Inappropriate and insulting use of the Aum symbol

[Mawkish1983]

In the film 'Tropic Thunder' why does the Aum symbol appear behind the character played by Tom Cruise?

This isn't a minor point and I don't think it's nit-picking. Yes, I know Buddhists don't have 'ownership' of this ancient symbol BUT it is associated with us (and Hindus, and Jains and other eastern religions). In this film, the character played by Tom Cruise is an angry, self-centred/egocentric, money-obsessed, materialistic bully --- completely AGAINST what the Aum symbol represents! And yet, very clearly, he has a giant Aum symbol in his office. I have a theory about why this is, but it might be a bit... far fetched.

I understand Tom Cruise had a lot of flexibility with his character (for example, he chose the giant hands, the script was never written for him (he improvised), all his mannerisms and his dance moves were all his own creation). It may well be that he also choose to display the Aum symbol. The question is, why? What was his motivation?

Let's cut through the cheese here, Tom Cruise is a Scientologist and there is a known history of this dangerous sect trying to corrupt the typical westerner's mind about eastern thought. Take, for example, 'My name is Earl'. The concept of Karma portrayed in this sitcom is WILDLY corrupted and, although Scientologists don't use the word 'Karma' themselves, fits more with the Scientology philosophy of morality. 'My name is Earl' was written by Scientologists and stars Scientologist actors. Unfortunately, many people I have spoken to believe (or did believe before I corrected them) that the Scientology 'version' of 'Karma' was actually what Buddhists believe!

... could it be that in this film, the Aum symbol was deliberately chosen so that subconsciously people would associate it with the sorts of charactistics displayed by Tom Cruise's character?

Now consider this... if a crescent moon (or, more specifically, the Islam symbol) or a pictorial representation of the Prophet Mohammed (sp?) had been used there would be OUTCRY. The Islamic world would not stand for it.... you would see effigies burning and riots in the streets. So, why should we allow this PEACEFUL symbol (the Aum symbol) to be associated with corruption!?

Is protesting against the principal of non-violence? What should we do?

Am I simply reading too much into this?

[appicchato]

Am I simply reading too much into this?

Yes...

[appicchato]

Am I simply reading too much into this?

Yes...

[Prasadachitta]

Am I simply reading too much into this?

Maybe not but I do think you might be overreacting a bit.

Metta

Gabriel

[jcsuperstar]

the om symbol is typically associated with new age and hippy types in america, although if theyre any bit educated theyll add hindu to the list, almost never buddhism.
theyre also the types that think hotei is the buddha.

tom cruise's religious beliefs are considered a joke by most americans too, "he's in a wacky cult" so i doubt anyone cares just what symbols he's got around him.

[Ben]

What should we do?

Concentrate on our own practice.

[Individual]

I bought a meditation cushion from a Tibetan Buddhist temple once, with the aum symbol on it. When showing to someone (don't remember if it was a Hindu or a Buddhist), they remarked that it would be considered disrespectful by some, to have your butt on the aum symbol.

I remember a while ago at e-Sangha, there was a long heated thread about some monk who associated with a surfer with a picture of the Buddha on the surf board. One point brought up was that there was apparently a difference in the degree of offensiveness depending on whether the Buddha image was the side of the board that touched the water rather than the side you put your feet on.

As Apicchato says, you're reading too much into it. I'd say you're overreacting. Buddhists shouldn't have the mentality of the NAACP, ADL, PETA, the Catholic League, the Moral Majority, GLAAD, and other similar organizations, constantly looking for things in he media to complain about. That's not really any good for anyone, because it's always just hatred and fear, which lays the basis for even more hatred and fear.

[thornbush]

I have never seen the OM sign used anywhere in Theravada Buddhism .....so.....and as a Mahayanist myself, it is no big deal whether or not this world wants to abuse religious sacred symbols as in the end, one is the owner of one's kamma. So don't worry...what goes around comes around...in due time...
More valuable time is spent in cultivation than in reactionary stances.

Namo Amitabha Buddha!

[Tex]

I have never seen the OM sign used anywhere in Theravada Buddhism

Exactly what I was thinking.

And, to be honest, I can't think of anything that someone could say about any Buddhist symbol that would get me too riled up. I remember reading the news about the destruction of the Banyan statues several years ago, long before I was a Buddhist, and I remember really being inspired by the Buddhist response to these militants who used their religiopolitical beliefs as an excuse to destroy such amazing history -- the Buddhists were all like, "*shrug* There's plenty of rocks left, who's got a chisel?".

I think that's important. The minute that Buddhist symbols become "our" symbols, and we get offended when someone "not us" disrespects them, then perhaps we've started to miss some of the point of Buddhist symbols?

Just my opinion.

[mikenz66]

Speaking of bringing symbols into disrepute, how about all those movies where the bad guys have swatikas?

Oops, that happened in real life too...

Metta
Mike

[jcsuperstar]

there used to be some group, maybe theyre still around, of jews and (i think) tibetan buddhists that went around reclaiming the swatikas left by white power vandals.... i always liked that idea...

[Mawkish1983]

What should we do?

Concentrate on our own practice.

Yes, I see what you are all saying thank you. Very helpful indeed!!!

See, the very reason why I ask about things that annoy me is because YOU lot always know exactly what to say to help me

Thank you all very much

[Cittasanto]

If I go to Germany my flag is taken off me just because it is similar to the Swastika red and three legs (see the centre of my Avatar)