I am forcing myself to finish this little book, The Lotus and the Cross, even though I can't say I like it much at all. There's nothing wrong with its teaching exactly, but the tone is all wrong somehow. Buddha is getting schooled (by the Ultimate Teacher, of course), so there's not a true feeling of give and take. It does not feel like what would actually happen if Jesus and Buddha were to converse; instead, it feels exactly like a Christian author using this "dialogue" as a means to teach believers and non-believers more about Buddhism by showing its weaknesses. Though it poses as an effort to enlighten, it is still ultimately an evangelical tool. I don't have a problem with it as a tool as such; however, it is not very good from the standpoint of literature or even thoughtful inquiry.
I did like this passage from Jesus:
God doesn't respond because someone opens up some new insight for Him. In persistent, fervent prayer, God prepares the soil of one's heart to make room for the seed of His answer, from which will flower an alignment with His will.
That's why I often told my disciples to be persistent and pray in faith. When the seed meets the soil and the season is right, the bloom touches heaven. (47)
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