Five Thai monks charged over sexual abuse of minors: police

[Skywalker69]

I know catholics priests had bad press in recent time but buddhist monk are of a totally different league. Most probably because there are no real regulation regarding this monks. Some, who are covered with tatooes from head to toes look more like Yakuza than monks.

You are a very small prejudice human. Take it you´r a catholic yourself?

[bkkfaranguy]

I have always thought that religion was the root of all evils, but have left monks out of that catagory, but apparently I should not!

[pisico]

That perversion of the true nature and duties of monks have been happening forever. As of late with the video capabilities of mobile phones many monks have been caught fondling children.

It all stems from the fact that there is no government (or inner accountability in Thai Buddhism) to prevent or detect such abuses.

Lack of Accountability is endemic in Thai culture.

According to the National Office of Buddhism there are 37,500 plus wats in Thailand. All wats are required by the rules of the "religion" to report annually the amount of their cash collections from "making merit", ceremonies for different purposes (blessing of businesses, marriages, etc.) and, according to the Office only 1,500 wats do so sporadically.

The reason that such derelictions of duty and observance of tenets take place.

The egregious case of the Louis Vuiton monk was a prime example and the tip of the iceberg.

[hanno]

I flew Thai first class the other day and had 5 Thai monks for company....vows of poverty obviously don't cover travelling in style

They usually get upgraded....

[allan michaud]

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Ah well, why should the nonces be confined to the Catholic church......

Yep, I never doubted this sort of this was going on at all.

[GAZZPA]

I know catholics priests had bad press in recent time but buddhist monk are of a totally different league.

IMO, Catholic priests are a lot worse. They were preaching against homosexuality while molesting little boys or covering up for those that did. The monks might be perves, but they are a lot less hypocritical.

Faulty logic here but I won't wast my time with you.

The catholic church built school who provided eduction to people all over the world. Which other religion did that ? Please answer.

Among the thousands of people who sacrifice their life to provide education to the less favorized, there was a few bad apples. You focus on them because of your twisted mind.

"The catholic church built school who provided eduction to people all over the world. Which other religion did that ? Please answer."

The Seventh Day Adventist church, for one, has built and managed, probably hundreds of schools and universities all over the world.....

To suggest that the building of schools somehow makes child molestation ok, is deplorable.....

Any form of child molestation in any country, religion or society, should be vehemently opposed and offenders prosecuted, handed the full punishment available.

Come on, thats a cheap shot. He did not say that setting up schools makes child abuse ok did he, what a silly twist of words. Child abuse is universally deplored, no one is going to disagree with that.

I think the point he is making that there are a minority of people in all walks of life that are sick individuals. So, yes there have been some catholic priests arrested and charged with this, BUT that does not can that ALL priests and the entire Catholic religion is bad and he gave an example of schools they set up.

Seeing as how Catholics are Christians (as are the Seventh Day Adventist Church) and about a third of the world are Christians I would imagine there are many child abusers in that number but doesn't make a third of the world sick does it.

These monks do not mean that the entire Buddhist faith is now sick and pointless and it doesn't mean that all monks are child rapists either.

[bigbamboo]

I know catholics priests had bad press in recent time but buddhist monk are of a totally different league.

IMO, Catholic priests are a lot worse. They were preaching against homosexuality while molesting little boys or covering up for those that did. The monks might be perves, but they are a lot less hypocritical.

Faulty logic here but I won't wast my time with you.

The catholic church built school who provided eduction to people all over the world. Which other religion did that ? Please answer.

Among the thousands of people who sacrifice their life to provide education to the less favorized, there was a few bad apples. You focus on them because of your twisted mind.

Defending the catholic church is very noble not to mention daunting given its history of witch hunting, financial corruption, child molesting, cover ups the CIA would admire, not to mention the Spanish inquisition, the Borgias and murdering the odd pope.

Good luck......... you'll need it!

[Thaiready]

They should cut their balls off.

[Lowryder]

The catholic church built school who provided eduction to people all over the world.

It was just to keep a stock of boys to molest, like big warehouses.

[Trentham]

Muslim entities build schools and in many Buddhist countries monasteries provide the only education.

The Catholic church was about the only organization to build school all over the world. Stop the B.S. and check what was teached in catholic school compared to what little muslim or buddhism learned.

JohnnyLazz it is no B.S. Check out this website - http://www.brokenrites.org.au/drupal/ from Australia. And this is from a country with only a small population. Scroll through to the end of the first page and you will see there are many pages relating to Catholic priests raping and molesting children and being protected by the church. It is horrific reading. This topic is now being examined by a Royal Commission in Australia at the moment and is revealing some terrible facts which you are denying. The Commission is also looking at offences in all churches and institutions which includes the Buddhist religion in Australia.

[ggt]

Frustrating...can not trust anyone...in today's world...

[LukKrueng]

Faulty logic here but I won't wast my time with you.

The catholic church built school who provided eduction to people all over the world. Which other religion did that ? Please answer.

Among the thousands of people who sacrifice their life to provide education to the less favorized, there was a few bad apples. You focus on them because of your twisted mind.

sacrifice their life to provide education << ?? How?

Just for the record, many of the Thai public schools are wat school therefore the temples here do provide for education, and unlike most other religiously supported school all over the world - while they do teach Buddhism and do Buddhist prayers, they do not discriminate kids who hold other beliefs nor try to convert them to Buddhism.

[iReason]

"Four of the abbots volunteered to disrobe,..."

Isn't that how they got into trouble in the first place?

[UbonRatch]

"Four of the abbots volunteered to disrobe,..."

Isn't that how they got into trouble in the first place?

[englishoak]

Lest we forget: only BAD news makes press. Good riddance of these folks though. Indeed a bit more swift action than the Catholic church.

A bit of education: In olden days it was a gesture of devotion to let your guru put an incantation tatoo on you. Nothing to do with yakooza or crooks.

As to the rules: The monastic order abides by 227 rules. One of them being to not involve in sexual activities. The fine is immediate defrocking.

Yes bad news makes press, dont be so sure its swift, guaranteed its been going on forever, the number of monks with families and children and engaging in sex after ordaining is quite an eye opener.

In any group some of those with authority and trust will always abuse it or join in order to get that power in the first place.

Even ordaining as a youth is already not the norm now. In a few years monks here will be as respected as catholic priests, not for the child abuse but for the example too many tend to set now.

Issara monk from the protests as an example ... mobile phones, bank accounts, stealing donations, buying cars or houses, jet setting, property land deals, mia noi, boyfriend in the sanga etc etc. It all goes on.

Edited May 28, 2014 by englishoak

[Sailingbum1]

I know catholics priests had bad press in recent time but buddhist monk are of a totally different league.

IMO, Catholic priests are a lot worse. They were preaching against homosexuality while molesting little boys or covering up for those that did. The monks might be perves, but they are a lot less hypocritical.

Faulty logic here but I won't wast my time with you.

The catholic church built school who provided eduction to people all over the world. Which other religion did that ? Please answer.

Among the thousands of people who sacrifice their life to provide education to the less favorized, there was a few bad apples. You focus on them because of your twisted mind.

Unfortunetly you wasted our time with your lack of logic and a change of the actual subject. Which is" Child abuse by Clergy", and, the cover up of the same. Not which group built more schools ( and collected the most money making them richer then God). But the warped destruction of innocent young lives and how the hierarchy of that group responded to it.

The Catholic church in full knowing often just switched the offender to a different parish who then repeated his sickness on new victims. Free to continue with no legal ramifications and then bought off the victim or family when the publicity got to hot.

Yes . Like the Monks, there were just a few bad "Eggs" percentage wise. But repeated absolution from the leadership without real treatment and not removing them from service is the crime of the Catholic Church. Schools and helping the poor is their banner. But one does not excuse the other.

These monks arepublcy being relieved of there power over these of these innocents and subject to the law with no favortism the same as if theie perversions were not hiding in Gods clothe and probably even more so because they were. It's the law of man and a just one.

The Bible states "Give Ceaser his due". No Clergy should have diplomatic immunity but be subject to the laws of the country they are in.

[Frank James]

I think there might have been far fewer cases of sexual abuse if priests and monks did not have to take a vow of celibacy. But I could be wrong. There have been many cases of various sorts of sexual abuse by 'men of the cloth' in churches that did not have the vow.

[Scott]

Off-topic, inflammatory and troll posts and replies deleted. The topic is about Thai monks molesting children.

[Scott]

The OP doesn't give very accurate information about the victims, other than they were under 15. If they were pubescent boys, then it is technically not pedophilia. Pedophilia is the attraction to pre-pubescent children. Hebephilia is the attraction to pubescent children. Regardless, however, they are predators and are dangerous.

Pedophilia is not related to homosexuality. Pedophiles are fixated at a certain age and their attraction to the children of the same-sex is because of that fixation. Pedophiles generally have suffered some sort of trauma at a young age and that is where they stop growing emotionally. They then are fixated on children of about the same age. There is plenty of information available about this subject and posts which compare pedophilia with homosexuality will get deleted.

The idea that a vow of celibacy is the root cause is also probably not accurate. Pedophiles and Hebephiles are not emotionally mature enough to enter into a relationship with an adult and dating and marriage are just not in the cards for these people. They are pretty much devoid of any type of significant adult relationships. They are attracted to occupations which where marriage would not be encouraged. They are also attracted to occupations or places that bring them into contact with children.

There is probably no significant difference in the number of pedophiles that are Buddhist, or Muslim or Catholic or any other religion. There is, however, a difference in how these people find their victims. Institutions that are entrusted with the care of children need to build in safeguards to protect children from predators.

[Chicog]

I know catholics priests had bad press in recent time but buddhist monk are of a totally different league.

IMO, Catholic priests are a lot worse. They were preaching against homosexuality while molesting little boys or covering up for those that did. The monks might be perves, but they are a lot less hypocritical.

Please remember that homosexuality and pedophilia are not the same thing. Priests who are molesting children are not gay, they pedophiles.

Please remember the origin and meaning of the word. If they are molesting children of the same gender, they can accurately be described as homosexual paedophiles. It has no other connotations than homosexual police officer.

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[englishoak]

I think there might have been far fewer cases of sexual abuse if priests and monks did not have to take a vow of celibacy. But I could be wrong. There have been many cases of various sorts of sexual abuse by 'men of the cloth' in churches that did not have the vow.

I doubt it very much. Then there would be a lot more rape and taking sexual advantage of people especially at times of emotion.

There seems so far to be little scandal in the Jewish faith at that level. Rabbis have to be married to actually become one and have family as the centre of their focus, they are probably far more devoted than a single alpha male with raging hormones would be. I have no idea about Islam Imam's.

[englishoak]

The OP doesn't give very accurate information about the victims, other than they were under 15. If they were pubescent boys, then it is technically not pedophilia. Pedophilia is the attraction to pre-pubescent children. Hebephilia is the attraction to pubescent children. Regardless, however, they are predators and are dangerous.

Pedophilia is not related to homosexuality. Pedophiles are fixated at a certain age and their attraction to the children of the same-sex is because of that fixation. Pedophiles generally have suffered some sort of trauma at a young age and that is where they stop growing emotionally. They then are fixated on children of about the same age. There is plenty of information available about this subject and posts which compare pedophilia with homosexuality will get deleted.

The idea that a vow of celibacy is the root cause is also probably not accurate. Pedophiles and Hebephiles are not emotionally mature enough to enter into a relationship with an adult and dating and marriage are just not in the cards for these people. They are pretty much devoid of any type of significant adult relationships. They are attracted to occupations which where marriage would not be encouraged. They are also attracted to occupations or places that bring them into contact with children.

There is probably no significant difference in the number of pedophiles that are Buddhist, or Muslim or Catholic or any other religion. There is, however, a difference in how these people find their victims. Institutions that are entrusted with the care of children need to build in safeguards to protect children from predators.

Thats a fine line Scott.its also not true what you say about paedophilia and Hebephilia.... half the time these predators wouldnt know a pre or post pubescent child when they saw one... since all kids can go through puberty at earlier or later age there is no way a predator can tell... until the deed is done anyway.

Thats why there are laws to protect children and age limits set ... anyone having any sexual contact under is for ease classed as a paedophile... being medical about the correct terms makes no difference whatsoever... they simply need to to be locked up and kept on record..

As to the excuses behind it ... there are none.....

All institutions connected with children have these problems, including teaching, it however far more shocking in an environment that is supposed to be an example of morals

[kingalfred]

I know catholics priests had bad press in recent time but buddhist monk are of a totally different league.

IMO, Catholic priests are a lot worse. They were preaching against homosexuality while molesting little boys or covering up for those that did. The monks might be perves, but they are a lot less hypocritical.

wow, trying to put buddhism above catholic church? It doesnt wear I'm afraid.

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[surangw]

some religions seem like fronts for dirty old men to get under age kids. ( and get paid to do it in the form of donations buy their sheeple )

[FangFerang]

The novice asked, "Wat did you say Abbot?"

Abbot, behind him, "Bend wai over...wai, wai over."

The real tragedy is...the proctologist found the giant incense stick...

and it was still smouldering....

[moe666]

Years ago I read a book on the development od Buddhism in Japan the parents of young boys did not want their children associated with the temples as they were considered dens of homosexuality and perversion. This problem has been around since the founding of temples and wats as well as churches and cathedrals. Celibacy seems to be the common factor between all of the religions who have problems with priest who abuse boys and even girls and women.

[Tywais]

Inflammatory/accusatory post removed.

[sumtingwong]

I doubt you can name a religion where this has not happened.

[GuestHouse]

Tip of an iceberg.

As we know from the experience of western societies, it was the challenge to structures of authority and privilige that revealed the corruption in all its forms.

The Catholic (and by no means the only or even largest area of sexual abuse) existed not because of anything in Catholocism or Christianity but because of the priviliged position the church had - above scrutiny.

The exact conditions that exist in many Thai institutions.

[fabianfred]

I would not worry too much about these monks getting jail sentences. What i want to know is if they can get early release if they become.a monk again like a lot of long time prisoners do.

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If a monk has any kind of sex with another person from that moment on they are no longer a monk...if they continue to stay in robes they are creating huge amounts of bad karma for themselves.

('entry of the organ into any orifice .... human or non-human ... to the depth of a mustard seed.')

Once disrobed they are not able to ordain again in this lifetime....unless they lie about it....then much more bad karma.

One second in hell is not worth it..... let alone hundred of years.