is it possible for someone to be both a buddhist and a republican?

[Gato Moteado]

kind of a silly question, i know, especially since we have so many self professed christians that are also republicans even though the two things are diametrically opposed.

i met someone that supports mccain/palin but also calls herself a buddhist. that's odd to me.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. Maybe now and zen.

:hide:

[Greyhound]

9. You should hide for that.

*Greyhound slaps SA in the back of the head*

:rofl::grr::rofl:

[dbonds]

2. I would say she would be confused about 1 or the other.

[enough]

3. There is a character in Richard Ford's novel THE LAY OF THE LAND

who is a Buddhist and a Republican. He's a naturalized American citizen originally from Tibet.

[InvisibleTouch]

4. I suppose just as there are phony Christians, there are phony Buddhists...

...and phony Hindus, phony Wiccans, etc. etc., more interested in the trappings and rituals than the actual heart of the belief system (which requires no trappings, IMO, but many people seem to crave ritual to solidify a set of beliefs). So yes, I don't find it at all unlikely.

[xiamiam]

5. no...no harm to any living thing and all that...nt

[Warpy]

6. Ask a few more questions

She might be one of those Nichiren Shoshu Buddhists, the fascist wing of the large Buddhist tent. Or she might not really have gotten the point. Or she might be non political and simply not paying attention to where the GOP is at. There are a lot of possibilities.

However, the selfishness of the GOP is totally at odds with Buddhism as it is with Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and just about any other ism out there except Objectivism.

[juno jones]

8. I knew someone whose brother was a member of that sect.

It amazed me to find out that there were ignorant, non-compasionate buddhists out there. I seem to remember (this was twenty years ago at least) that one of the reasons they are so uptight is their belief that Buddha enjoyed a 'virgin' birth, not unlike Jesus and is a divinty or god of sorts. Which of course, throws them back into 'my-god-can-beat-up-your-god' teritory.

[lilymidnite]

7. odd to me too

One *could* conjecture about the depth of this person's practice. But it's not for me to say.

Personally, I can't sync up compassion with most Republican policies.
Also, some Democrats support ideas that go against Buddhist precepts (such as death penalty).

I'm surrounded by Buddhists for some time every day. I've never met a Republican in that circle who is actually practicing.

[baby_mouse]

10. Republican ideology is centred entirely about the material world. Buddhism is the opposite.

I think of few positions more incompatible.

[Lucian]

11. I wouldn't think so.