Religion in Thailand

[bubblegum]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

The main problems is buddhism and their branches is outdated. Back in the time, their lectures and symbolic rituals might had some purpose, but at some point became money and power driven, and used as political tools.

And so is every other religion.

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, bubblegum said:

And so is every other religion.

True, 

[Alex2554]

6 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

Buddhism is NOT a religion it is philosophy.

Buddhism is a religion without god. 
 

[ronster]

2 hours ago, roquefort said:

Same mindset as doing the lottery.

They use the temples and praying to try win the lottery. The amount of people I see and know that become more religious near lottery draw day is crazy  😀

[Sunmaster]

We all have belief systems, either religious, spiritual (non-religious) or atheist/materialist. To believe that the material BS is somehow better or more evolved is just that, another belief. And a dangerous one on top of that, because it closes your mind to other truths out there...and frankly turns you into a condescending prick that judges others without knowing anything about the subject. 

 

Thais are not "obsessed" with Buddhism but they have a deep respect for it. It's something that takes the focus away from the small egocentric worldview that so many westerners subscribe to, and opens them to something bigger than themselves. The OP may want to try that for a change.

Edited August 22 by Sunmaster

[Irish star]

20 hours ago, still kicking said:

Why are Thais so obsessed with religion? Anywhere you go you see pictures of monks (dead or alive) . Most Thais have very little money but spend it on goods for monks. I had my house and car blessed by monks Did it help me ? No. Most temples have money trees and everybody donates freely. And some monks walk around with their latest phones drink alcohol or take drugs and Thais just seem to ignore it. Well, don't compare them to catholic priests they are allowed to drink. ( I am an atheist} In India they don't eat beef because of their religion Thai monks are not supposed to acquire earthly goods (money, phones, alcohol and so on) So my question is ,,,,,, why do Thais spend most of their money on religion? Start bashing me.

Lottery and Screwing someone over they go do Merit , my last gf anyway and most of them , screw up  all week , all forgiven on Sunday  

Edited August 22 by Irish star

[georgegeorgia]

9 hours ago, ronster said:

They use the temples and praying to try win the lottery. The amount of people I see and know that become more religious near lottery draw day is crazy  😀

We must respect all religions but one we must try to respect is the Muslim people and rid this world of Islamophobia and show love 

[Photoguy21]

21 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

So most Thais are not really religious at all.

 

Apart from the Muslims, and even worse, the Christians.

i have seen a few weird young westerners, mostly Americans, going around trying to convert the locals to Jesus. 

I saw them in Soi 6 years ago and have heard they also descend on universities trying to convert. The Thais mostly don’t like them. 

 

 

 

Take it how you like but Buddhism is not a religion 

[Photoguy21]

21 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

I have been told by a couple of Senior Monks that it is registered as religion only for tax purposes

Could well be but strictly speaking it isn't a religion

[Photoguy21]

16 hours ago, Alex2554 said:

Buddhism is a religion without god. 
 

In which case it does not qualify as a religion

[bob smith]

On 8/22/2024 at 1:33 AM, still kicking said:

Why are Thais so obsessed with religion? Anywhere you go you see pictures of monks (dead or alive) . Most Thais have very little money but spend it on goods for monks.

I think a low collective IQ may have everything to do with it..

 

bob.

[ChrisKC]

3 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

In which case it does not qualify as a religion

Buddhists are atheists - this means they do not follow or pursue a theistic religion

 

Though myself, I am on the philosophy side of things - I am not interested in the rituals or believe in the afterlife or spirits. hours and hours of chanting; these aspects that I reject but accept that common practices probably have some merit towards referencing religiosity.

 

Its partly political and cultural I think; everybody seems to need to know what "religion" is represented in all countries!

[KannikaP]

7 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

We must respect all religions but one we must try to respect is the Muslim people and rid this world of Islamophobia and show love 

And they must do the same.

[cjinchiangrai]

Why pick on Buddhism? It is no more or less of a fraud than any other cult. Why not ask why anyone is Christian, Islamist or Mormon? It is all the same set of lies and fraud. Your money and obedience today for a chance to beat death in the future.

[cjinchiangrai]

21 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

So most Thais are not really religious at all.

 

Apart from the Muslims, and even worse, the Christians.

i have seen a few weird young westerners, mostly Americans, going around trying to convert the locals to Jesus. 

I saw them in Soi 6 years ago and have heard they also descend on universities trying to convert. The Thais mostly don’t like them. 

A lot of American Mormons here. They are just creepy, on top of being yet another fraudulent religion.

[Katatonica]

23 hours ago, Surasak said:

Religion! It came about when the first conman met the first fool!

Mark Twain I believe. 

 

[ChrisKC]

7 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

We must respect all religions but one we must try to respect is the Muslim people and rid this world of Islamophobia and show love 

It is not easy to love anyone who wants to kill you because you are not the same as them.

[Hummin]

7 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

It is not easy to love anyone who wants to kill you because you are not the same as them.

What goes around comes around 

[Gottfrid]

@still kicking You got to believe!

[Photoguy21]

1 hour ago, ChrisKC said:

Buddhists are atheists - this means they do not follow or pursue a theistic religion

 

Though myself, I am on the philosophy side of things - I am not interested in the rituals or believe in the afterlife or spirits. hours and hours of chanting; these aspects that I reject but accept that common practices probably have some merit towards referencing religiosity.

 

Its partly political and cultural I think; everybody seems to need to know what "religion" is represented in all countries!

Belief, if money can be made from it, does become corrupted.

[MalcolmB]

1 hour ago, cjinchiangrai said:

A lot of American Mormons here. They are just creepy, on top of being yet another fraudulent religion.

They should be deported and black banned.

weirdoes

[cjinchiangrai]

2 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

They should be deported and black banned.

weirdoes

I used to report them in India. They would stalk the kids at the local girls high school. Apostacy in India would get the girls killed.

[RocketDog]

On 8/22/2024 at 1:32 PM, Presnock said:

Problem being that each wat is a kingdom itself in the minds of the religious here.  Unfortunately, monks are humans too and are not regulated closely by the nation in my opinion based on all the stories I have read over the years about them . But this is Thailand, it prides itself on the religion, the royal family, etc and that is their right, this is their country.  We as westerners can never climb into the minds of the local people just as they can't figure us out.  Religions seem to me for the most part (western) seems to be fading away.  The fastest growing in the world today seems to be ISLAM and not just radicals.  Meanwhile the western Christians seem to be shrinking and changing some things - just look at the history of the religions of he world.  Who knows which one is "correct", is there a correct or valid religion today that fits all the different

people?  I sure have not a clue whatsoever!  I allow my wife and daughter to believe in whatever suits them.  

Very big of you.

[Surasak]

19 hours ago, Katatonica said:

Mark Twain I believe. 

 

You are correct, Katatonica. I knew I had seen it somewhere, but couldnt remember where.

[BusyB]

 

Double post

Edited August 25 by BusyB

[BusyB]

On 8/23/2024 at 7:08 AM, bob smith said:

I think a low collective IQ may have everything to do with it..

 

bob.

 

Education, not IQ.

[BusyB]

Triple post

Edited August 25 by BusyB

[BusyB]

On 8/21/2024 at 8:33 PM, still kicking said:

I had my house and car blessed by monks Did it help me ?

 

HAs your house burnt down? Been flooded out? Invaded by pests? Your car been stolen/vandalised? Accident? 🤣

[BusyB]

Quadruple post (still waking up ...)

Edited August 25 by BusyB

[BusyB]

On 8/22/2024 at 12:45 PM, bubblegum said:

And so is every other religion.

 

Buddhist teachings themselves are as relevant now as ever. 

 

Sky fairies are not.

 

Why don't people worship Thor? Or Ra? Or Yog Sothoth?