Ghost in the Wire

One of the difficulties is that McLeod, Johnson, and others are speaking from a Buddhist vantage point, and mostly to a Buddhist audience (or an American Buddhist audience). Ultimately, whatever might count as a "mindful politics" will be an interesting definitional struggle.

Just what is it about a mindful politics as conceived by those folks above, that can translate outside of that Buddhist perspective? Mind you, I'm not a detractor, but Buddhism does not see itself as having to have a "politics" unlike say fundamentalist Christians. I, as a practitioner, do not want to have a Buddhist politics, not even a Buddhist-inspired politics, but then, I do value my tradition's non-dogmatism as a good approach. I suspect mindful politics will face the same difficulty that "engaged buddhism" has been facing from some that have contested this type of involvement and engagement as buddhist, and/or as helpful within a Buddhist soteriology.

I also am suspicious of the progressive faith movement's dicta about God being neither Republican nor Liberal, and further comments about how both sides get religion "wrong..." Their claim strikes me as positing the "illegibility" of religion, and that to me seems rather odd, and dangerous. I could see a Buddhist perspective going in the same direction, at least spearheaded by some that way.

So, what is it about a mindful politics that we want, that we can tease out, and would it work that way?

I'll try to post more later Ken. My son wants to get on the computer to play Age of Mythology!

Thanks,

N

One of the difficulties is that McLeod, Johnson, and others are speaking from a Buddhist vantage point, and mostly to a Buddhist audience (or an American Buddhist audience). Ultimately, whatever might count as a "mindful politics" will be an interesting definitional struggle.

Just what is it about a mindful politics as conceived by those folks above, that can translate outside of that Buddhist perspective? Mind you, I'm not a detractor, but Buddhism does not see itself as having to have a "politics" unlike say fundamentalist Christians. I, as a practitioner, do not want to have a Buddhist politics, not even a Buddhist-inspired politics, but then, I do value my tradition's non-dogmatism as a good approach. I suspect mindful politics will face the same difficulty that "engaged buddhism" has been facing from some that have contested this type of involvement and engagement as buddhist, and/or as helpful within a Buddhist soteriology.

I also am suspicious of the progressive faith movement's dicta about God being neither Republican nor Liberal, and further comments about how both sides get religion "wrong..." Their claim strikes me as positing the "illegibility" of religion, and that to me seems rather odd, and dangerous. I could see a Buddhist perspective going in the same direction, at least spearheaded by some that way.

So, what is it about a mindful politics that we want, that we can tease out, and would it work that way?

I'll try to post more later Ken. My son wants to get on the computer to play Age of Mythology!

Thanks,

N