buddist "monk" giving the corrections to Courtney must have actually been a "nun." Monks are not allowed to touch women. In fact when I would substitute in ESL classes where there were three Buddist monks, I had to remind myself to not hand materials directly to them. They had to be handled by another male first!
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