He, with many other religious leaders, attended the opening ceremony of the temple and, since then, has made frequent attacks on Buddhism and the Nan Tien Temple in particular. His attack was the subject of an item in the current affairs programme, "7.30 Report" on A.B.C. National Television on Tuesday, 18th of June, 1996. Those interviewed in the programme were: Rev. Reg Piper, Bishop of Wollongong, Ven.Chau Khun Samai, Abbot of Wat Pa Buddharangsee, Rev. Shin, Nan Tien Temple and Kerry Trembath, Secretary of the Buddhist Council of N.S.W. Here is a transcript of this programme:-

Kerry O’Brien (Presenter): When a group of Taiwanese nuns decided to build a temple in the east coast steel city of Wollongong, the local community was delighted. Amongst the growing number of Australian visitors to the temple was the Anglican bishop, Reg Piper, and, apparently he doesn’t like it. Although Buddhism is Australia’s fastest growing religion, Bishop Piper believes there’s no place for it in a predominantly Christian society.

Social Affairs Reporter - Virginia Housego:

Rev.Piper: It’s a religion without a god, so, basically, there’s a problem.

Ven. Chau Khun Samai: In Christianity, I would say, they have plenty of faith in the creator - god. They don’t have enough wisdom to help.

Rev.Piper: They need, like everyone else needs, to find the truth in Jesus Christ.

Ven.Chau Khun Samai: He’s afraid of the unknown but, I would say, he should not have that fear.

Virginia Housego: The early morning call to meditation at Nan Tien Temple - it’s 6 a.m. and the rest of Wollongong is still asleep. Down the road from the Buddhist temple, the Anglican bishop hears the call but, certainly, doesn’t heed the message. The Buddhist tradition, as practised here, is, according to the bishop, evil.

Rev.Piper: See, when you have the bible view of humankind, generally, if it is outside the framework of the truth - the bible terms it as evil.

Virginia Housego: Is it a deception?

Rev.Piper: In that respect, yes. While ever it is not based in the truth of Christ, it would be a deception.

Virginia Housego: The Anglican Church has feared the growing presence of Buddhism in Australia ever since the time these Taiwanese order of nuns first opened this 50 million dollar temple in country New South Wales last year. Since the opening, hundreds of thousands of curious tourists have wandered through this Wollongong temple. The growing curiosity about Buddhism has so worried Bishop Piper, that he has made a video. It is to warn all Christians of the evil deception of Buddhism.

EXCERPT FROM VIDEO, "In Search of Paradise - A Biblical Response to Buddhism":

Voice over: "Colourful and convincing, the Fo Kuang Shan have come to claim Australia."

Virginia Housego: Reverend, are you here in Wollongong and, indeed, Australia, to convert people to Buddhism? Is that the idea?

Rev.Shin: We don’t convert people to Buddhism or change their religion. As long as they feel comfortable with any of the practices or any of the beliefs and it is good for the society, good for them and good for the family, that is the most important thing. Whether they decide to become Buddhists or not - that is not our concern.

Virginia Housego: But it is Bishop Piper’s concern. Buddhism and Christianity, he says, can’t live in Australia side by side.

Rev.Piper: The religions can’t.

Virginia Housego: How can’t they?

Rev.Piper: Because Buddhism is basically an atheistic religion. There is no god.

Virginia Housego: Why is that a problem?

Rev.Piper: Because god has revealed himself through Christ. Christ has been raised from the dead. He said he is god. There is no other way to the truth and no other way to really live except through Christ.

Rev.Shin: They have a right to say what they like but we don’t feel upset because that is freedom.

Virginia Housego: So, they’re free to say _ _ _ _

Rev.Shin: They’re free to say that because we’re in a free country.

Virginia Housego: So as far as you’re concerned, they’re wrong and you’re right and they ought to know that.

Rev.Piper: Yes! That’s right. That’s basically what I’m saying.

Virginia Housego: Isn’t that a little intolerant on your part?

Rev.Piper: Yes! That’s the great problem. Then we’ve got to ask the question, what does tolerance mean? I take it that tolerance means that you have to love people but, in the loving of people you don’t deny truth.

Virginia Housego: But, truth is a slippery thing. Kerry Trembath was once a devout Catholic. Eight years ago, he converted to Buddhism, drawn, he says, to its mindfulness, self reflection and self perfection.

Kerry Trembath: Christianity never taught me to look at things that way. Christianity tends to focus more on teaching me to pray for guidance and salvation and to follow the commandments and to observe my obligations to the church and didn’t really give me a recipe for gradual self improvement which Buddhism has given me.

Rev.Piper: I think its got a lot of appeals that just meet our western culture.

Virginia Housego: But is that a problem?

Rev.Piper: Yes! I think so.

Kerry Trembath: Certainly I’m a lot calmer and a lot more patient. It has made me a better person - a better person to be around.

Virginia Housego: Recent celebrations of the Buddha’s Birthday saw gatherings around Australia of old and new Buddhists. It’s the nation’s fastest growing religion, mostly due to immigration, but it’s also attracting a vast rate of converts - some 14,000 since the early eighties.

Virginia Housego: By taking this stand, aren’t you being deliberately divisive?

Rev.Piper: It is not deliberately divisive because, in the word ‘deliberate’, I think you say there’s a motivation to be divisive. I’m certainly not trying to cause any trouble at all.

Virginia Housego: But you are being divisive.

Rev.Piper: Yes, I guess I am in the end but, in the end, that’s what Christ is. What Christ said in one of the gospels is that he didn’t come to bring peace, but he came to bring a sword. That is, he will divide people’s loyalties.

Virginia Housego: Well, some Anglicans may want division and open battle but the Buddhists will have none of it.

Ven.Chau Khun Samai: There is no way for us to fight anyone. We never had any war with anybody. Buddhism just learns to run away from any war.

Virginia Housego: Well, it won’t be war as such but the Bishop of Wollongong has a mission.

Rev.Piper: Yes! You’re either in relationship with Christ or out of relationship with Christ.

Virginia Housego: Bishop Piper says he must spread the word of his god and the bible to any Buddhists who will listen. As for those who don’t, the Bishop fears they will be lost forever.

The Chairman of the Ethnic Affairs Commission of New South Wales, Mr.Stephan Kerkyasharian contacted the then Chairman of the Buddhist Council of New South Wales. Graeme Lyall, to say that the Government was very angry with the bishop’s comments. Mr.Kerkyasharian said that he had contacted the then Anglican Primate of Australia, Archbishop Raynor, requesting that he issue a statement on the Anglican attitude to Buddhists in Australia. He, also, has made an appointment to interview the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev.Harry Goodhew, demanding that the Anglican Church issue a public apology to the Buddhist community and that Bishop Piper be reprimanded. Perhaps, if he is successful, it may happen that he who pays Piper may end up calling the tune.