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. " 
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