Dr. Thubten Norbu, the Dalai Lama's oldest brother, told me that there was no such thing as Buddhism, only decent human beings. He was reminding me not to get caught up in the doctrinal distinctions and formalism of religion. That said, I feel that it helps to know the "family origins" of each religious practitioner, since I believe that such knowledge helps us to create and live in a society where pluralism flourishes. However, it is always people, not the religion, who matter.
— Mary Margaret Funk, Islam Is