I don't usually pay much attention to televangelists. most of the time, they either cause anger or, if I'm lucky, mirth. But there is one, a woman named Joyce Meyer, who is a lot better than the rest. I imagine there are a lot of evangelical conservatives who think she treads on thin ice, because she pretty consistently argues that one's own good judgement is often a better guide than community standards are, especially in a church setting.
Anyway, I just happened to catch a moment of her program today. She was preaching on God's promise to Abraham, and how it is prefaced by the instruction to Abram that he must leave his mother and his father and his country. Meyer made the point that if we live in a culture that inhibits our spiritual growth, we need to leave it behind.
A good point, even for a Buddhist.
I would amend it to say that leaving behind a spiritually antagonistic culture does not always mean retreating to a remote cave. I think the same thing can be accomplished by leaving it mentally, by limiting one's participation in it to the barest minimum. After all, the everyday world around us does provide the opportunity to grow in bodhicitta.
It also provides us with opportunities to hear worthwhile teaching, even once in a while from a televangelist. The key is to not let the culture around us be the rule and guide of our thoughts and actions.
More music added.
I've added some of my favourite short musical things. Representative diversity was the goal. Enjoy.
