They were quiet. They seemed content. They walked. Even through the harshest conditions, they walked.1 For 108 days, through ten states, from Fort Worth to Washington D.C., twenty-four Buddhist monks traveled about twenty miles per day. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of people quietly gathered to watch the monks walk and listened to speeches by the head monk Bhikkhu Paññākāra. The monks were quiet, so the onlookers were quiet. The monks were respectful, so the onlookers were respectful. There was (mostly) no shouting, no shoving, no signs of protest, no name-calling. Just peace… I think?
There is a reason why the Buddhist monk’s “Walk for Peace” has been resonating with so many people across the country. We live in a fast-paced culture. Our phones and social media keep us constantly connected. After a long, hard day of work (when it is finally time to rest) what do we do? We end up sorting through that day’s news… seeing stories of violence, war, political unrest, disturbing document releases, and/or our Facebook friends’ unhinged opinions. We are mentally and emotionally exhausted.
Then came the monks.
But what is it that these Buddhist monks were actually promoting? People were confused. Mama bears emailed us asking what to think. “Is this a mission that Christians can unite with them on? We’re not Buddhist. How do we process this with our kids?”
These are all excellent questions, and worth taking time to discuss. In this blog, we’re going to do a sort of “ROAR” through the kind of “peace” the Buddhist monks walked to promote. We’ll look at what we can agree with, and where it would be wise to offer some discernment.
OVERVIEW OF BUDDHIST “PEACE” VS. CHRISTIAN “PEACE”Let’s go over a quick breakdown of the distinctions between the monks’ message of peace and a biblical peace, and then we’ll elaborate:
CLAIM #1: World peace starts within yourself. The monks insisted that world peace cannot be accomplished until individuals experience inner peace.
Where we agree: When we feel tranquil on the inside, we tend to promote harmony on the outside. When we’re a hot mess on the inside, our actions can be chaotic or destructive. Mama bears, you see this principle at work in your toddlers! Tantrums, hitting, throwing toys – that all comes out when there’s some kind of inner distress (caused by your audacity to ask them to share a toy with their sibling). Or consider the mantra “hurt people hurt people.” There’s truth to that! And conversely, people who are more internally secure are often the most pleasant people to be around. So to a degree, yes. The more we have a sense of inner peace, the more peaceful our world will be.
Where we differ: We have a different assumption about the origin of true peace. According to Bhikkhu Paññākāra, “We are not walking to bring peace to anyone. We are merely messengers to remind you that you already possess that peace and happiness, but you have forgotten it because you are busy chasing material things and the external world.”4 Did you notice something? The underlying assumption in this message is that every human has inherent peace within themselves. But this cannot be, because sin robs us of peace, and all have sinned.5 Peace comes from Christ. After describing His impending death and resurrection to his disciples, He told them, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
CLAIM #2: Mindfulness is the key to peace.“Of course to free peace, to unlock that box, we [are] supposed to have a key. And we must have that key to unlock it. And that key is mindfulness.”- Bhikkhu Paññākāra6
Mindfulness is a state of awareness of your inner world as well as your surroundings. People who practice mindfulness are encouraged to meditate and do breathing exercises in order to train themselves to be present. By putting all of your focus on one present thing, you are not focusing on the future or on all the things that cause stress and anxiety.
Where we agree: Bhikkhu Paññākāra’s preaching of mindfulness was centered around our society’s seemingly inability to slow down. Are our over-scheduled calendars and addiction to doom scrolling contributing to our lack of peace? Absolutely! We can agree with the monks that taking daily time to intentionally quiet the noise of the outside world is a good, healthy, way to quiet the noise on this inside. In fact, consider the weekly Sabbath rest that God had, not suggested, but commanded the Israelites to observe. Why? Jesus explained that the Sabbath was not just another rule but was meant to be a benefit for the people (Mark 2:27). Not only did the Sabbath provide rest for God’s people, but it taught them to trust in His provision. And the Bible consistently teaches us to control what our minds dwell on: Do not worry about things you need,7 cast your anxieties upon the Lord,8 set your mind on things above.9
Where we differ: Christians and the walking monks would advocate differently for how to spend that quiet rest time. Bhikkhu Paññākāra’s insistence that Mindfulness is for all human beings, not just Buddhists.10 However, mindfulness is very much rooted in the Buddhist view of suffering. In Buddhism, mindfulness is a response to suffering and suffering is caused by desire and attachment to things in the external world.11 According to Buddhism, happiness is fleeting and nothing can truly bring lasting satisfaction since everything eventually ends, dies, or decays.12 Relief from suffering happens the more one is able to detach and curb any desire for, well, anything!13 Mindfulness (and specifically, the practice of meditation) is the means by which we can detach from this world, and thus reduce suffering and experience inner peace.
But Christians are called to attain biblical peace in a different way: Psalm 23 is a beautiful allegory depicting us as sheep with God as the Good Shepherd. In a book about this psalm written by Robert J. Morgan, who himself has owned sheep, Morgan writes that a sheep only lays down when it feels completely calm and safe. Verse 2 says “ He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.” In this book, I learned that a sheep lies down after spending time grazing. It actually will regurgitate all the grazed grass, and proceeds to spend hours chewing and digesting its food. Morgan makes the point that believers are to spend time “grazing” on God’s Word, but it is when we lie down and “chew” (or meditate) on God’s Word that it really nourishes us. Like the still waters provided to the sheep, the Holy Spirit provides the necessary hydration that digests the Word into every part of our being.14 This is the true key to inner peace: Feeding on God’s Word, and resting in Him so that we are changed from the inside out.
CLAIM 3: Peace is something around which all people can (and should!) unite.In other words, you don’t have to be a Buddhist or a Christian or of any particular worldview to come together and promote peace.
Where we agree: We can live peacefully with our nonbelieving neighbors. Together, we can advocate for mutual respect and civility. We can help bring the temperature down in our society by listening to other viewpoints instead of being reactive and defensive. And we can advocate for both self-reflection and self-control. All of this is available as part of God’s common grace to all humanity. As for believers, the Bible tells us to “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14b), to “live in harmony with one another,” (Romans 12:16) and “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18).
Where we differ: Look at Romans 12:18 again and notice the phrase “as far as it depends on you…” As Christians, we want to do everything we can to live at peace with those around us without compromising God’s Law. Sometimes, our commitment to righteous living will cause division. Even Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). We are not to bend the knee to evil in order to keep the peace – that wouldn’t be genuine peace even if we did.
True biblical peace has only one source. The biblical words for peace are “shalom” in Hebrew and “eirēnē” in Greek. They both denote more than just inner tranquility or lack of suffering. Biblical peace means completeness, well-being, and prosperity all in the context of God’s blessing.15 It is inextricably tied to unity and harmony with the biblical God, because Yahweh is its source. If we were to try and unite with people who believe that peace transcends all belief systems, we would be uniting with those advocating for a false path to peace. We might even be uniting with those who “call evil good, and good evil.” (Isaiah 5:20) That may keep things calm temporarily, but it would never create real peace.
WALKING IN PEACEThis side of heaven, Christianity doesn’t necessarily offer promises of being free from all suffering, stress, or anxiety. We are, however, offered a deeper everlasting peace with which the Holy Spirit helps us to persevere faithfully through life. The peace Christ offers is rest for the soul, made possible by complete trust in the goodness of a Sovereign God. The Apostle Paul showed us what it looks like to embody this peace when he wrote Philippians 4:12-13, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through… Mindfulness…”
KIDDING!
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Alexa CramerAlexa is a homeschool mom of two. She became obsessed with apologetics after a season of doubt that nearly stole her faith. Alexa has a background in film and video and will willingly fight anyone who doesn’t agree that Jesus Freak is the best Christian song that ever graced the earth.
1 For a glimpse as to how harsh the conditions were, see: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/monks-walk-peace-wake-forest-north-carolina-ice-snow2 “The Buddhist perspective on peace encompasses a comprehensive idea that includes developing inner serenity, moral behavior, compassion, non-violence, ecological awareness, and harmony within all aspects of society.” Bawa, Simmin. “The pathway to peace and harmony: A Buddhist perspective.” Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal 3.03 (2024): 363-378.3 “By embracing compassion, mindfulness, and ethical living, humanity can move toward a more just and peaceful world, one where peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of universal well-being.” BAURIYAN, MR SACHIN. “Buddhism and the Path to World Peace: Compassion Beyond Borders.” IIP: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal 2.Issue-I (Jan-March) (2025): 9-9.4 https://www.spiritofchange.org/lessons-and-wisdom-from-the-walk-for-peace-monks/5 Romans 3:9-176 https://youtu.be/HPHDyZlMqe0?si=bTxHSHTJYGz5gBC2&t=170 at 2:507 Matthew 6:25-348 1 Peter 5:79 Colossians 3:210 For example at 6:43, https://youtu.be/ZuNfsAuBmEY?si=qzAtQp0wcittu37R&t=403 11 This is “the second noble truth” of Buddhism. Groothuis, Douglas. World Religions in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic. InterVarsity Press, 2023, p. 72, Chapter 4, “Buddhism: ‘Life Is Suffering.’” 12 Groothuis, Douglas. World Religions in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic. InterVarsity Press, 2023, p. 76, Chapter 4, “Buddhism: ‘Life Is Suffering.’” 13 This is “the third noble truth” of Buddhism. Groothuis, Douglas. World Religions in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic. InterVarsity Press, 2023, p. 73, Chapter 4, “Buddhism: ‘Life Is Suffering.’” 14 Morgan, Robert J. The Lord Is My Shepherd: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23. Simon & Schuster, 2013. Chapter 4.15 Hershey, Doug. “The True Meaning of Shalom.” https://firmisrael.org/learn/the-meaning-of-shalom/The post Should Christians Unite with the Buddhist Monk’s “Walk for Peace”? appeared first on Mama Bear Apologetics.