|
|
BUDDHA AND JESUS IN THE BEDROOM
|
|
|
As anyone who has traveled knows, the Gideons have put Jesus in almost
every hotel and motel bedroom across America. Their Bibles are everywhere.
Who knows how much they are used? The Bibles I have seen don’t seem well
worn. But I’ll bet that some people who would never be caught reading a
Bible at home may open a Gideon while on the road. |
|
In fact, I’ll bet that the Gideon’s have testimonials from those who “met
Jesus” while reading the Bible in a motel room. |
|
Of course, if you don’t know what you are doing you could meet Moses or
Noah or Amos instead. You never hear that possibility mentioned. |
|
At any rate, here we were in Desert Hot Springs for a couple of nights.
We were watching the Orange Bowl on TV. I always check to see what is planted
in the drawer of my bedside table. Sure enough, the Gideons have placed
a Bible. It’s always King James, with clear instructions in the front about
where to look in case you have a problem or need to get saved. |
|
To my surprise I also found a book of Buddhist teachings. I wondered, “Why
not?” |
|
I imagined myself a general non-church member, typically both biblically
and religiously illiterate. Without knowledge of either religion or sacred
literature I allowed myself to pick up each book in turn. I opened the
black “Holy Bible” and tried to find something to inspire me. I flicked
through some pages. “The Books of Moses,” it said. I knew better, but pretended
I didn’t. No sign of Moses. After “In the beginning…” you don’t immediately
find an inspiring sentence or paragraph. |
|
I hit in Samuel, finding myself in an on-going story that I really didn’t
have time for. I wanted something specific to put my mind to. Pages opened
in the Psalms. That’s better. Some good lines there, but in so many of
the psalms the subjects are disjointed. What’s the point? Then some books
with strange sounding names and on into the “New Testament.” Here Jesus
comes on big. Actually, you find lots of rather brief incidents, with moral
suggestions. Lots of red pages that tell you that it’s Jesus talking. (I’m
biased by the Jesus Seminar and “know” that most of the red should really
be black.) |
|
On to words of Paul to and from places with strange-sounding names. Again,
if you work at it you can come down on some wise teachings (as well as
some that make you wonder). I rather liked, “Love is patient and kind…” |
|
Now for the Buddha book. I see that I haven’t left room for equal time.
My testimony is this; that on almost every page is a nugget of wisdom that
engages your mind and spirit. You are made to think and to apply or practice
what you read. I thought that the average half-interested browser of motel
literature would be more likely to find something helpful from the Buddhist
book than the Gideon book. |
|
I think that it would be more helpful to have a book that had the best
of Jesus and the best of the Buddha. What would be learned is that the
two are brothers in spirit. When Jesus is read as “rabbi,” or teacher,
rather than as proclaiming dogma, there is more to welcome. |
|
Unfortunately, half-time was over before I completed my research into the
matter. As it turned out, the Orange Bowl did not prove to be much more
exciting than the spiritual guide books in my bedside stand. |
|
Nevertheless, I believe God is making headway in the world when he gets
Buddha and Jesus into the same bedroom.
Art Morgan – January 2001
|