Reactions to the Navy Yard Shooting and Aaron Alexis’ Buddhist background

[cbayer]

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/09/17/twitter-reactions-navyyardshooting-aaron-alexiss-buddhist-background/

Cathy Lynn Grossman and Sarah Pulliam Bailey | Sep 17, 2013


Photo of Aaron Alexis courtesy FBI


A killer buddhist? It doesn’t seem to make theological sense.

Consider the mentally troubled Aaron Alexis, who police say killed 12 at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C., on Monday. He once meditated twice a week at a Buddhist temple, according to reports from Texas. It appeared like just one more detail in a full portrait of a man thrust into the headlines – along with his education, work and mental health history and his personal passion for violent video games.

But when does the religion of a mass killer make sense?

Does it only matter if faith is the motive?

more at link

[Warpy]

1. They're looking for somebody to blame here

for whatever mental processes turned him into a random mass murderer.

Any non Christian philosophy, even a totally pacifist one like Buddhism, is suspect.

The fact that he once meditated is a superfluous one. Perhaps he was desperate to bring his emotional demons under control and hoped meditation was a way to do that. It didn't work and he left.

We do know his emotional demons were with him for a very long time. His general discharge from the navy for improper use of his gun is proof of that.

He should never have had access to a gun as a civilian. That's where the legal system broke down, just as the NRA designed it to break down.

The other breakdown was in the social stigma still attached to mental disease. When the brain gets sick, it's a moral failure. No other organ in the human body is treated that way.

However, the religious angle is a bogus one in this case.

[cbayer]

5. Agree with most of what you say here.

In people's attempt to understand things that are beyond understanding, they will often turn to religions or other "spiritual" schools of thoughts to make sense out of what they are experiencing. And the stigma surrounding psychiatric disorders, which limits access to care, exacerbates the problem.

The issue of how he had access to weapons is a much more important question.

Signed,

"That One"

[Wait Wut]

2. Buddhism isn't technically a religion...

...though most of us don't care that you call it one.

Buddhism attracts a lot of people with minor mental health issues (stress, anxiety, minor depression). The peaceful nature and 'self help' atmosphere is helpful for them. In fact, that's sort of how I discovered Buddhism. After having a stress related heart attack at 34, my doctor (she was Chinese and amazing), suggested that I go to our local Buddhist temple and learn meditation. I passed on the temple (I don't do public very well), but picked up some books at the library.

Did it help? Oh...absolutely. It's been 15 years. I'm a lousy Buddhist, but it doesn't matter. Being a 'good' Buddhist is the goal. The journey is being lousy at it.

Aaron obviously had some internal demons he was struggling with. Buddhism was probably his way of 'self medicating', so to speak. Unfortunately, he should have sought more professional help along with the meditation.

[cbayer]

4. I also turned to Buddhism during a period of high stress in my life.

Someone recommended the book "It's Easier Than You Think" and it profoundly changed my life view. I still turn to things I learned from it at times.

I agree with you that this man was very troubled and he probably looked to Buddhism for solace.

I also agree with the article, that religion is a minor factor that is way overplayed by the press in cases like this.

[libdem4life]

3. Neither does a killer christian make any sense.

Most religions have historically had their "faith-based wars". I have a memory of GWB's rationalizations that sounded a lot like the 1st millennium Crusaders.

[cbayer]

6. I think W might have actually seen himself as a crusader.

In some cases, someone's religious beliefs do, in fact, play a critical role in their actions.

[trotsky]

7. I'm glad to see this evolution in your position, cbayer.

It is a welcome change.

[cleanhippie]

9. While it would seem that pride is getting in the way of a complete admission of wrong...

Her positions are certainly changing.

I just wish she would acknowledge the hypocrisy she has demonstrated instead of pretending it never happened.

But progress is progress, I guess.

[trotsky]

10. Progress is indeed progress.

And I will embrace and encourage it.

[cleanhippie]

11. Ditto. But will it be reciprocated?

[trotsky]

13. We have no choice but to wait and see, I guess!

All I can do is make an effort to communicate.

[libdem4life]

16. From a cultural perspective, religion is as integral as language and family structure

whether we practice or acknowledge it or not.

Did seem that W just needed another excuse for his actions. And, he was soundly called out on it.

[cbayer]

17. I also think that religious beliefs or non-beliefs can be an integral part of some

people - something they do not choose, but just are. How this gets expressed is certainly molded to a large extent by the culture they are raised in.

I'm not sure whether W really believes or not, but I tend to think he honestly thought he had been given some kind of mission driven by god.

In the end, however, I think he was just a tool of political operatives.

[libdem4life]

18. To be sure. Manifest Destiny had significant religious connotations, now that I think of it.

[TM99]

8. Meditating twice a week at a Buddhist temple or center

does not a Buddhist make.

Millions read books by the Dalai Lama. That doesn't make them Buddhists.

Millions practice various forms of meditation. That doesn't make them Buddhists either.

While Buddhism is not strictly a religion in the western understanding of the word, there are a few basic requirements to formally become a Buddhist. The first is to Take Refuge. It is done by all Buddhist schools and traditions.

I will be very surprised if this young man had taken such a formal first step. One can not just walk in off the street and request to become a Buddhist. Generally one must attend regular meditation practices for a set period of time consistently, meet with and be interviewed by junior and senior teachers, and then be allowed to take the first steps.

Given his background with mental illness, I expect he was seeking 'relief' from that. He may even have had a counselor suggest meditation. I encourage all of my clients to take up contemplative meditation practices and mindfulness techniques as part of their therapeutic work with me. It does not have to be associated with a particular religion either even though many techniques used by even Christians today here in America have come from Buddhist influences.

[cbayer]

12. Agree. Using some of the techniques does not make one a Buddhist.

I think focusing on this guy's "religion" is pretty irrelevant, other than being an indication that he might have been seeking whatever relief he could get.

[AtheistCrusader]

14. I'm thinking whatever he may or may not have been (no true buddhist/scotsman) he stopped being it

when he picked up a weapon with murder on his mind...

[cbayer]

15. Agree.. I don't think religion had any part in this, just untreated psychiatric illness.

He appears to have been seriously paranoid in the weeks proceeding this incident and even gave out warnings....

which appear to have gone unheeded.

[YankeyMCC]

19. Religion and Violence, a Brief Aside in a Larger Conversation

From the blog of Roshi James Ford of Boundlessway Zen

"I know I must confess my own feelings that I see religious animus in the violence against GLBT people in our own country. Of course that, for the most part, involves Christians. Sometimes, maybe even often, this is true. And, there’s a part of me, I fear, I see that just assumes…
Perhaps you’ve done such, as well. Someplace. With some religion.

Or, in some circles about those without religion.

So, for me, the project is, not being blind to real currents, but to remember the world is always a bit bigger than the box into which I try to cram it. And, when we’re called upon to make judgments, to at least leave the lid to the box open."

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/monkeymind/2013/09/religion-and-violence-a-brief-aside-in-a-larger-conversation.html