The Way Out Is In

Community and friendship through the miracle of modern technology. This podcast helps listeners cultivate peace, honesty, compassion, and joy.

When I began listening to these podcasts, I wrote in a review: “ I’m learning so much more from these podcasts than from Dharma Talks, because the practical application of Thay’s teaching is discussed. I especially enjoy hearing Brother Phap Huu’s personal applications in his daily life, and also stories about Thay. I’m able to apply more to my life because of these podcasts.” I’m not enjoying them as much now because I’m hearing a lot of Buddhist teaching on ancestors. I would prefer these podcasts to reach non-Buddhist listeners like they did in the beginning. I believe their teaching of ancestors and “no self” are psychologically damaging, so I don’t listen now. We need to remember that we are uniquely created, like snowflakes, and learn how to find our uniqueness and learn to work with others’ uniquenesses in bringing peace to our world.

If there is anything I am addicted to it’s this podcast. Love it so much! So relaxing and inspiring.

It had a small political content early on but stayed focused on Buddhism. In fact, they seemed to intentionally avoid political discussions. All that went out the window once Master Thich Nhat Hanh died. After mourning his death, they seem to throw off all controls. Thay sought to transcend politics, and if anyone had cause to hold hate or bigoted views it would have been him, but he didn’t. He sought to spread love and understanding. Phap Huu does a good job staying grounded and has a firm understanding of the dharma and is able to convey it in a down to earth way, but he is doing that less and less, while more and more time is being devoted to the whackadoodles who say things like “I was told we only have 10 years to sort out the climate crises or we are all doomed. And that was a year ago, so now we only have 9 years left.” BTW, that was in an episode like 2 years ago I think. So does Jo think we are all going to die in 7 years still? Is he going to admit he was totally wrong and misguided, and presented a false view of what the Buddha thought. Most of what he says runs opposite to the teachings, and shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the way of the universe. Jo Confino sounds like a cheesy Christian preacher complete with straw man arguments. He, and now all the guests, tell these ridiculous stories that were “told” to them, “it was an American”, that contain statements that no one would say. Every single time it is “an American”. I didn’t know bigotry was a foundational principle of Buddhism. I must of missed that sutra. He blames everything wrong in his life and his thinking on Western society. I lived in Western society all life and have never heard anyone talk like he does before he was “saved”. The way he talks about his wife, his infantile neediness and greediness, his thoughts about what it means to live in the western world (a dichotomy that the Buddha would have eschewed), belie HIS Narcissistic Personality Disorder, not society. He’s like that guy in the office that no one likes because they are so self centered and sociopathic that no one wants to be around, and when everyone is tired of his toxicity he ups and quits and goes on a spiritual journey. But what they really do is play at the new schtick and learn the words, but never understand them, not to mention internalize them. I’ve met so many preachers that do this, with all their “SCIENCE SAYS…” sermons full straw man arguments, logical fallacies, and putting on a pious show. He really isn’t qualified to be teaching Buddhism. I have listened to every episode to this point, but have unsubscribed because I no longer learn anything other than Plum Village is based on bigotry and performance of Buddhism and not actually attaining enlightenment. Their thoughts are filled with bickering, catastrophizing everything, and blaming all evils on Western society with America as their scapegoat. I don’t want this negativity in my life. If Brother Phap Huu and Sister True Dedication for example hosted the podcast, maybe I would listen again. But this cheesy political nonsense mascarading as Buddhism just ain’t cutting it.