Reading Reflection 4

Renu Johnson
AUW 080014
Reading Reflection 4
Though it was hard for me to understand the article, “The Saffron Army, Violence, Terrorism: Buddhism, Identity, and Difference in Sri Lanka” by Ananda Abeysekara, in the beginning, I kept on reading it in the hope that I will finally be able to identify the author’s main argument towards the end of the article. However, after spending so much time I am still confused about his major argument because of my limited understanding of English and the complex vocabulary he uses (at least for my standards). However, if my understanding is right, the author argues that before we make hasty generalizations about the links between violence and religion based on particular events in the past it is very important to look into the varying perspectives of historical narration of the same issue. He describes how Premadasa’s government proclaimed that the JVP monks are terrorists and how some of the monks testify that it was Premadasa’s government who perpetuated terror. Here, there exists a controversy as to who the real perpetuators of terror were in the Sri Lankan Case.
However, the knowledge that there was a violent agitation related with Buddhism was surprising since unlike violence perpetuated in the names of Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism and Islam, violence associate with Buddhism is rarely heard of. It is preposterous how religions- the institutions which advocate non-violence- are considered as the reasons for violence. There are people who argue that religions are social constructs that were created so as to discipline the ordinary masses by putting forth the idea of an after-life that would the incentive for those who lead a good life. Some say that religions are the different paths that lead us in the same direction, the direction of almighty. Whatever the religions are, there are not any religions that argues for violence. However, the very fact that religions the icons of non-violence are used for violence makes me agree with J Glenn Grey’s idea that man has a destructive streak in him which takes immense delight in destruction. This might be the very reason that peaceful institutions like religions are used as scapegoats for the perpetuation of violence by misinterpreting the religious doctrines.