Expert: Alex Wilding - 3/9/2008

Question
Hi,
I'm also supposed to interview Buddhist for a school assignment. If you have
a chance, can you please answer the following questions? Thank you so much
for your time!

1.) Do you feel that the majority of people in today's world who do not
practice Buddhism have a good understanding of the religion? If not, what do
you believe the general stereotypes are?

2.) How do people usually react when they find out that you are a Buddhist?

3.) Do you find it difficult to practice Buddhism in the "modern" world?

4.) Please answer this if your religion affects your answer to the question:
What do you believe is the most significant problem in our world today?

Answer
Dear Rebecca,
1.) Do you feel that the majority of people in today's world who do not practice Buddhism have a good understanding of the religion? If not, what do you believe the general stereotypes are?
Probably not, but I have to ask how well we Buddhists in general understand Buddhism! Some stereotypes I've come across are:
a) it's depressing, world-denying, negative
b) it's all sweetness and light and pastel colours and music with gentle gongs
c) it's just another religion with Buddha instead of Mohammed/Jesus/God....
But I would not be sure which of these are actually common - that would take a lot of asking!

2.) How do people usually react when they find out that you are a Buddhist?
Unfortunately I can't claim that they say "Oh, that's why you are so happy and kind and wise!". But sometimes they do react with "But you're quite normal!"

3.) Do you find it difficult to practice Buddhism in the "modern" world?
Really developing compassion and wisdom, being kind and fair, clarifying our minds and being less self-obsessed: the difficulties involved in that are mainly in our minds and hearts, so not much different now from in the past. Coming down to detail, some things are easier now (like being confident that we won't starve), but we do have a lot of distractions in today's world, so its easy just to drift along.


4.) Please answer this if your religion affects your answer to the question:
What do you believe is the most significant problem in our world today?
Human stupidity, much as it always was. Not seeing that in the end, greedy, hateful acts hurt ourselves as well as the obvious victims.

I hope that helps a bit!
All the best
Alex Wilding