One early fall afternoon, I go home from class and noticed all the parking was filled up with Mercedes Benz, Cadillac and Lincolns. As I watched two large limousines drove up and parked across the visitor spots. Our climbs a couple big guys, bodyguard types then Richard Gere then Cindy Crawford and another unknown guy. They walk over to the other limo and wait for the occupants to unass the limo. Again, two big dudes and a small well dressed guy and another small, shaven headed guy in robes.

I was pissed that I had no place to park and none of these vehicles belonged here. I called the number on the sign that warns about unauthorized parking. Sure enough 20-25 minutes and 3 beers later the tow trucks pull up and a huge beef ensues. The big, body guard guys are trying to convince the tow company not to tow because the vehicles belong to Gere and the Dali Lama.

The Lama was speaking at Naropa. Fortunately for me the vehicles were not towed.
Otherwise I may not have complete consciousness on my death bed!

I will listen carefully to what he or the Pope has to say, but I wont bow down before, kiss the ring of or in anyway declare them above the rest of the great unwashed.

But at the end of the day Buddhism is any of it's varieties is not religion but a form of self help philosophy. It is not God who will show the way, but man who will find the way, to whatever is out there. In the mind of Buddha, there is probably a God, but he is too busy with his own stuff to spend time messing around with mankind and their issues. We have to go it alone.

As a committed Christian, I find that basic approach unacceptable. Buddhism has something to say about understanding yourself, but very little about understanding God.

If all we have, is what we see in the mirror every morning, that is a scary thought to me. I don't want to have to go it alone, for that is a loosing battle. I want God actively on my side, not just rooting for me, but helping me day by day, minute by minute.

I don't need enlightenment, I need help!

Anyway, disclaimer aside, we rolled up to Minneapolis to hear remarks by the Dalai Lama at the Nobel Peace Conference. The conference is the only Nobel-associated program conducted outside Scandinavia, to my understanding. I will admit some trepidation. Grass eaters aplenty, and believe you me, that's a BIG understatement. The scent of patchouli hung heavily in the air.

So the Dalai Lama opened the conference with his keynote address, which was terrific. He truly is a simple monk, which, by my way of thinking, is a virtue. Although his remarks were thought provoking and enjoyable, I will include only this:

He was asked, "How can we love those who intend us harm?"

His response was that although they are our brother and sister humans, we must teach them a lesson as correction of their erroneous course, without hate but with concern for their interpretation of the lesson. Makes sense to me.

And he remarked on a conversation he'd enjoyed with a Cuban refugee who'd said that out of concern for his friends, loved ones, and nation, he hoped that "God would help Fidel Castro get into heaven as soon as possible."