Thai Buddhism today

[frequent]

I recall vividly the comments a Thai who had lived in the West for some time but who returned recently to live in Thailand: “if you think Catholic priests are bad, they are nothing compared to Thai monks”. I’m always intrigued by those who assert that Buddhism is somehow superior to Christianity. They assert (wrongly) that Buddhism does not have a sense of guilt (I have a Thai friend who constantly moans about how guilty he is feeling about something or other) and has no hang-ups about same-sex activity (wrong; the Dalai Lama has condemned it). In any case, no mainstream religion supports promiscuous sex, or sex with prostitutes, which are largely the preoccupations of this Forum. For those of us with some knowledge of late medieval Christianity, Thai Buddhist monks selling “lucky” lottery numbers, or the dancers at the Erewan Shrine performing for good luck, resemble European monks selling Indulgences. Spirit houses are everywhere, but represent nothing in the Buddhist tradition whatsoever – the sort of rank superstition that permeated Christianity as practised by the European peasantry

So it wasn’t any great surprise to me to see naughty monks exposed in the press recently, nor to read an opinion piece in Khaosod English on the corruption and excesses of Thai Buddhism. The story about the naughty monk who fled to Germany and then claimed political asylum is pure joy on so many levels

Over to the dewy-eyed brigade

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[latintopxxx]

I think Catholic priests and their shenanigans are exaggerated. I went to private Catholic schools and not once was I touched...Lord I lusted after Brother Murphy and Brother Goode...but no, nothing, nada.
Wonder if I can sue for neglect or something..

[frequent]

I think Catholic priests and their shenanigans are exaggerated. I went to private Catholic schools and not once was I touched...Lord I lusted after Brother Murphy and Brother Goode...but no, nothing, nada.
Wonder if I can sue for neglect or something..

Yours was clearly not an equal opportunity establishment

[Nirish guy]

Thai Buddhist monks selling “lucky” lottery numbers ............or European monks selling Indulgences.

See the second one I get, if you're going to run a scam one that is based on what happens once someone is dead is bound to be a sure winner, but the "here's a lucky number for next weeks lottery" surely has a very limited shelf life and would be prone to disgruntled believers coming back the next week to tell you your "lucky" numbers weren't worth a fuck !?

Or like a good (bad) religions I wonder do the monks then use the "faith" get out clause, ie that "could" have worked but it's all your fault that it didn't as you obviously didn't have enough faith so basically it's all your fault and not mine, now, would you like another try for next weeks draw while you're here perhaps ?

[Smiles]

I'm just glad that Frequent has re-joined the band of the sex maniacs who make up the majority on this board. Certainly at least that hoard could never be called Monks.

[Nirish guy]

I'm just glad that Frequent has re-joined the band of the sex maniacs who make up the majority on this board. Certainly at least that hoard could never be called Monks.

Oh I don't know, I think we've fucked NEARLY enough boys to have earned that accolade just as the same as the Monks have ! :-)

[AsDaRa]

I think Catholic priests and their shenanigans are exaggerated. I went to private Catholic schools and not once was I touched...Lord I lusted after Brother Murphy and Brother Goode...but no, nothing, nada.
Wonder if I can sue for neglect or something..

I have the same feeling. The media in the West is dominated by anti Christian journalists. So bad news for Catholicism is made front page news and the story is kept alive. However in other professions that work with children, like teaching, the abuse rate is far higher. But you wouldn’t know because no front page articles, no articles giving a background analysis, because in that case journalists care far less. How else to explain this difference in reporting?

The number of adult female teachers who have sex with underage boys is higher in my view than priests who do the same. I get that idea because tabloid papers frequently mention stories like this. But it is never reported as one big story about the widespread pedophilia among female teachers. It are stand alone stories. However a single priest who abuses, is not reported as a stand alone story, but put in context of the Church. And when three priests in one month are accused the Church is put on trial. The teaching profession never gets that treatment.

This difference in how stories like this are reported give the average Joe the idea the Catholic Church is full of pedo’s. I dare to bet that the teaching profession is the true hegemon in employing pedophiles.

[AsDaRa]

Also isn’t Buddhism about meditation, reducing the sense of “me”, and stuff like that? What percentage of Thai meditate?
I think very very low. Then what makes them Buddhist? I have the idea many see Buddha like a God and ask for favors. But in Buddhist teaching Buddha is an example to follow. He can not help you now.

So are most Thais really Buddhists? If their daily practice and believes so deviate from what Buddhism truly is?

[a447]

asDaRa, you have made some interesting observations about paedophiles in the teaching profession.

I have no idea if your assertions are true or not. Do you have any facts and figures to back up your argument?

Surely one of the reasons the media come down so hard on paedophile priests is because they are participating in institutionslised child abuse - abuse which is prohibited by the doctrine of the religion they purport to represent. It is this betrayal of the teachings of their religion that the media is also highlighting.

From my experience, just about all the Thais I've ever met consider themselves Buddhists. I don't know exactly what they expect from their religion, but if it is simply to ask for favours, then they are not alone in that regard.

[Smiles]

Oops Sir Moderator Sir, you got there before I did.
Agreed ... AsDaRa's last two posts are chock-a-block full of personal opinions, but useless without evidence and/or links to a whole handfull of statistics.