Monks Get Green Light To Watch Cup

[stumonster]

Maybe I should have posted this in the Buddhism section ....

Monks get green light to watch Cup

From correspondents in Bangkok

June 14, 2006

THAILAND'S Buddhist monks must swear off many earthly pleasures, but the Government has given them the green light to enjoy World Cup football.

The monks would be allowed to watch the matches because exposure to worldly affairs including soccer was beneficial for their religious education, Preecha Gunteeya, director of Thailand's Religious Affairs Department, said today.

"They must be calm and quiet, and there must be no gambling," he said.

World Cup 2006 live matches from Germany are broadcast late at night in football-mad Thailand, where officials say punters are expected to bet almost $US1 billion ($1.35 billion), 23 per cent more than at the last cup four years ago.

In neighbouring Cambodia, the chief Buddhist monk in the capital Phnom Penh on Monday warned that monks found watching the World Cup must be punished and kicked out from their pagodas.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...5003460,00.html

[redrus]

There you go people, you've been loking in the wrong place. Don't go to the bars to see the football, head for the Temple's............

redrus

[Spit the Dog]

In neighbouring Cambodia, the chief Buddhist monk in the capital Phnom Penh on Monday warned that monks found watching the World Cup must be punished and kicked out from their pagodas.

Well if any monks living near the Thai border and are relying on Thai TV's coverage of the World Cup finals then I would imagine that there will be little chance of them being booted out their pagoda for watching football

[Sing_Sling]

THAILAND'S Buddhist monks must swear off many earthly pleasures, but the Government has given them the green light to enjoy World Cup football.

Interesting that an non-deity, in the form of the government, can rule what a religion may or may not do . . .