Recent Dalai Lama quote... thoughts?

[ryanam]

All the world's major religions, with their emphasis on love, compassion, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness can and do promote inner values. But the reality of the world today is that grounding ethics in religion is no longer adequate. This is why I am increasingly convinced that the time has come to find a way of thinking about spirituality and ethics beyond religion altogether.

The moment we admit that questions of right and wrong, and good and evil, are actually questions about human and animal well-being, we see that science can, in principle, answer such questions. Human experience depends on everything that can influence states of the human brain, ranging from changes in our genome to changes in the global economy. The relevant details of genetics, neurobiology, psychology, sociology, economics etc. are fantastically complicated, but these are domains of facts, and they fall squarely within the purview of science.

 

[ImmortalFlame]

All the world's major religions, with their emphasis on love, compassion, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness can and do promote inner values. But the reality of the world today is that grounding ethics in religion is no longer adequate. This is why I am increasingly convinced that the time has come to find a way of thinking about spirituality and ethics beyond religion altogether.

The moment we admit that questions of right and wrong, and good and evil, are actually questions about human and animal well-being, we see that science can, in principle, answer such questions. Human experience depends on everything that can influence states of the human brain, ranging from changes in our genome to changes in the global economy. The relevant details of genetics, neurobiology, psychology, sociology, economics etc. are fantastically complicated, but these are domains of facts, and they fall squarely within the purview of science.

Is there a way of fruballing the Dalai Lama?

Also, is there a source?

 

[ryanam]

Source: Dalai Lama tells his Facebook friends that religion "is no longer adequate"

Not even google knows what "fruballing" means.

 

[ImmortalFlame]

Source: Dalai Lama tells his Facebook friends that religion "is no longer adequate"

Not even google knows what "fruballing" means.

I'm sure the Dalai Lama does, though.

Also, just thought I'd post the rest of what he says:

"We should reserve the notion of "morality" for the ways in which we can affect one another's experience for better or worse. Some people use the term "morality" differently, of course, but I think we have a scientific responsibility to focus the conversation so as to make it most useful. We define terms like "medicine," "causation," "law" and "theory" very much to the detriment of homeopathy, astrology, voodoo, Christian Science and other branches of human ignorance, and there is no question that we enjoy the same freedom when speaking about concepts like "right" and "wrong," and "good" and "evil." Once we acknowledge that "morality" relates to questions of human and animal well-being, then there is no reason to doubt that a prescriptive (rather than merely descriptive) science of morality is possible. After all, there are principles of biology, psychology, sociology and economics that will allow us to flourish in this world, and it is clearly possible for us not to flourish due to ignorance of these principles."

Awesome. I especially like "homeopathy, astrology, voodoo, Christian Science and other branches of human ignorance". Sick burn.

 

[Sunstone]

On the surface, at least, the Dalai Lama and Sam Harris have now made the same argument about putting morality on a scientific basis.

 

[Sunstone]

On the surface, at least, the Dalai Lama and Sam Harris have now made the same argument about putting morality on a scientific basis.

No wonder the Dalai Lama sounds like Harris: The OP is quoting both the Dalai Lama and Harris.

 

[Madhuri]

What comes to mind, reading this, is that quote by Einstein:

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind"

I agree that religion alone is not adequate because religion alone is a dictation of what is right or wrong without critical examination. The sciences and philosophy allow the mind to understand why things are right and wrong and in my experience, has allowed me to understand the meaning in my religion much more fully.

I'd be interested in an elaboration of what he means by thinking about spirituality beyond religion.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Awesome. Frubals to the DL.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

About time...maybe he will follow through with his "not going to reincarnate again" thing and allow Tibetan Buddhism to dissolve...

 

[Shuddhasattva]

About time...maybe he will follow through with his "not going to reincarnate again" thing and allow Tibetan Buddhism to dissolve...

Yes please. But the Tibetan Refugee Fund is far too profitable of a racket.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

My thoughts are pretty much "yes" to the OP. :yes:

 

[Bob Dixon]

About time...maybe he will follow through with his "not going to reincarnate again" thing and allow Tibetan Buddhism to dissolve...

He will allow it.
The question is, will they?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I think we should assassinate him

 

[Gjallarhorn]

He will allow it.
The question is, will they?

Probably not. I hope he does the typical atheist precaution of setting up cameras to capture his last moments, just in case they want to lie through their teeth about their great leader.