Anagarika Dharmapala, a Missionary for Buddhism

November 16, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) was a pivotal figure in the modern history of Buddhism, both in Asia and the West. Much of the way Buddhism is understood in popular western culture today is thanks to Dharmapala. The story of Anagarika Dharmapala begins where an earlier post ends; see “Henry Steel Olcott: The White Buddhist.” Here’s a quick recap: Olcott and his spiritual partner Helena Petrovna Blavatsky founded the Theosophical Society in New York in 1875, and in 1879 they established the... Read more

Dorothy Buxton and the Children of War

November 9, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

Dorothy Buxton (1881-1963) was a peace activist in a time of war and a humanitarian to war’s helpless victims. During the First World War she worked to show Britons the humanity of the enemy. And after the war she organized food drives for the starving people, especially children, in former enemy countries. November 11 has been Veterans Day in the United States since 1954, when an act of Congress renamed the former Armistice Day. The original Armistice Day marked the... Read more

Is “In God We Trust” Religious or Patriotic?

November 6, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

A new law in Louisiana requires posting “In God We Trust” in every classroom in every school, from elementary to college, in the state. The law went into effect August 1, 2023. It replaces a previous law that mandated posting “In God We Trust” somewhere in every school building. The law provides that the motto “shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least 11 inches by 14 inches. The motto shall be the central focus... Read more

Henry Steel Olcott, the “White Buddhist”

November 4, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

In front of the main railway station in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is a golden statue of Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907). Olcott was a U.S. Civil War veteran and insurance lawyer from Orange, New Jersey. And every year on February 17, Buddhist monks gather at the statue to lay a wreath and make offerings. Similar ceremonies are held in temples and schools throughout Sri Lanka. These are in grateful remembrance of Olcott, possibly the most interesting man you never heard of.... Read more

What Do We Really Know About the Ancient Druids?

October 29, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

The ancient Druids are still leaving a mark on western culture. They turn up in countless novels, films, and video games. Their holiday Samhain, our Hallowe’en, is now a big deal in North America as well as in Ireland and Britain. There is a modern Druid movement that seeks to revive the spirit of Druidism, especially its reverence for nature, and I wish the modern Druids well. This post, however, focuses on what we know about the original, ancient Druids.... Read more

Hallowe’en Is an Irish-American Holiday

October 25, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

Hallowe’en, at least as it’s observed in North America, is a thoroughly Irish-American holiday. You may know that Hallowe’en began as the Irish Samhain (pronounced “SOW-wen”) observance, thought to be the day in which the veil between the living and the dead is at it thinnest. From pagan times the Irish lit bonfires and wore disguises during Samhain to keep away ghosts. In an attempt to co-opt the holiday to make it Christian, the Catholic Church designated the two days... Read more

Albert Einstein and Spinoza’s God

October 22, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) often was asked if he believed in God. His usual answer was that he believed in Spinoza’s God. “I believe in Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings,” the physicist once wrote in a letter. In an article he wrote in 1930 titled “Religion and Science,” Einstein mentioned Spinoza three times as an example... Read more

Don’t Fall for Jesus Mythicism

October 19, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

What is Jesus mythicism? In general, it’s a proposal that Jesus Christ is entirely fictional and ahistorical. There are several variations of this proposal floating around. But the version that shows up frequently on social media is the argument that the life of Jesus Christ was based on earlier myths. Further, the argument goes, the degree to which the life of Christ resembles earlier myths is proof that Christ is a myth also. In the past few weeks I’ve seen... Read more

Reflections on War and Religion

October 12, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

A horrific new war involving Israel and Gaza evokes the old subject of war and religion. Doesn’t religion cause most of the conflict in the world? It is widely believed that it does. Prominent neuroscientist and author Sam Harris wrote that religion is “the most prolific source of violence in our history” (The End of Faith, page 27). Another scientist and author, Richard Dawkins, said in a video interview, “There’s no doubt that throughout history religious faith has been a... Read more

The Boy Who Is the Bogd

October 9, 2023 By Barbara O'Brien

0 Comments

Very old history has a way of keeping its grip on current events. Now some very old history has thrust an eight-year-old boy into an international conflict of global concern. The boy is known as A. Altannar, and he has been identified as the tenth tulku, or rebirth, of the Bogd, the spiritual leader of Mongolia. This puts the child at the center of long contention among China, Mongolia, Tibet, and leaders of Tibetan Buddhism. It could have implications regarding... Read more