It has been brought to my attention that there is someone going around the buddhoblogosphere plagiarizing not only my blog but several others. In some cases it is word for word what I have written, and the blog owner is, so brazen to even include my name in the posts! The blog name is, "Buddha Rocks" and is run by someone who goes by the moniker, "Lord of the Blogosphere." They are changing a few words and using terrible sentence grammar but on the whole it's my posts verbatim. And, I'm not the only one. Several other Buddhist bloggers are being targeted.
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but this is straight out plagiarism. I'm not angry at this person but rather have compassion that they feel such a desperate need for attention as to steal another person's hard work. I want them to know that they have the potential to write interesting content if they would simply let go of trying so hard to impress people. Plagiarism will only leave them feeling hollow and empty inside.
May they realize that such stealing only brings increased suffering to them. I don't want to see them suffer, so I am calling upon them to end this practice and find their own voice. I'm sure they have something interesting to say on their own and I encourage them to just write from the heart, and I know that will bring them greater fulfillment than stealing.
So an Atheist sign in the state capital of Illinois was stolen and now the Atheist group behind the sign wants to replace it with a new one saying, "Thou Shalt Not Steal." Yet Gretchen Carlson apparently doesn't get the point of the replacement sign.
It seems apparent to me that those who would be the most upset by the sign would be rabid Christians. Therefore reminding them that they [most likely Christian] broke a commandment of the very religion they are claiming to defend by stealing that sign is on point and brilliant. It's called using your critics words and beliefs against them. It's a great debate tactic and Carlson's only comeback to it is to claim that Atheists have no right to use the ten commandments because Atheists don't believe in them? That's a nice dodge from the point of Christians stealing despite being commanded NOT too.
So in other words Christians can break the commandments when dealing with Atheists because Atheists shouldn't have the same rights to freedom of expression as Christians enjoy. In part too because Atheists are seen by extreme Christians as evil to be defeated by any means necessary and therefore (to these type of Christians) the end justifies the means (i.e. stealing). It's not too unlike radical Muslims who think "God" will bless them in heaven for killing the nonbeliever because belief in "God" is more important than free will and the commandment against killing. Thus we see that many radical Christians don't actually believe following every commandment by the letter as they often say they do.
Michelle Maulkin actually takes the high road for once in basically saying "Just ignore them." But Carlson is completely freaked out to the point of saying that if they treat them as equals then Christianity might disappear??? Come on. Honestly. It might disappear from the public square (as it should according to the Constitution) but Christianity is not going to disappear from a country [America] that is beyond any measure predominately Christian. Besides, where is their faith that "God" won't let Christianity die out in America?
And should it be about control? Shouldn't your belief in Christianity be personal? Isn't it more about your own salvation than about being the dominate belief system to maintain your feeling of superiority as being "number 1?" I'm a Buddhist and we are no where near the dominate religion in America and I don't care. I don't practice Buddhism so that maybe one day Buddhism can dominate America. I practice it because I find meditation to be helpful in my daily, personal life.
I am a weak Atheist/strong Agnostic, I know many other Atheists and for most it's not about abolishing Christianity but rather about equal representation in the public square. Either everyone gets to have a display or no one should as the public square belongs to everyone and public/government buildings/locations are paid for by everyone--not just Christians. It seems really simple and basic to me.
