W
hen one speaks of African ethnicity, race instantly becomes a controversial subject if the subject speaks favorable of Black people or challenges the prevailing Euro-Centric thoughts in our society. When I think of the Nichiren Shoshu Priests declining to answer such a question, the thought of the Nichiren Shoshu Priests being politically correct comes to my mind, or them not to answering such a question could be a manifestation of the Buddha's wisdom. Perhaps such a question to a Nichiren Shoshu Priest is a no win scenario. The Nichiren Shoshu Priest not answering the question for a lay member like myself does not reflect what we at this African/American Nichiren Shoshu web site understand about the writings of Nichiren Daishonin.
Our understanding of Nichiren Daishonin is that he was a straight forward person and I am not sure of him ever being politically correct. I personally did not get a no answer response from the Priest, however it has been reported to me about an African/American in Memphis who asked the same question and got the same political response a laugh from the priest. The question that white people ask me---
"What difference does it make" rings and rings inside my head. The White question is--What difference does it make whether the Buddha was Black or White. "