In a longish email, the author first extols the virtues and history of the peace-loving Buddhists, then goes on to the Syrian refugee crisis, and then the general migration across the Mediterranean towards Europe (full email reproduced below - photos not included), and asks:
Innocent Aylan and other migrated belong from Arab and majoirty from Islamic world but they are taking shelter in non Islamic countries why ? ?
A very simple question from our Islamic scholares where Islamic peace ? ?
Answer: All primary scriptures preach similar messages of peace, mercy and compassion.
Call to battle at the times of the Messengers of God were special circumstances unique to that Messenger and his direct addressees. For example, after two decades warning the Meccans, repeatedly giving examples from prophetic missions of the past, eventually the Treaty was declared annulled, notice of war given four months in advance, and then the Muslim army marched to Mecca. Even the immediate successors of Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) went only to those countries whose leaders had been sent letters from Prophet Muhammad himself.
However, it is true that the followers of almost all religions have, at some in history, exploited verses pertaining to the call to religious war for temporal gains. Even Buddhists have massacred so many Muslims in Burma!
As for the Syrian crisis, neighbouring Muslim countries are already hosting millions of refugees. I had earlier posted a picture and the link to the Mercy Corps page (copied below) which contains details about the crisis. Yes, more needs to be done, and it's good that Europe will also be accepting some hundred thousand refugees. It's a gigantic humanitarian crisis, and things are simply getting worse.
Mercy Corps for Syrian Crisis detail:
The reason why so many people are migrating is because this world is full of social injustice. Slavery may be officially banned, yet millions suffer enslavement and oppression. There is plenty of food to feed the entire world population, yet one in every nine starves daily! Few months ago, while trying to understand a few verses of the Quran, I came to realise the enormity of social injustice and suffering, and just how blind we are to it all.
Holy Quran 4:75
------------------
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا
And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?"
Link to my blogpost: http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/05/world-hunger-slavery.html
May God help us keep our duty!
Samiya
On 08-Sep-2015, at 11:16 am, "..." <...@gmail.com> wrote:
HELP REFUGEES Said Pope Francis !
Germany opens doors to refugees.
Britons take social media to organise aid to migrants.
Australia will accept more refugees from camps bordering Syria and Iraq.
'Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit, and happiness of gods andmen.' (TheBuddha)
When we turn the pages of the history of Buddhism, we learn that Buddhist missionaries gave the noble message of the Buddha in a peaceful and respectable way. Such a peaceful mission should put to shame those who have practised violent methods in propagating their religions.
Buddhist missionaries do not compete with other religionists in converting people in the market place. No Buddhist missionary or monk would ever think of preaching ill-will against the so-called 'unbelievers'. Religious, cultural and national intolerance are unbuddhistic in attitude, to people who are imbued with the real Buddhist spirit. Aggression never finds approval in the teachings of the Buddha. The world has bled and suffered enough from the disease of dogmatism, religious fanaticism and intolerance. Whether in religion or politics, people make conscious efforts to bring humanity to accept their own way of life. In doing so, they sometimes show their hostility towards the followers of other religions.
Buddhism had no quarrel with the national traditions and customs, art and culture of the people who accepted it as a way of life but allowed them to exist with refinement. The Buddha's message of love and compassion opened the hearts of men and they willingly accepted the Teachings, thereby helping Buddhism to become a world religion. Buddhist missionaries were invited by the independent countries which welcomed them with due respect. Buddhism was never introduced to any country through the influence of colonial or any other political power.
Buddhism was the first spiritual force known to us in history which drew closely together large numbers of races which were separated by the most difficult barriers of distance, language, culture and morals. Its motive was not the acquisition of international commerce, empire-building or migratory impulse to occupy fresh territory. Its aim was to show how people could gain more peace and happiness through the practice of Dhamma.
A sparkling example of the qualities and approach of a Buddhist missionary was Emperor Asoka. It was during Emperor Asoka's time that Buddhism spread to many Asian and western countries. Emperor Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries to many parts of the world to introduce the Buddha's message of peace. Asoka respected and supported every religion at that time. His tolerance towards other religions was remarkable. One of his scripts engraved in stone on Asoka Pillars, and still standing today in India, says:
'One should not honour only one's own religion and condemn the religion of others, but one should honor others' religions for this or that reason. In so doing, one helps one's own religion to grow and renders service to the religions of others too. In acting otherwise one digs the grave of one's own religion and also does harm to other religions. Whosoever honors his own religion and condemns other religions, does so indeed through devotion to his own religion, thinking, 'I will glorify my own religion.' But on the contrary, in so doing he injures his own religion more gravely, so concord is good. Let all listen, and be willing to listen to the doctrines professed by others.'
In 268 B.C., he made the doctrines of the Buddha a living force in India. Hospitals, social service institutions, universities for men and women, public wells and recreation centers sprang up with this new movement, and the people thereby realized the cruelty of senseless wars.
The golden era in the history of India and the other countries of Asia -- the period when art, culture, education and civilization reached their zenith -- occurred at the time when Buddhist influence was strongest in these countries. Holy wars, crusades, inquisitions and religious discrimination do not mar the annals of Buddhist countries. This is a noble history mankind can rightly be proud of. The Great Nalanda University of India which flourished from the second to the ninth century was a product of Buddhism. It was the first university that we know of and which was opened to international students.
In the past, Buddhism was able to make itself felt in many parts of the East, although communication and transport were difficult and people had to cross hills and deserts. Despite these difficult barriers Buddhism spread far and wide. Today, this peace message is spreading in the West. Westerners are attracted to Buddhism and believe that Buddhism is the only religion that is in harmony with modern science.
Buddhist missionaries have no need or desire to convert those who already have a proper religion to practise. If people are satisfied with their own religion, then, there is no need for Buddhist missionaries to convert them. They give their full support to missionaries of other faiths if their idea is to convert the wicked, evil, and uncultured people to a religious way of life. Buddhists are happy to see the progress of other religions so long as they truly help people to lead a religious way of life according to their faith and enjoy peace, harmony and understanding. On the other hand, Buddhist missionaries deplore the attitude of certain missionaries who disturb the followers of other religions, since there is no reason for them to create an unhealthy atmosphere of competition for converts if their aim is only to teach people to lead a religious way of life.
In introducing Dhamma to others, Buddhist missionaries have never tried to use imaginary exaggerations depicting a heavenly life in order to attract human desire and arouse their craving. Instead, they have tried to explain the real nature of human and heavenly life as taught by the Buddha.
Innocent Aylan and other migrated belong from Arab and majoirty from Islamic world but they are taking shelter in non Islamic countries why ? ?
A very simple question from our Islamic scholares where Islamic peace ? ?
His Name is Aylan Kurdi:
Picture That Defines a Human Catastrophe
His Name is Aylan Kurdi: Picture That Defines a Human CatastropheAylan Kurdi’s lifeless body near the Turkish town of Bodrum. (Photo: AP)
This picture of a drowned child washed up on a beach in Bordun, Turkey has moved the world into realising the magnitude of the migrant tragedy. This isn’t just Europe’s problem anymore. It is a global humanitarian crisis.
The child in the picture is Aylan Kurdi.
A smuggler vessel carrying Aylan capsized and at least 12 drowned, including five children. Aylan, his brother Galip, who was five, and his mother, Rihan, 35, were all found on the beach in Bodrum.
Aylan’s body was later picked up by a Turkish paramilitary officer.
A paramilitary police officer carries the lifeless body of Aylan Kurdi from the sea shore, near the Turkish town of Bodrum. (Photo: AP)A paramilitary police officer carries the lifeless body of Aylan Kurdi from the sea shore, near the Turkish town of Bodrum. (Photo: AP)
Media reports say he was from the north Syrian town of Kobani near the Turkish border, the scene of heavy fighting between Islamic State insurgents and Kurdish regional forces a few months ago.
The hashtag “KiyiyaVuranInsanlik” — “humanity washed ashore” — became the top trending topic on Twitter.
The two boats, carrying 23 people, had set off separately from the Akyarlar area of the Bodrum peninsula, a senior Turkish naval official said.
The army said its search and rescue teams had saved hundreds of migrants in the seas between Turkey and Greek islands over the last few days.
Tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing the war in their homeland have descended on Turkey’s Aegean coast this summer to board boats to Greece, their gateway to the European Union.
A Syrian migrant mother holding her child breaks into tears as they reach the shore of Eftalou beach, 60 kilometers north of the port town of Mytilini after crossing the Aegean from Turkey on the southeastern Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015. (Photo: AP)A Syrian migrant mother holding her child breaks into tears as they reach the shore of Eftalou beach, 60 kilometers north of the port town of Mytilini after crossing the Aegean from Turkey on the southeastern Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015. (Photo: AP)
In a statement late on Wednesday, Turkey’s National Security Council voiced concern over the immigration policies of European countries.
European countries’ worrying approach to the flow of migrants has caused sorrow and it has been evaluated that the issue should be taken up in a basic human rights perspective.
— Turkey’s National Security Council
The official said almost 100 people had been rescued by Turkish vessels overnight as they tried to reach Kos.
Aid agencies estimate over the past month, about 2,000 people a day have been making the short crossing to Greece’s eastern islands on rubber dinghies.
ASyrian migrant holds a banner at the port town of Mytilini after crossing the Aegean from Turkey, on the southeastern Greek island of Lesbos. (Photo: AP)ASyrian migrant holds a banner at the port town of Mytilini after crossing the Aegean from Turkey, on the southeastern Greek island of Lesbos. (Photo: AP)
A ship bringing about 1,800 migrants and refugees from one of the islands arrived at the port of Piraeus near Athens on Tuesday night, the Greek coastguard said.
Thousands of people, mainly Africans, have also been trying to reach Europe via boat from Libya to Italy. The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said four bodies had been pulled out from the central Mediterranean on Tuesday and 781 migrants rescued, mostly from Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
So far this year more than 2,500 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean, the UNHCR said.
