Wat a Build - do you help?

[David48]

Wat a Build - do you help?

Ever been to a Temple under construction?

Maybe a big renovation?

Somewhere there will be an older Monk only to happy to relieve you of a little bit of hard earned coin ... a temple donation.

You sign the back of a tile ... you pay for that building block.

Your good heart will be recognised and maybe repaid with good luck ... who knows?

Why do the Thais do it?

Why do you do it?
.

[cooked]

I spend all my spare money buying amulets so that I can drive around drunk. If I spent money in the village it would be organising waste collection or a bus service. Or a communal rice harvester.

[CharlieH]

Right or wrong, since seeing Monks with helicopters, millions in gold, huge estates, and multiple foriegn homes, it all seems odd to me, so I never give now.

[Jasun]

I think the bricks are a unique way to raise money. Those and the blank coffins get my coin.

[devolad]

My lady's local Wat is fundraising for big renovation.

Was welcomed onto the Wat and got on really well with the senior monk - he had been learning English and was pretty keen to practice - knew a lot about New Zealand which gave us something to chat about.

Was more than happy to repay hospitality with a donation towards renovation. Didn't find out until later that it was the Wat mini bus driven by a junior monk that drove us all back to Airport (hour and a half trip) at the end of our visit (my friend the senior monk had arranged this)- certainly a larger cost than the small donation I had given. I made sure we stopped and filled up with petrol, but certainly wasn't asked or prompted.

Speaking to my Lady I get the impression this Wat really helps what is a pretty poor local community - is easy to forget that these places are sometimes by default given the job that, in our countries, would be the job of the state.

[David48]

I think the bricks are a unique way to raise money. Those and the blank coffins get my coin.

I've never seen the 'blank coffins' ... what's that all about?

.

[mickjn]

Evey time I come home the young monk pays a visit.He sits up on that bench where I love to have a sleep but not allowed today monk is up there I am down below.Next thing its all over Lady Pla gives the Monk 300 baht from my wallet,thank you very much

[Jasun]

I think the bricks are a unique way to raise money. Those and the blank coffins get my coin.

I've never seen the 'blank coffins' ... what's that all about?

.

Basic plywood coffins used to cremate the destitue deceased or anyone who can't afford death rites, including unclaimed bodies such as accident victims. 500 baht gets your name on a post-it not on the coffin, together with a matching slip you burn at the temple entrance. Wat Hua Lamphon in Bangkok is well known for this form of merit making.

[David48]

Evey time I come home the young monk pays a visit.He sits up on that bench where I love to have a sleep but not allowed today monk is up there I am down below.Next thing its all over Lady Pla gives the Monk 300 baht from my wallet,thank you very much

No that's something I don't agree with.

Hard to say no, I'm sure ...

[welsh1]

DP

Edited November 25, 2013 by welsh1

[welsh1]

Long time ago,, The petrol ( Gasoline) people came to the village, checking out the land, and with what looked like 2 broken twigs, which looked like they had snapped from a tree,, they checked out the land.

And whoa behold, It turns out they found,,some traces, a slight hint,, a smidge of,, gasoline on the land,, they knew this as the 2 broken twigs. crossed and touched together.

Now they will have to do tests on the land to determine, if there is enough gasoline,, to dig the land.

They tell the family, if there is, then the family will be rich,,,rich beyond there wildest dreams.

So the X wife comes to me,,,, Can my Sister borrow 500 baht,, I said why? she said they want to go to the temple,, for see the monk for good luck,,,Now this Is a family who despite working very hard in the farm,, dont really have a pot to pi## In.

After giving her 500baht,,, then she said,, Can I take them to the temple, <deleted>, I think half the village got into the back of the truck,,and off we went..They then give the 500baht away to the Monks for good luck,, 2 weeks later,,, the gasoline people came back around,,,, but sadly there wasn't enough gasoline In the ground to make them rich beyond there wildest dreams ,,,,, Muppet's the lots of them,,, This was just one Incident,, In which I made up my own mind,, I was better off with out them

Edited November 25, 2013 by welsh1

[Showbags]

Right or wrong, since seeing Monks with helicopters, millions in gold, huge estates, and multiple foriegn homes, it all seems odd to me, so I never give now.

Which monk has a helicopter? Pic?

[David48]

Right or wrong, since seeing Monks with helicopters, millions in gold, huge estates, and multiple foriegn homes, it all seems odd to me, so I never give now.

Which monk has a helicopter? Pic?

... and lets not digress away from the intent of the OP please.

There's other threads on that issue.

Sam !!!

[NBD]

No. Just like I wouldn't donate money to a church, mosque or synagogue, I won't donate it to a wat either. Nor for that matter will I donate money to help the daughter of the former president of the Nigerian Bank of Commerce to release $50 million from a Swiss bank account, or pay an administration fee to the United Nations Lagos branch (via Western Union) to get my $20m development grant paid to my personal bank account.

They're all scams which rely on spreadign false hope to extract money and subservience from the gullible and the desparate.

[cooked]

I once put four hitch hiking monks into the back of our pickup. 'Village so and so'. (about 50 Km I think). We got there and stopped. 'Ah, 1 Km up there', so off we go. after 6 Km we get there, and are asked for ฿200.- Each. They got ฿50.- each and I got a sour taste in my mouth. If I finish up living at a temple some day I'll look after the gardens as payment.

[jdinasia]

I do really wish that some of the negative nellies on this forum would shake the dust from their Crocs and go visit a village some time.

The local temple in most places upcountry is the social center of the village, It is often the only form of welfare in the village as well. If a family falls on hard times the kids will be fed at the temple etc.

Do I donate? Yes. Do I donate to the big fancy temples? No. My friend (who ordained 8 years ago with the intent on making that permanent,) always said to me if the temple attracts a crowd then why do they need your donations? If the temple helps the poor, then they obviously deserve your donations!.

Finally, yes, I also do donate to monks making alms rounds.

[CharlieH]

I do really wish that some of the negative nellies on this forum would shake the dust from their Crocs and go visit a village some time.

The local temple in most places upcountry is the social center of the village, It is often the only form of welfare in the village as well. If a family falls on hard times the kids will be fed at the temple etc.

Do I donate? Yes. Do I donate to the big fancy temples? No. My friend (who ordained 8 years ago with the intent on making that permanent,) always said to me if the temple attracts a crowd then why do they need your donations? If the temple helps the poor, then they obviously deserve your donations!.

Finally, yes, I also do donate to monks making alms rounds.

Perhaps the negative nellies are just writing their post on their experience and their opinion. That is allowed you know.

[rgs2001uk]

Evey time I come home the young monk pays a visit.He sits up on that bench where I love to have a sleep but not allowed today monk is up there I am down below.Next thing its all over Lady Pla gives the Monk 300 baht from my wallet,thank you very much

No that's something I don't agree with.

Hard to say no, I'm sure ...

Hard to say no, I'm sure ..

Very easy, sorry havent been to the ATM today.

My mrs wouldnt even try to pull a stunt like that.

[David48]

I do really wish that some of the negative nellies on this forum would shake the dust from their Crocs and go visit a village some time.

The local temple in most places upcountry is the social center of the village, It is often the only form of welfare in the village as well. If a family falls on hard times the kids will be fed at the temple etc.

Do I donate? Yes. Do I donate to the big fancy temples? No. My friend (who ordained 8 years ago with the intent on making that permanent,) always said to me if the temple attracts a crowd then why do they need your donations? If the temple helps the poor, then they obviously deserve your donations!.

Finally, yes, I also do donate to monks making alms rounds.

Perhaps the negative nellies are just writing their post on their experience and their opinion. That is allowed you know.

... and gentlemen ... I ran out of likes for the day ... but both posts have merit.

The truth probably does lie somewhere in the middle of both these perceptions.

As with all things Thailand ... the mileage varies so much.

That said ... I do err towards jdinasia's comments, mainly because this is my personal experience.

To alter an old Star Trek quote* ... the good of the many is sometimes outweighed by the bad deeds of a few (Monks).

* The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one.

[jdinasia]

I carefully chose not to identify the negative nellies ....

Certainly people with experience are allowed and should be encouraged to participate even if that informs an opinion that is different than others .....

"seeing Monks with helicopters and millions in gold ..." was that experience talking? My post was suggesting knocking the dust iff one's shoes and seeing what a temple actually does, instead of relying on an image from a news article.

I am a firm believer in being informed and not just having an opinion

When I moved to Thailand my first experience with a monk in a temple was not so good. He offered to sell me a house. I could have become a negative nellie at that point ..... instead I kept an open mind and did not judge all by the actions of one man in saffron. Since then, over the years, I have spend weeks in different temples around the country and have seen the good that is done. I have also avoided a few temples that struck me as being about ego (while going to others that were almost amazingly based upon the mindset of the "cult of personality" surrounding the abbot.

What I learned can be summed up easily.

1) Temples in rural Thailand are pretty special places.

2) Nothing --- and I mean nothing at all ---- rates being negative about entire sections of the world's population and how they believe.

[CharlieH]

I do not wish nor have any intention of hijacking Davids thread.

JDin asia see PM sent to you, anyone else just google "helicopter monk" and see what you get.

Admittedly, there are good and bad, just like good and bad politicians, good and bad everything, upto the individual what they choose to do.

No further comment on this thread.

[h90]

I would not pay 1 Baht for a temple, or church.

Exception is if they plan to do there something that is good for society. Example building a place to teach organic farming. But than I don't give for the temple I give for the project.

For me are monks (any religions) people who don't want to work (exceptions Jesuits, Santi Asoke, etc etc)

[NBD]

2) Nothing --- and I mean nothing at all ---- rates being negative about entire sections of the world's population and how they believe.

Nothing? Even if it's demonstrably untrue like the flat earth brigade, or those who think the world was created by a cloud man 5000 years ago?

Or if it's brutal and barbaric, and encouraged adherents to stone people to death for their alleged sins?

A large proportion of the human race believe absolute nonsense about all kinds of things, and the fact that they attach religious importance to it does not make it any more respectable, in my opinion. On the contrary the fact that it is used to extract money from those who can least afford it makes it all the more cynical.

And I'm not just talking in the abstract. I've spent time in villages in rural Thailand and seen the gaudy temples festooned with baubles and rubbish rising out of the shabby and run down houses, hospitals and schools linked by and crumbling roads. How much better would the lives of the villagers be if the effort and resources were put into improving the lives of the people who live in the village rather than on some ostentatious spiritual brothel?

[transam]

A Thai friend of mine sells lottery tickets to monks. Sooooooo, think that puts pay to my thoughts on stuff.

[David48]

A Thai friend of mine sells lottery tickets to monks. Sooooooo, think that puts pay to my thoughts on stuff.

The OP is about helping building a Thai Temple through donations ... not contributions to individual Monks.

Monks are human ... complete with all the fragilities that you and I possess.

One in a thousand, not one in a hundred ... is described as typical ...

Good news attracts smiles ... bad news attracts Newspaper Headlines.

[transam]

A Thai friend of mine sells lottery tickets to monks. Sooooooo, think that puts pay to my thoughts on stuff.

The OP is about helping building a Thai Temple through donations ... not contributions to individual Monks.

Monks are human ... complete with all the fragilities that you and I possess.

One in a thousand, not one in a hundred ... is described as typical ...

Good news attracts smiles ... bad news attracts Newspaper Headlines.

For sure, but when their brothers know the score it brings question marks to my gray cells.

For instance, where has the cash come from to buy lottery tickets.

Edited November 25, 2013 by transam

[T_Dog]

We've tried to minimize giving money for building projects, but still do a little infrequently. My wife would rather stop at a restaurant and buy a few kettles of food and deliver them to a home for the elderly or the handicapped.

[krisb]

I think if they choose to donate to the temple, it's ok. Religion isn't free. Some of these Thai temples are absolutely stunning and very peaceful places to sit in and walk around. In some way having a buddhist wife means I must have helped donate in some way. I personally love Thai temples and the monks that go with them. Part of the true Thai essence.

[LuckyMe88]

There are good abbot around. Not all are bad. http://www.watbangyapraek.com/ It's always a personal belief.

[PoorSucker]

Off topic post removed if you want to discuss Wirapol Sukphol please do it here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/668122-fugitive-ex-monk-narrowly-escapes-arrest-in-laos/