How strong is your faith?

Question

In 1963, Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk from Viet Nam set himself on fire to protest the violence and religious oppression of his own country. He sat in the middle of the street, doused himself with gasoline, and lit it. He then sat quietly and calmly until the flames consumed his body and killed him.

How does your faith compare?

For those of you who are not Buddhists (I'm sure there are at least one or two non-Buddhists in here tonight), how do you feel about Duc's display of faith? How does it make you feel about your own?

Thanks in advance for thoughtful answers.

(more info)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Quang_Duc
http://images.google.com/images?q=thich+quang+duc&hl=en&um=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title

Answer 1

It was truly an amazing display of the human will.

As for how my faith compares... Gods willing, I will never have to find out.

Answer 2

One less very brave, idealistic imbecile.

Passive aggressiveness is a fools dream. There is the world the way we wish it would be, and then there is the world the way it is. One can not change the world into what one wishes, until one accepts and learns to function in the world the way it is.

The reality is, brute force has solved more problems than any other method in history, and if you aren't going to use it, you sure as hell better know what to do if it's used against you, because life isn't fair, and if you can't roll with stuff, it rolls over you (or immolates you.)

Answer 3

This reminds me of an old news story. Some decades ago, a Buddhist lit himself on fire in protest of the war. He then realized he made a terrible mistake and tried to run to water, but ended up dying without dignity.

And I'm an atheist, and I have no faith in religion.

Answer 4

My faith in what? I don't get what people see in it, really. It is belief without substance.

Personally, I think Duc is now just a dead guy. He could have done much more being alive than dead. And it is usually religion that spurs on more violence and oppression. Religion can make almost any situation worse.

Answer 5

Oh man I remember those pictures of this. I cannot imagine his determination and will.

I would never do such a thing and I don't believe that God would demand it either.

I think that we should all go with what makes sense to us. There are many roads and it doesn't matter which road we take to God.

I can only think of one cause that I would give my life for and that would be my son, of course.

Answer 6

I don't think that's really faith. That is committing suicide, and suicide is a sin. It was nice of him to protest violence, but I don't see how lighting himself on fire convinced anyone to stop fighting. I'd just say, "What the heck is that guy doing?" And then keep fighting (if I were a violent person).

Answer 7

He was protesting. His fortitude of spirit shows that he was very disciplined. What was he hoping to accomplish through his faith when he committed this act? That violence would end by one simple act? It seems like blind faith to me, if you want to call his suicide an act of faith.

My faith isn't comparable to his. I wouldn't do something so foolish. I feel more grounded in the wisdom of my faith, thanks.

Answer 8

I have only one faith and that is in myself

Love & Blessings
Milly

Answer 9

I think he could not handle life and killed himself, thank God God never asks any of us to kill our self's for faith.....maybe die for you faith, but not put a gut to you head and pull the trigger.

and what good is the dead, if he really cared he would have spent all his life trying to fix the problem, no matter how little he could do.

Answer 10

My faith is on humanity and I don't need to burn out to prove that.