[Dialogue] The Dalai Lama is wrong

[John C. Montgomery]

Don, 



Thanks for the links - this is an important conversation. I'm no t totally sure that Prothero has the good Dalai Lama correct when he puts him with those who might suggest that all paths lead to the same God - as one of the comments in the blog said, there is a difference between a thread that brings some kinshi p and a statement that says compassion is the center (core)  of the various religions. 



I sound like a broken record, but John Cobb's book, Beyond Dialogue: Toward Mutual Transformation is particularly helpful at moving beyond simplistic models. 



Sigh! I just got a new B&N gift certificate - now it's gone - I look forward to reading Prothero's latest. 





John C. Montgomery 
(c) 678-468-4913 
www.monkeyltd.wordpress.com 

Charity depends on the vicissitudes of whim and personal wealth; 
justice depends on commitment instead of circumstance. 
Faith-based charity provides crumbs from the table; 
faith-based justice offers a place at the table. 

- Bill Moyers, television journalist and social commentator. 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Hinkelman" <hinkel at sgu.ac.jp> 
To: "Colleague Dialogue" <dialogue at wedgeblade.net> 
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 12:49:21 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: [Dialogue] The Dalai Lama is wrong 


The Dalai Lama is wrong: CNN article by Stephan Prothero, author of "God is not one". 
I think this web article is interesting and related to a core ongoing conversation that many of us are thinking about in this community. http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/26/the-dalai-lama-is-wrong/?hpt=C2 


This gets into theology.  Which is good, because theology is not talked about much in the mainstream press.  So I am glad CNN picked it up. 


I teach intercultural communication, and one key framework is the "Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity".  
http://www.library.wisc.edu/EDVRC/docs/public/pdfs/SEEDReadings/intCulSens.pdf 


Like what Prothero says about religion, this model says cultural differences are important, useful, and fundamentally different.  People do not have the same values, but it is good to be sensitive and curious about other values.  The model's author, Milton Bennett, says the third stage is minimization.  Minimizing differences--saying we are all on the same path.  In other words, naive universalism or "pretend pluralism", which Prothero accuses the Dalai Lama of promoting.  The sixth and final stage of the developmental model is "integration", or being able to embody multiple cultures, and consciously decide what values to enact. 


As we build the archives and the story of the EI-OE-ICA, I wonder what our view is now on ecumenism.  


By the way, on Facebook, I wrote in my public profile that my religion is "ecumenical".  I hope that wasn't just me being a pretend pluralist.  :-) 


Don Hinkelman 




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