Hey guys, got an interesting situation for you here:
Cooking show Masterchef is really popular here in Australia, and season 3 is well underway, with the final 6 contestants battling it out. The challenges are getting bigger each week, including cooking for the UN headquarters in NY and most recently for the Dalai Lama while he was visitng Australia.
However what caught the headlines was contestant Kate not calling him 'Your Holiness.'
A lot of criticism in the media - my minister and his family actually know her family, and it seems she has also felt a backlash in the show too.
Link is below, but I've copied the article too.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/masterchef-mum-snubs-holy-man/story-fn6b3v4f-1226094800932
MasterChef mum snubs 'holy man' The Daily Telegraph July 14, 2011 6:10PM
HERE'S one for Dicko and his Can Of Worms: should a Christian show respect to the Dalai Lama by calling him 'Your Holiness' even if they don't believe in Buddhism?
That was the religious test facing MasterChef mum Kate Bracks, who refused to acknowledge the religious leader by his formal title when he was the guest star of this Sunday night's episode.
The 36-year-old Christian from Orange, in regional NSW, was the only contestant who felt "uncomfortable" with the protocol, addressing him only as "Dalai."
His appearance created an emotion-charged challenge for the other five competitors, who all spoke of his "energy," "aura" and "amazing spirit."
But Bracks told The Daily Telegraph on set in Melbourne last month she did not "see the Dalai as a holy man."
"My belief is that God is the only one that is perfectly holy. So in terms of everybody calling him 'Your Holiness' that was probably the only aspect of the challenge I was uncomfortable with ... calling him that, so I didn't. I just called him Dalai Lama."
Interestingly, Baptist minister Tim Costello and Uniting Church minister Bill Crews, who joined the Dalai Lama for the lunch service, happily called him "Your Holiness."
While "privileged" to be part of the challenge, Bracks said "to get down to the nuts and bolts, I don't see any difference if I'd cooked for (rival) Alana."
She questioned whether a Christian leader would have been "received so well" on TV, adding "... probably not."
From what I've heard the Dalai Lama doesn't mind what people call him and doesn't insist on being called 'Your Holiness' (but his minders do.) As the example of perfect enlightenment he is not supposed to have attachment to earthly things anyway. He is the leader of the delug branch of buddhism and seen as the reincarnated leader.
What I find interesting here are a few points:
So what do you guys think?
Would you call the Dalai Lama 'Your Holiness?' Do you think it acceptable to decline using the term due to religious beliefs? Who do you think the Dalai Lama is? And do you think Western society favour buddhism as a vague notion of spirituality while rejecting the inconvenience of properly following it?
8 comments:
I think it is perfectly acceptable to call him that. I always attributed such a title to an enlightened spirit. But I can also see her issue. If I was told to call the Pope "Your Holiness" I would have issues because I don't think he has one iota of holiness. So I suppose its up to interpretation. But I also wouldn't disrespect the Pope. If that was what I was to call him then so be it. He is still a figure who deserves respect after all.
I'm with you on the Pope - in sofar that I don't believe he has any superiority to any other person.
And I believe he should be treated with respect (like everyone else). But this seemed to be a key issue in the whole debate - does respect equal acknowledging a religious belief you don't believe?
I mean in some relgions, for example hinduism there are relgious leaders who are believed to be God. Their titles are based on the premise they are God - so should we call them by those titles?
If you met for example a hindu guru whose title was "God" or "My Lord" would you use that title to denote respect?
The same thing with the Pope/dalai Lama - if their titles are expressions of a religious belief in their superior status, then using them is respect or a profession of belief in their status?
I mean if I decided tomorrow that I was a special prophet and got some followers - should people call me "Prophet" if that is my title?
I find it interesting that you say 'an enlightened spirit' - this means you don't beleive there is only one? (I.e the DL). What makes an enlightened spirit for you? Clearly the Pope is not one in your book! hehehehe
Interesting post. I am now going to wonder what to call him if I ever met him! :)
Perhaps 'sir' will do? That's respectful without being over-the-top, you-are-more-perfect-than-anyone-else, isn't it?
hahaha Susanne I thought the same thing! "What would I call him if I met him?" - as if that's likely! It's funny coz I may have just gone with "your Holiness" - it wasn't until it went on the news and I stopped and thought about it that I realised although it's just a name it carries with it certain beliefs and values.
Heheheh i'm just imaging "Hello Sir", "Hello Mr Lama?"
Its not that I don't think a pope can be an enlightened spirit. the Catholics have had some good, holy men. Just I'm not a fan of the current one. But from the books I have read by the Dalai Lama I feel he has an understanding of the universe and spirituality that is beyond normal comprehension. Its a feeling I suppose.
But if you feel it goes against your beliefs then one should probably not do so. So yes she had the right not to call him "Your Holiness". But I feel that her response to calling him "Your Holiness" was condescending and disrespectful.
Praise the Lord. I believe the Bible forbids the use of titles (Matthew 23:8-10). I do not even use them with people who hold office in the Church, much less outside of it. Indeed, I even call my parents by their first names for the same reason.
@ Caraboska - Nice to 'see' you after such a long time! That's interestingI've never thought of a literal interpretation of that before. I see it as a reminder that all are created equal -for example that a 'minister''pope' or any other titled person is not higher up - not superior or closer to God or to be worshipped. similiar to the letter to Corinthians rebuking them for saying I follow Paul or I follow such-and-such. That God alone is our authority. And that he comes first - a reminder that our heavenly father is the ultimate authority over our temporal father.
Praise the Lord. Yes, I've been working my tail off. Just was checking in to see how my old blog friends are doing :)
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