The dangerous rise of Buddhist extremism: ‘Attaining nirvana can wait’ | Sri Lanka | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/nov/25/the-dangerous-rise-of-buddhist-extremism-attaining-nirvana-can-wait
In a book called Robs &Sword a self confessed Christian Sonia Faleiro adds to her book title a punch line, ‘How Buddhist Extremists Shape Modern Asia’ even though she talks mostly about Sri Lanka and briefly about Myanmar. She claims that a religion which is about absolute non-violence is now becoming a violent movement targeting minorities. For good measure she throws in the Buddhist patriarchal culture. An irony because her own faith is steeped in patriarchal culture.
She claims the Buddhists in Sri Lanka are asking for a stop to cattle slaughter. Yes Sonia remember Buddhism is about compassion. However Sonia should know Buddhist monks also train in martial arts. It is to defend Dharma. Buddhism while advocating non-violence and compassion towards all is not a pacifist faith. Sonia lays the blame of Buddhist violence in Sri Lanka on monk Gnansara. He is accused of leading the masses against Muslims. She makes little of Muslim terror attack in Sri Lanka.
Sonia claims that as a Christian she is very much aware of the horrors committed by Christianity and so wants to prevent that happening in Buddhism. Christianity indeed has carried out some of the most horrific crimes against humanity. They wiped out the indigenous population of South America, burnt all the books, wiped out the indigenous Indians of America, justified Slave trade, destroyed the Aboriginal people of Australia, forcibly took away their children to Christianise them. On what grounds can Sonia justify being a Christian? Jesus preached peace and compassion just like Buddha. Why did you twist his teachings? Do you not have any shame in trying to give a moral judgement on Buddhists? Are the evangelists finding Buddhism attracting millions of Christians and therefore being a spanner in their works?
You cannot stop the onwards march of Buddhism and Hinduism. Spare your moral outrage for your faith.
Nitin Mehta
25 November 2025
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