In his televised statement yesterday, Tiger Woods mentioned the importance of his Buddhist faith that he learned from his mother. During the ESPN commentary following the statement, writer Rick Reilly smacked down Brit Hume’s proselytizing suggestion that Tiger convert to Christianity. (2:13)

Other than the fact that he was raised Buddhist, what does Buddhism offer than Christianity doesn’t? Perhaps some comparative clues can be gleaned from these excerpts from Dan Rather’s 2008 interview with the Dalai Lama. (5:58)

[This was part of a special report on the emerging brain science of neuroplasticity. With the latest brain imaging capabilities (primarily functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI), scientists from the U.S. have been studying the effects of meditation on the brains of Buddhist monks. Look for more at http://www.hd.net/danrather.html, the full program is available on iTunes; search for Dan Rather Mind Science.]