Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
thang
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Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by thang »

We have been in many "self proclaimed Theravada" forums.
Many of them seem to indicate following characteristics.

1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
Last edited by thang on Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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chownah
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by chownah »

You could start one and then we could find it.
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by DNS »

As binocular correctly noted in other threads, start a Theravada forum and only allow stream-entrants or higher.

Any other forum called Theravada or not, will have a wide range of people with different views.

Start a forum, like chownah suggested. I dare you. :twisted: :tongue: :popcorn:
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SDC
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by SDC »

thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm We have been in many "self proclaimed Theravada" forums.
Many of them seem to indicate following characteristics.

1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
If you had a forum that didn't have these things you would run out if things to say in a day. Sounds like you would be better fit for a real life group or an invite-only forum.

These questions and criticisms have been discussed here from the beginning. Your Christopher Columbusing the obvious.
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Assaji
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by Assaji »

thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm 1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
Well, scientism, cultural Marxism and postmodernism are rampant in the West.

Seems like you are from Asia, and these things are culturally foreign to you? Well, for me they are foreign too.

I can help you with making an Asian-centered Theravada forum if you'd like.
User1249x
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by User1249x »

thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm 3. Gang up against Theravada views
What are these views? Theravadin designation seems to be quite tolerant and diverse in views.
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by DNS »

Dmytro wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:00 pm Well, scientism, cultural Marxism and postmodernism are rampant in the West.
Seems like you are from Asia, and these things are culturally foreign to you? Well, for me they are foreign too.
I can help you with making an Asian-centered Theravada forum if you'd like.
I'm sure you don't mean race-based, as in Asians only so I assume it would be a Classical-type Theravada or orthodox type Buddhist teachings only. If so, just curious what would you do with members who express non-orthodox views? Ban them? I'm not trying to discourage you, but as SDC noted, you might run out of things to talk about in the first day with so many views and topics not allowed, but we'll see.
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by StormBorn »

thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm We have been in many "self proclaimed Theravada" forums.
Many of them seem to indicate following characteristics.

1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
Perhaps you should use the term "Modern Theravada" as the text critical analysis of the Modern Theravada texts themselves indicate that there are many contradictions between the "Modern" and "Ancient" Theravada.
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User1249x
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by User1249x »

DNS wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:24 pm
Dmytro wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:00 pm Well, scientism, cultural Marxism and postmodernism are rampant in the West.
Seems like you are from Asia, and these things are culturally foreign to you? Well, for me they are foreign too.
I can help you with making an Asian-centered Theravada forum if you'd like.
I'm sure you don't mean race-based, as in Asians only so I assume it would be a Classical-type Theravada or orthodox type Buddhist teachings only. If so, just curious what would you do with members who express non-orthodox views? Ban them? I'm not trying to discourage you, but as SDC noted, you might run out of things to talk about in the first day with so many views and topics not allowed, but we'll see.
How would he establish what is orthodoxy is another question.

Now even if one is or has Ariyan moderator and admin, i imagine that posting on the forum and attending to all the seekers would be an overwhelming task for one person. The reality of a forum is that most participants are by default with wrong views and are eager to participate in a discussion.

If the format is not of a free-for-all discussion board but is more of a structured learning platform then i imagine that it would be more of a coaching site with an incredibly high demand for content which would make it incredibly time consuming for the posters who are capable of teaching.

I basically think that it would be near impossible to assemble a team dedicated to such a project.
binocular
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by binocular »

thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm We have been in many "self proclaimed Theravada" forums.
Many of them seem to indicate following characteristics.

1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
Get the copyright or the trademark rights for the term "Theravada".

Within Buddhism, establish an institution similar to the papacy in the Roman Catholic Church. Make it so that within Theravada, there will be only one Supreme Patriarch (as opposed to one for Thailand, one for Sri Lanka etc.).

Centralize power. Establish authority. Make the power hierarchy tangible, as opposed to it being merely implied and hinted at.

Unify the doctrine. Do away with all the variations and different interpretations. If Theravada truly is something homogenous that can unequivocally be called as a discretely identifiable unit, then its doctrine should be unified too.

Punish heretics. Draw clear lines, phyiscally, between the people who are inside Theravada and those who are outside. Make it clear that nobody gets to mess with Theravada and get away with it.


Seriously. That ought to do away with all the problems within Theavada that you talk about.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
binocular
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by binocular »

User1249x wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:49 pmNow even if one is or has Ariyan moderator and admin, i imagine that posting on the forum and attending to all the seekers would be an overwhelming task for one person. The reality of a forum is that most participants are by default with wrong views and are eager to participate in a discussion.

If the format is not of a free-for-all discussion board but is more of a structured learning platform then i imagine that it would be more of a coaching site with an incredibly high demand for content which would make it incredibly time consuming for the posters who are capable of teaching.

I basically think that it would be near impossible to assemble a team dedicated to such a project.
Such projects exist already, IRL, as the online medium is not adequately conducive for them. It's what Buddhism in traditionally Buddhist countries is like.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by DNS »

binocular wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:53 pm
thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm We have been in many "self proclaimed Theravada" forums.
Many of them seem to indicate following characteristics.

1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
Get the copyright or the trademark rights for the term "Theravada".

Within Buddhism, establish an institution similar to the papacy in the Roman Catholic Church. Make it so that within Theravada, there will be only one Supreme Patriarch (as opposed to one for Thailand, one for Sri Lanka etc.).

Centralize power. Establish authority. Make the power hierarchy tangible, as opposed to it being merely implied and hinted at.

Unify the doctrine. Do away with all the variations and different interpretations. If Theravada truly is something homogenous that can unequivocally be called as a discretely identifiable unit, then its doctrine should be unified too.

Punish heretics. Draw clear lines, phyiscally, between the people who are inside Theravada and those who are outside. Make it clear that nobody gets to mess with Theravada and get away with it.
:clap: :thumbsup: :lol:
Seriously. That ought to do away with all the problems within Theavada that you talk about.
Oh no! You mean you weren't being sarcastic and joking? :tongue:
dharmacorps
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by dharmacorps »

thang wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:10 pm We have been in many "self proclaimed Theravada" forums.
Many of them seem to indicate following characteristics.

1. Criticize Suttas and have less faith in Theravada doctrine
2. Biased towards Modern criticisms, West and Feminism
3. Gang up against Theravada views
Hmm, again, Sounds like anyone who disagrees with you isn't "theravada"? Must be lonely.

I agree with others-- maybe best to start your own forum and leave us false theravadins to our own devices :anjali:
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by User1249x »

binocular wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:56 pm
User1249x wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:49 pmNow even if one is or has Ariyan moderator and admin, i imagine that posting on the forum and attending to all the seekers would be an overwhelming task for one person. The reality of a forum is that most participants are by default with wrong views and are eager to participate in a discussion.

If the format is not of a free-for-all discussion board but is more of a structured learning platform then i imagine that it would be more of a coaching site with an incredibly high demand for content which would make it incredibly time consuming for the posters who are capable of teaching.

I basically think that it would be near impossible to assemble a team dedicated to such a project.
Such projects exist already, IRL, as the online medium is not adequately conducive for them. It's what Buddhism in traditionally Buddhist countries is like.
I think the online medium is great but it would be very demanding. If there is a coaching site with an active forum with a handful of presumed Faith-Followers, Dhamma-followers and Stream-Enterers there would be a demand to create content like Dhamma-talks, articles, attending to Q/A and to moderate the discussions as well as dealing with administrative tasks. That will require more or less of a full-time dedication from some of them.

I just think that one would be hard pressed to find even one Dhamma-Follower who is willing to dedicate himself to such a project for the long term.

It would have been awesome of course but such people simply don't grow on trees. I also think that IRL it is easier to attend to the spiritual needs of a smaller community and retreat to seclusion and even that is not something that all people in training would want to get too involved with i guess.
binocular
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Re: Will we ever find a good Theravada Forum

Post by binocular »

SDC wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:26 pmSounds like you would be better fit for a real life group or an invite-only forum.
That would be an act of defeat, as the name "Theravada" is still being blemished by others.

DNS wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:24 pmI'm sure you don't mean race-based, as in Asians only so I assume it would be a Classical-type Theravada or orthodox type Buddhist teachings only. If so, just curious what would you do with members who express non-orthodox views? Ban them? I'm not trying to discourage you, but as SDC noted, you might run out of things to talk about in the first day with so many views and topics not allowed, but we'll see.
Well, Classical Theravada has existed for quite some time now. So, obviously, they do have something to talk about. Even in online forums.

If so, just curious what would you do with members who express non-orthodox views? Ban them?
I know a German (orthodox) Theravada forum where the elite basically criticizes you into leaving.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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