My brother just came back from a visit to Hong Kong and brought me a small jade figure of the Buddha as a souvenir. I am Lutheran, so the Buddha means nothing to me from a religious standpoint, I just look at it as an interesting little object. However, the gift started me thinking whether those practicing Buddhism would view such a gift as sacreligious, since it was given not in a spirit of religious respect, but in the spirit of "hey, this is neat!" And whether those who are not Christian get statues of Jesus or the Virgin Mary as souvenirs when they visit Jerusalem or Rome?
2007-02-18 12:34:07 · 8 answers · asked by Lepke 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Not all religions view statues and idols as sacrilege. It is in the Torah/Old Testament that "thou shalt not make graven images...". That is a Judeo-Christian belief. For many religions, a statue, or trinket of the image of their gods is a good luck charm and shows the gods that you are thinking of them and carrying them with you. Think of all he statues of the Egyptian, Greek, Roman gods from old. They honored their gods by building statues of them. Buddhists would not be offended unless by your brother's gift, they would be okay if it meant nothing to you so long as you weren't building a horrid shrine to dismember it or some other atrosity. It is very kind and a very global courtesy to think that they might be offended. If no one else ever says it, thank you for the kindness toward religions other than your own.
2007-02-18 13:23:14 · answer #1 · answered by Huggles-the-wise 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also have a Buddha. I too don't look at it as anything religious at all. I am a Christian.
I have never had any say anything to me about me having such within my home - and I do know those that practice Buddhism. I would think that they would at least have brought it up if such was a view that they had if only to point out their own personal view.
I have no doubt that there are people that when they go to Rome or Jerusalem that buy those little statues of Mary and/or Jesus. Such doesn't bother me at all since I don't hold that such a statue is anything to be considered holy or sacred.
Both are just statues.
I am sure that there are some that might on either side. I am not one of those types and neither are the people that I know.
2007-02-18 13:19:43 · answer #2 · answered by Toe the line 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All the time. I get Jesus figures and crosses all the time. I'm not Christian. I usually give them to the salvation army because I don't like to throw anything out that may mean something to someone. About 2 years ago, I wrote off a cross for $500 bucks for tax purposes and got audited. The funny thing is they said Jesus was only worth $2.50.
2007-02-18 12:38:57 · answer #3 · answered by PrettyEskimo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhists do not believe that giving a Buddha statue to a non-Buddhist is sacreligious.
2007-02-18 12:40:14 · answer #4 · answered by Chris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Regardless. It's still just a chunk of wood or stone or other earthly element. If you were to give any priority to these man made things you would be guilty of transgressing the 2nd commandment by worshipping a graven image.
2007-02-18 12:46:36 · answer #5 · answered by ScottyJae 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a pair of different takes in this: one million. James grow to be the son of Mary, born after Jesus. Jesus grow to be a virgin delivery, yet James grow to be no longer. Mary grow to be no longer, subsequently, *continuously* virgin. 2. James grow to be a one million/2-brother of Jesus, the son of Joseph via a prior marriage. Mary grow to be no longer his mom, yet his stepmother. 3. The term “brother” is used loosely (as, curiously, it many times grow to be in colloquial speech of the time). James is a relative of Jesus yet no longer certainly a brother; consistent with hazard a cousin. Any of those readings is consistent with scripture. many times, the 1st examining is many times favoured via Protestants, the 2d via eastern Christians and the third via Catholics.
2016-10-15 23:30:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
never thought of that...I guess it's okay to purchase religious souvenirs as long as they know that they are considered sacred or important by many people. It may draw their curiosity also, which is good for evangelization..
2007-02-18 12:38:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, they're pretty cool if you manage to collect the whole set.
You can put them next to your souvenir statues of Muhammed, allah, and others.
2007-02-18 12:39:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋