Weekly Monk Days

[fruity]

As has already been touched on. In financial or in terms of 'our fast depleting resources'; these offerings don't amount to near one percent of the disgusting waste Christmas brings about in the western world!

I wonder do any other foreigners have similar feelings of disgust.

Every week, my wife and all the villagers buy up half the local market supply of flowers and fruit, return home, and arrange the purchases elaborately on plates to present to their concrete dolls in their concrete dolls houses. The fruit remains in the hot sun all day, eaten by flies and ants and is then disposed of.

What a tragic waste of money and our fast depleting resources.

I feel even more sickened currently when I see this having regard to the millions of displaced people in neighbouring Burma and China, many of whom have or will die through lack of food and water. I realise we can do little about this, especially in Burma, where the junta refuse all offers of assistance.

If they must make weekly offerings, then surely it would be preferable, and just as pleasing to the spirits/gods if they were to give the food to the impoverished old folk in the villages.

I fully appreciate that this is their custom, and would not speak out to them about my thoughts. But surely influential people in the Buddhist hierarchy should consider this absolute waste of food and money and suggest it's diversion elsewhere.

[bkkblueeyes]

A more and religious debate for Thailand involving Westerns better be careful you Buddha is going to strike pages out of your passports!!!

[plachon]

To OP - if this practice of apparent waste bothers you so much, then why don't you talk to your wife about it? What kind of relationship do you have, that something that is of quite clearly "importance" to you, out of bounds for discussion. Each to his own, but I couldn't have such a relationship with my own wife, where major matters like this were shoved in the skip.

There is another option open to you, if you have not pursued it already.........lead by example.......and start helping those poor people in your village you talk about your wife NOT helping. I eagerly await news of how you go about your charity work..........

Oh yes, while we're on the subject of waste, I heard a BBC report a few days ago that said the average UK family throws away 600 quid of uneaten food per year. Now that really sickens and disgusts me, given that the average GDP in Laos is about 150 quid pa and kids are dying of starvation in Africa on a daily basis. And then there's the amount farangs spend on their pets, while half the world try to get by on a few quid a day and don't have access to adequate drinking water and sanitation. And then there's the amount people spend on having their fortunes read and tarot cards and astrology, etc., etc. So don't pretend Thailand has a monopoly on pig ignorant behaviour......

Edited May 19, 2008 by plachon

[garro]

I wonder how much money would be saved if people turned off their computers instead of posting unimportant stuff on the internet. Surely it would amount to a lot more than donations to spirit houses. I suppose some people will argue though that their contribution to web forums is vital.

[bergen]

Back to the orignal post.In our moo ban what most people do is set up their offerings to the spirit house, food water and sometime wiskey.Pray a little then sit around and talk for a short time,to give the "spirits time to eat and drink.And then collect what had been left and take it home to eat and drink.If you do see any left it is such a small amount it does not matter.

This is my experience as well

[MISTERBONK]

To OP - if this practice of apparent waste bothers you so much, then why don't you talk to your wife about it?

As I indicated in my original post, I accept it is a Thai custom and far be it from me to try and change said custom. I live here and must accept it. It does not directly affect me, - it's just that I see it as a waste of money -feeding dolls - and especially as the majority of villagers who do likewise are very heavily in debt and have a very low standard of living. (Not my problem as they either are too lazy to work or spend what they have on gambling and whisky)

The response has been interesting, and clearly there is an analogy to Christmas spending on rubbish, the left over food that is thrown out and the unnecessary (in my view) ornate decoration of places of worship. But even the expense of Christmas and left over food is in respect of real people and not concrete and plastic toys.

My wife does actually help out the aged and genuinely poor instead of tambols and feeding the monks - having realised that neither the monks nor the wats need her money. But the spirit house thing is her inner belief, involving nobody else - no middle men (ie monks and wats) and something she seems likely to continue with. I suppose that after half an hour I could suggest that I assist the spirits in finishing the fruits. No wastage would sit easier with me.

[rockyysdt]

Back to the orignal post.In our moo ban what most people do is set up their offerings to the spirit house, food water and sometime wiskey.Pray a little then sit around and talk for a short time,to give the "spirits time to eat and drink.And then collect what had been left and take it home to eat and drink.If you do see any left it is such a small amount it does not matter.

Interestingly the Hari Krishna do the same.

All food cooked in their restaurants is first offered to Krishna, before being served to customers.

After Krishna has finished with it, the food contains his blessing.

This appears similar to your description in which the leftover food is collected and consumed later.

Incidentally, carefully chosen rituals assist in focusing ones mind spiritually.

By the way, Krishna finds garlic and onion unacceptable and these should never be offered to him.

Asafetida is often used as a spice substitute.

Edited May 20, 2008 by rockyysdt

[bergen]

Back to the orignal post.In our moo ban what most people do is set up their offerings to the spirit house, food water and sometime wiskey.Pray a little then sit around and talk for a short time,to give the "spirits time to eat and drink.And then collect what had been left and take it home to eat and drink.If you do see any left it is such a small amount it does not matter.

Interestingly the Hari Krishna do the same.

All food cooked in their restaurants is first offered to Krishna, before being served to customers.

After Krishna has finished with it, the food contains his blessing.

This appears similar to your description in which the leftover food is collected and consumed later.

Incidentally, carefully chosen rituals assist in focusing ones mind spiritually.

By the way, Krishna finds garlic and onion unacceptable and these should never be offered to him.

Asafetida is often used as a spice substitute.

Don't know about garlic and onion, but I'm glad that my thai family on special Buddha days, put grilled chicken and hard boiled eggs on the plate, which later on they offer me

[blue eyes]

Back to the orignal post.In our moo ban what most people do is set up their offerings to the spirit house, food water and sometime wiskey.Pray a little then sit around and talk for a short time,to give the "spirits time to eat and drink.And then collect what had been left and take it home to eat and drink.If you do see any left it is such a small amount it does not matter.

Interestingly the Hari Krishna do the same.

All food cooked in their restaurants is first offered to Krishna, before being served to customers.

After Krishna has finished with it, the food contains his blessing.

This appears similar to your description in which the leftover food is collected and consumed later.

Incidentally, carefully chosen rituals assist in focusing ones mind spiritually.

By the way, Krishna finds garlic and onion unacceptable and these should never be offered to him.

Asafetida is often used as a spice substitute.

NO GARLIC OR ONION????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I put them in just about everything but ice cream.I would starve to death with out them.

[sabaijai]

It creates a balance. Not only in the masses that exercise the worship, but even the drunken Thai guy. What comes around goes around. It makes people have hope and try to do good. Deep it is a respect for others and the cultural institution of belonging to a group of others who share a common belief. Who is the odd one out in this picture? You should embrace the very institution you seem to hate to try and understand it. You are now a 5th wheel and will only create an unbalance for those around you. Obviously not everyone is as blessed as you are so when they do something to bless themselves and others don't spit in the faces with you selfish and uninvited arrogance.

Common sense would serve you well living in Asia.

Well put

[Groongthep]

But surely influential people in the Buddhist hierarchy should consider this absolute waste of food and money and suggest it's diversion elsewhere.

Actually, the late Buddhadasa, who was a very prominent and influential monk, was quite critical of animist and superstitious practices such as wearing protective amulets and making offerings at spirit houses. His teachings tend to be more popular among the more educated however.

[damocletian]

As has been mentioned in previous posts, I am sickened every time I see an elaborate catholic church. Talk about a waste!

What utter rot.

We all live to die and man's lot is to make the best of it spending his existence in keeping himself and his kin alive through what amounts to an interminable mundane drudgery until the thread by which we all hang snaps.

But, not for all as the record of civilisation through the ages tells us. Religion, whether it be formalised or a manifestation of superstitious beliefs, has long driven man to exceed beyond whatever he individually thought he could achieve. From stones assembled upon a Wiltshire plain to the soaring heights of spires reaching to the skies, the nearer to be to his God, buildings have been erected by man to glorify the objects of his devotion and in so doing his endeavours celebrate his skills and art, each one a testament to his ability to rise above the gutter of worldly obsessions.

Without those wats, those cathedrals and all other "vain" follies there would be no physical connection between man throughout his civilised time on this planet and we would all be the poorer for it.

A spirit house is rather more than the sum of its parts, it represents something immeasurable and distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

Edited May 28, 2008 by damocletian

[Thaddeus]

As has been mentioned in previous posts, I am sickened every time I see an elaborate catholic church. Talk about a waste!

What utter rot.

We all live to die and man's lot is to make the best of it spending his existence in keeping himself and his kin alive through what amounts to an interminable mundane drudgery until the thread by which we all hang snaps.

But, not for all as the record of civilisation through the ages tells us. Religion, whether it be formalised or a manifestation of superstitious beliefs, has long driven man to exceed beyond whatever he individually thought he could achieve. From stones assembled upon a Wiltshire plain to the soaring heights of spires reaching to the skies, the nearer to be to his God, buildings have been erected by man to glorify the objects of his devotion and in so doing his endeavours celebrate his skills and art, each one a testament to his ability to rise above the gutter of worldly obsessions.

Without those wats, those cathedrals and all other "vain" follies there would be no physical connection between man throughout his civilised time on this planet and we would all be the poorer for it.

A spirit house is rather more than the sum of its parts, it represents something immeasurable and distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

Great post.

I enjoyed the opening line, from a errr point of view, and then it just sort of trailed off into the land of bunkum.

Human kind as a race has never needed religion, religion is just a form of control.

Necessity is the mother of invention, always has been, always will be.

[plachon]

As has been mentioned in previous posts, I am sickened every time I see an elaborate catholic church. Talk about a waste!

What utter rot.

We all live to die and man's lot is to make the best of it spending his existence in keeping himself and his kin alive through what amounts to an interminable mundane drudgery until the thread by which we all hang snaps.

But, not for all as the record of civilisation through the ages tells us. Religion, whether it be formalised or a manifestation of superstitious beliefs, has long driven man to exceed beyond whatever he individually thought he could achieve. From stones assembled upon a Wiltshire plain to the soaring heights of spires reaching to the skies, the nearer to be to his God, buildings have been erected by man to glorify the objects of his devotion and in so doing his endeavours celebrate his skills and art, each one a testament to his ability to rise above the gutter of worldly obsessions.

Without those wats, those cathedrals and all other "vain" follies there would be no physical connection between man throughout his civilised time on this planet and we would all be the poorer for it.

A spirit house is rather more than the sum of its parts, it represents something immeasurable and distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

Great post.

I enjoyed the opening line, from a errr point of view, and then it just sort of trailed off into the land of bunkum.

Human kind as a race has never needed religion, religion is just a form of control.

Necessity is the mother of invention, always has been, always will be.

So you'd be speaking for all the human race about their needs, physical and spiritual, would you?

[garro]

We now live in a time where it is popular to knock religion. I think that it is interesting that these anti-religion folk are as equally arrogant and narrow-minded as the religionists that they despise. They can't see this, though, as they are convinced that they are right and there is no room for any other interpretations of life.

[Thaddeus]

As has been mentioned in previous posts, I am sickened every time I see an elaborate catholic church. Talk about a waste!

What utter rot.

We all live to die and man's lot is to make the best of it spending his existence in keeping himself and his kin alive through what amounts to an interminable mundane drudgery until the thread by which we all hang snaps.

But, not for all as the record of civilisation through the ages tells us. Religion, whether it be formalised or a manifestation of superstitious beliefs, has long driven man to exceed beyond whatever he individually thought he could achieve. From stones assembled upon a Wiltshire plain to the soaring heights of spires reaching to the skies, the nearer to be to his God, buildings have been erected by man to glorify the objects of his devotion and in so doing his endeavours celebrate his skills and art, each one a testament to his ability to rise above the gutter of worldly obsessions.

Without those wats, those cathedrals and all other "vain" follies there would be no physical connection between man throughout his civilised time on this planet and we would all be the poorer for it.

A spirit house is rather more than the sum of its parts, it represents something immeasurable and distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

Great post.

I enjoyed the opening line, from a errr point of view, and then it just sort of trailed off into the land of bunkum.

Human kind as a race has never needed religion, religion is just a form of control.

Necessity is the mother of invention, always has been, always will be.

So you'd be speaking for all the human race about their needs, physical and spiritual, would you?

Nope.

[Thaddeus]

We now live in a time where it is popular to knock religion. I think that it is interesting that these anti-religion folk are as equally arrogant and narrow-minded as the religionists that they despise. They can't see this, though, as they are convinced that they are right and there is no room for any other interpretations of life.

I'm not anti-religion, but I am against it's misuse.

[wolf5370]

_{Blue Eyes:}

NO GARLIC OR ONION????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I put them in just about everything but ice cream.I would starve to death with out them.

What, never had Garlic Icecream, you haven't lived

I don't have a problem with spirit houses. We don't have one mind, but we make the little offerings anyway on special days (birthdays etc).

I'm not sure I agree with the "if you can't prove it exists, then it doesn't" arguement, because that would render many accepted theories and much of our 'understanding' of the universe as complete bunk.

[Gary A]

It is my opinion that organized religion is the most serious threat mankind has ever faced. From the christian crusades of yesterday to the muslim atrocities of today, it looks quite obvious to me.

[wolf5370]

It is my opinion that organized religion is the most serious threat mankind has ever faced. From the christian crusades of yesterday to the muslim atrocities of today, it looks quite obvious to me.

It is my opinion that mankind is the most serious threat mankind has ever faced. If it wasn't for organised religion, then we would still find reasons to kill each other - its all about power, greener grass and greed - and will likely be for as long as we can mitigate that threat.