Why do Christians burn down Buddhist temples?

Question

I am asking why because I lived in South Korea in my teen years and I am Buddhist. I was liveing there because my gradmother was dieing of cancer. Twice our temple was burnt down by Evangelists and Protestants. both on a missany from the United States. and I want to know why they burnt down our Temples

Some of you are wondering why wasn't this on the news I remember going home that day and on the news Tokyo had a musted gas bombing in there subways that same day. and mind you I was in North Korea at this time. Not Japan or the United States.

Answer 1

To burn down a temple (or church or mosque) is an act of intolerance and hatred. I'm sorry to hear it happened (but I feel compelled to say I am not Christian).

It does happen - I hear a church a week or so gets torched in Indonesia. It's sometimes a hate and intolerance filled world we live in. Maybe these missionaries thought they were restoring some balance.

Answer 2

I don't know why and they should not! Buddhist are peaceful people! I am ashamed that they did. What gave them the right to do that! What bugs me is that the Christians go into other countries that already have a religion and try to convert them. They probably think they are better than the Buddhist. I'm so sorry that they did. They think they can come into a country like they own the place and convert. I bet they would not like it if a group of Buddhist came into America and burned down churches. Think before you speak and think before your actions. Is the motto people should live by. I'm appalled at what happened it angers me to hear this. I don't hate them I'm just surprised that they did that. Some of the people who take it to the next level like those people you see on Day Star and stations like those and some others think people out of their religions are not right a heathen and they should be saved. So they try to convert people to their religion. I had some bornagian Christians living on my street and they were taught to hate the catholics. I think they did that so that the people who were Buddhist would convert to their side but that's an awful way to do that. I don't know if I answered your question but I hope I helped out a little bit.

Answer 3

Sounds horrible and very outside the teachings of Jesus.

Can you add to details of where and when? Can you name the Missionaries? What Temple?

Edit;
OK I did a little research and I am very sad and sorry to learn that this is a true event the conflict between "Christians" and Buddhist is very real in Korea and most of the violence seems to be done by the "Christians" The 1990's seems to have been the worst time but the perscution is not over.
One reliable article I found;
http://www.homelands.org/worlds/korea.html

I can only respond that once again another group of people have adopted the name of "Christian" yet have completely failed to be Christ like.

I am so sorry this happened.

Was it the Hwagyesa Monastery?

Answer 4

First of all, I'm a Genuine Muslim and although my impression of Christians is that they are kind, peaceful, and very tolerating people, the fact remains that evil, corruption, falsehood, injustice, transgression etc etc, are a hard realities of life that we all are responsible of and must reckon with and extremism can be found in every religion including Atheism (I consider any major believe, be it true or false, to be a form of religion).

Democracy is a sacred concept (in my religion) and is the best utmost fair system in the world that all people should embrace and abide by. based on democracy, people have the right to chose the way of life they choose to live by and that includes how much they are willing to tolerate other religions and other ways of life.

No system is perfect and -generally speaking- the quality of any given government is a reflection of the people's religious quality (the quality of their believe). Unless in cases of self-defence or protection of others from immediate danger, no one has the right to take the law into his or her own hand or else there will be chaos.

The worst believe (which should be dealt with seriously) is called Apostasy law which exist in the believe of those who claim to be Muslims and maybe some other religions. A law that says that anyone who changes his religion and does not repent should be executed!

http://www.genuine-islam.com/freedom_of_religion.html

Being a genuine Muslim, not a traditional Sunni or Shia so-called Muslim, I know that Islam is totally innocent from such a believe.

Answer 5

Dear Soo H,

First let me say that i'm very sorry to hear about your past negative experiences with those who claim to be Christians. As a Christian who is considering going on full-time missions first let me say that whoever perpetrated this crime was most likely not a true missionary.

The process to go overseas as a short term missionary (and i've gone on many overseas trips short-term) involves serious character screening processes- and anyone who is long-term overseas is usually sent through an agency or a church- who would not support such an action. The purpose of missions is to reach people with the love of God. Committing a crime and hurting people is quite contrary to the purpose of missions.

I can't vouch for the truthfulness of what you're sharing- but i can share with you that the people who did that do not represent who Christ is. And i don't think it is an accurate reflection of Christians and Jesus specifically.

It is kind of like when members of the KKK claim to be Christian. The truth is anyone can claim to be Christian but you can know whether they truly follow Jesus by their actions and by their lives. Those actions are most certainly not befitting of one who claims to follow Jesus.

I'm sorry your temples were burnt down, and sorry for the terrible pain and losses you suffered as a result of that.

Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 6

I am a Buddhist, most likely a completely different sect, BUT I do know this to be true. The answer above "if this is true why wasn't it in the news" is funny to me.

As if the church wants people to know how it treats the "rest of us".

Guess some would be shocked to know there are also Christian missions to Africa which refuse to help non-Christian children.

A question for you, I don't expect an answer. Are marriages done within your sect legally recognized in the USA? A country with a still very Christian Religious government. They are not legally recognized from my sect... despite its international recognition and seat in the UN.

Note: I find it very sad when the ruling body and the majority of the people are out of sync. "The Church" does some horrible things, all of them have, but most Christians you mean and very decent, loving folk....

Answer 7

Some christians believe that their religion is the right relgion so badly that they go to drastic measures to "show gods wrath".

even here in the united states, christians in Iowa protest the funerals of our soldiers who died in Iraq with posters and signs saying things similar to "thank god for dead soldiers" and "thank god for 9/11". they believe that gods wrath is apon us all, and they will prove it any way they can, even if its with their own hands.

not all christians are bad, just the ones who feel obligated to push their religion onto others who really don't need guidance.
I'm sorry for your grandmother and you, I hope all is well in your future.

I'm not exactly christian, I go by an alternative that Benjamin Franklin used called Deism.

Answer 8

The reason is that they're not true Christians. A true Christian would never do anything that is violent or destructive.

Matthew 22:36-39
“Teacher [Jesus], which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’

1 John 4:20-21
If anyone makes the statement: “I love God,” and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also.

Answer 9

To ruin ancient history, if God didn't put it there, man did, so lets burn the evidence to piss off the logical thinking people.

Answer 10

I have no idea why they do this. Evangelicals and Protestants are as varied as the fauna and flora in a forest. No matter their reasons, they are in sin, maligning Christ, and committing crimes. Turn them in and have them arrested. There is no justification or right to this sort of garbage, especially in our modern world.