2004 Articles

Overcoming Greed: Buddhists and Christians in Consumerist Society

Knitter, Paul

Generally, what generates productive dialogue is a proper balance of learning and questioning. My assigned job in this exchange is to question more than learn--to offer some Christian queries about how Buddhists think we can overcome greed and find a path out of the consumerist jungle that surrounds us. Actually, I'd prefer it the other way around, for I'm convinced that we Christians have some very important, if not absolutely vital, things to learn from Buddhists in our own efforts to deal with the jungle. And I will mention some of them. But, following instructions, my main focus in what follows will be on areas where I suspect that Buddhists can learn something, maybe something very helpful, in our shared efforts to deal with greed and the havoc it is working on people and planet.