Rasseru

Why so many people are searching answers for non-sense questions?

They want to look smart?

I may be wrong but I got the impression that Rasseru asked this question because he was researching this topic, maybe he is writing a thesis or something. . . . .

Perhaps you'd like to explain why you think his question is nonsense.

. . . . . It's bad enough if this is for his personal curiousity, it's even worse if this is his thesis for Phd. :-)

Why does't he choose a better topic such as "How christians mis-intrepreted the bible (starting from the genesis)?"

To help set at least some minds at ease, I am not writing a thesis or anything of the kind. I asked my question simply because it is one question (of many) that interests me about the world, and Buddhism in particular. In that sense it was, yes, for my 'personal curiosity', but I am at a loss to understand your view, slept, that it is bad for me to ask a question for that reason.

I am not particularly interested now, by the way, in Christian misinterpretation of the Bible, and if I were to develop one day an interest in the subject, I would not ask my questions on a forum about Buddhism

I wonder if the question should be; do you mind being called a farang?

If you decide it should be, my answer would be, why on earth should I?

"I" don't think you should. But this wasn't a personal question anyway. It was generic.

On a personal level, did you object to being called 'gaijin?'

Never.

If an Asian European (or Brit/Aussie/Merkin ... ) with a somewhat Thai appearance walked into a shop here and was addressed in Thai by one server, would a second, more observant server say to the other, "He's not Thai, he's farang" ? If not, what might they say ?

Assuming that my current understanding is correct, that those with Asian faces are by definition not farang, wherever they might have been born or have lived their lives, an observer who could tell that the person was not Thai but did not know anything about him beyond that, might simply say to his or her colleague, 'He's not Thai.'

I wonder if the question should be; do you mind being called a farang?

If you decide it should be, my answer would be, why on earth should I?

Yes, it only means us white folks.

Not true, because not all farang are white.

So, who are these farang who are not white?

So, it would seem that in all likelihood Buddhism has not been spread by the sword. How interesting (as well as appropriate).

I would like to know more about the religious make-up of the foreigners in Chiang Mai.

PS: Practising (one or more in one week)

Aren't you forgetting Judaism? There are lots of Jews here in Chiangmai. HAPPY PESACH TO ALL

Perhaps, but if so, it was in addition to forgetting the much larger religious group of Hindus, as well as Taoists, Sikhs and, no doubt, many others. To be fair, though, he or she probably did not so much forget any of them as simply to dis them by denying them a category of their own and lumping them into 'other'.

Farang is the common name for us, and when it is said by most anyone, it is just a name with no meaning what so ever, other than non-Asian.

Really? I thought it was a term used only with respect to 'white' people of European origin (meaning, including 'white' people whose ancestors came from Europe but who now live other places, like the Americas, Australia and so on). I did not think 'black' Africans were called farang, and I would guess, by extension, that the native peoples of other places, again like the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and so forth, would not be called farang either, any more than Asians would. Am I wrong?

No one knows?

An excellent response, Rassy!

Thank you for the compliment, Dusty.

But then, are you a 'practicing' not-religious, or a 'non-practicing' not-religious?

I am past practice now, and dwell in the perfected realm.

Farang is the common name for us, and when it is said by most anyone, it is just a name with no meaning what so ever, other than non-Asian.

Really? I thought it was a term used only with respect to 'white' people of European origin (meaning, including 'white' people whose ancestors came from Europe but who now live other places, like the Americas, Australia and so on). I did not think 'black' Africans were called farang, and I would guess, by extension, that the native peoples of other places, again like the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and so forth, would not be called farang either, any more than Asians would. Am I wrong?

Actually, if the question is -- and it is the question here -- what is one's religion, then 'agnostic' and 'atheist' cannot be answers, because they are not religions.

As a person who does not, by choice, believe in any religion, I would select 'not religious' if it were given as a choice. To me, it corresponds to 'not superstitious' as a response to the question, if anyone were to ask, of what superstitions I believe in. In addition to the fact that 'agnosticism' and 'atheism' are not religions at all, they are unacceptable as answers, in my view, because they are loaded and negative concepts that reflect and embody the mindsets of religious people.

I've lived in Rimping Condo for nearly two years now, renting, and like it well enough that I bought a place in it last month, which we will move into in a few months after renovating. The people who built and run it live in it, and are busy renovating their places very nicely, which says something, one hopes, about their commitment to the place.

I suggest that you remove a bias from the poll by adding "practicing" and "non-practicing" choices for atheists.

A most recondite arcane and erudite posting, Rass.

Many thanks, Micky G. Our mutual friend Blinky Bill, newly enthused about the proper use of commas in English, would like me to note for your benefit that your list of carefully and finely chosen adjectives wants one, after the first and before the second.

Well, lads and lassies, the suspense is killing me and I can't wait any longer to get well and truly drenched -- none of this piddly splashing about for me -- so am off first thing in the morning to get soaked deep in the ocean waters around Borneo. That is my idea of wet bliss. Have fun with your Songkran thang!

I'm not surprised that now I am confused

Neither surprising nor confusing, that.

My first splash was very cold, from a Thai, heading into town on Hang Dong Road.

Hope for your sake the next one is also cold -- getting hot and cold splashes at your age is definitely not a good thing.

This place rocks.

So far the best Mexcian food I have had in Thailand.

Definitely rocks. Best I have had anywhere outside Mexico and a few places in the United States.

I'm surprised at your statement. . Certainly I have had better food in Mexico, as well as any place in California, where I am from.

I am surprised you are surprised. . . . .

Actually, you should not be surprised any more . . . Simply, I'm not agreeing with your opinion.. Hope you got it.

I think maybe I do. If you're not surprised any more, but simply not agreeing with my opinion, then I am not surprised any more either. Hope I got it.

I'd be waiting 6 months before I started celebrating.

Things can look good at first but deteriorate rapidly if they aren't done right.

All the more reason to start celebrating right away, I say -- if you wait, you might not ever have a chance!

Congratulations, cheynewalk, and here's hoping you and yours enjoy it for many, many years.

The only iced water . . . was from . . . a farang. Throwing a bucket of iced water at someone riding a bicycle on a busy road is the action of a moron.

I understand the town fills up with forongs like that this time of year.

Just back from Thapae road, where there were only two people throwing smalls pails of water at passing traffic.

good to hear we have have something positive

Ain't it wunnerful? And notice how everbuddy is helping everbuddy out?

thang Ewe; raseroo, fore awl yore ad vise? issent it wundafool how wee can awl a cyst eech utha,

Nada & lykwyze. Having said which, 'nuff sed, say what?

good to hear we have have something positive

Ain't it wunnerful? And notice how everbuddy is helping everbuddy out?

Thank you, thank you, Oh-other very helpful and oh-so handsome man

Like one of your puppies, I feel I am now just about ready to eat out of your hand. What could have happened? Was it perhaps something you said?

The pups are taught to eat by themselves.

Yes, of course, but I have no doubt that they are quite ready to eat out of your hand, just as I momentarily felt myself becoming.

Good luck. I explained Skype to my just as beloved 84-year old mom last summer and it went just fine and I got her to get a Mac and taught her how to use it and got a Skpe account for her and we now yack almost daily for free and get to watch each other on the video while we do. It's cool.

Absolutely no offence meant to your beloved mother, Razz. I find it rather good fun to watch the girlfriends on Skype when I am away..........

No worries, Blinky, my mother is quite open-minded. She would not, I am certain, be offended in any way by the pleasure you get from watching girlfriends on Skype.