Good teacher, bad teacher links

by: mroaks

Sun Jun 06, 2010 at 16:44:18 PM MDT

It is very easy to be led astray by a charismatic teacher. They usually have an agenda. They believe that the end justifies the means. Since they are a living Buddha, they may expect you to ignore your own sense of ethics and integrity in order to help promote them and their teachings.  It's okay if you engage in unethical behavior, you're serving a greater cause - them.

More links after the jump...

So where does the line between teacher and guru lie?  Where and when can we remove the myth and legend away from the actual person?  Or should we?

NellaLou at Smilin' Buddha Cabaret delves into the nitty gritty and analyzes how members of faith communities respond to allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior between teachers/gurus and students:

There is one reaction that often underlies many of the others. It is embedded in Judeo-Christian culture and generally goes unrecognized. It is a belief that women are by nature dependent upon men in most ways and seek some kind of submissive relationship. It posits women as being weak and inferior as well as conniving and untrustworthy seductresses.

I also have to post an obligatory Soka-bashing link: You call this Buddhism? I call it trolling for recruits:

Watch out for the Buddhists amidst the feathered headdresses and scantily clad samba dancers in this weekend's Carnaval parade in San Francisco. The colorful Latino parade will include Soka Gokkai International, a Buddhist troupe making its first Carnaval appearance.

"We are an international movement for peace, culture and education," Dianne Douglas, community relations director for the Northern California region, told El Telecote. "Our core activity is neighborhood discussion meetings...the real basis of our movement is dialogue among people in their community."

I hear ya loud and clear. The "real basis" of your movement has nothing to do with Nichiren Buddhism.