Buddhist Authority to investigate anti-Islam 'Facebook Monk'

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Buddhist Authority to Investigate Anti-Islam 'Facebook Monk'
By Khaosod English


Screenshot from the now-deactivated Facebook page where a user claiming to be a monk has published content deemed offensive to the religion of Islam.

BANGKOK — Thailand's Office of National Buddhism (ONAB) is investigating a social media user claiming to be a monk who has published offensive remarks about the religion of Islam on the web.

Somchai Surachatri, an ONAB spokesperson, said the agency will attempt to identify whoever is behind the Facebook persona named "Luang Pee Manit Sumano." The Facebook user says he is a monk belonging to the Dhammakaya sect, which Dhamakaya's public relations department disputed in a public statement on 11 March.

In one controversial Facebook post, the user published a photo of a Muslim woman giving alms to Buddhist monks, and wrote in the caption: "This woman will never go to heaven if she still worships Allah. When I received alms from this woman, she told me when she followed Islam, she was not allowed to eat pork, she had to wake up very early to scream a morning prayer, and she was raped by many clerics. After she knew about Dhamakaya, her life got better. She is no longer raped by clerics everyday. You see, if you only change, your life can get better."

The profile appears to be deactived at the time of writing.

Source: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1431255006&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-05-11

[Your Thainess]

From the article: "A vast majority of Thailand - estimated to be as high as 96 percent by Thai authorities - is Buddhist. Islam is the largest minority religion in the country."

I would rather assert that genuine Buddhism is the minority religion in this country.

[Emster23]

Maybe he just arrived from Burma, as this seems standard view over there. "This woman will never go to heaven if she still worships Allah." Does this monk know anything at all about Buddhism? I mean, this shows his mind has already emptied.....

[Docno]

"go to heaven"??? I hope something got very lost in translation....

[doggie888888]

A case of one person's heaven being another person's hell.

Although, I do wonder what Buddhist heaven looks like.

[Strangebrew]

So the point being there is no heaven in Buddhism I believe it is enlightenment or navarina?

[JOC]

Sadly another "monk" making a fool of himself!!

Don't know why, but the name Suthep popped up in my head.....................

[JOC]

So the point being there is no heaven in Buddhism I believe it is enlightenment or navarina?

Agree with you!!

Navarinas are heavenly oranges................

[car720]

So the point being there is no heaven in Buddhism I believe it is enlightenment or navarina?

Agree with you!!

Navarinas are heavenly oranges................

I thought they were devil pork balls.

[Lee4Life]

"go to heaven"??? I hope something got very lost in translation....

Nope...the translation is probably correct, I was listening to the temple loudspeakers near our house a while ago and heard them urging the people to make offerings if they wanted to go to heaven.

[Lupatria]

Dhamakaya's public relations department

Is this a joke?

[rethaier]

I what writings did Buddha talk about heaven? To my knowledge he spoke about Nirvana which is a state of mind - never heaven.

[halloween]

It is professional courtesy that officers of a religion refrain from criticizing other religions, even though they are competitors in a shrinking market. (Also why sharks don't bite lawyers.)

The reasons are obvious. If you start pointing out the faults and fallacies of his religion, he is likely to do the same to yours, and there isn't a religion yet that shines under close scrutiny.

[Fullstop]

Buddhist Authority to Investigate Anti-Islam 'Facebook Monk'

I wonder if the Islamic authorities investigate "Anti-Everything Else" Facebook/Real World Muslims? If not...could it be that there are just too many? (i.e All of them.)

[FangFerang]

I what writings did Buddha talk about heaven? To my knowledge he spoke about Nirvana which is a state of mind - never heaven.

The Buddha never spoke of a heaven. Never. Not in the Tripitaka, nor the Nepalese Teachings of the Buddha, nor even the scrolls from Tibet (where The Book of Living and Dying talks about "The Playground of the Gods", but never calls it heaven).

Even the idea of making merit to gain something is declared to be "negative merit" in the Tripitaka, and Thais do the exact opposite of the recommendation. Like most Christians, most Buddhists have never read their chosen Holy Book -- they want to be mesmerized by charismatic preachers who do their thinking for them.

To me it's like a TV advertisement -- Coke has commercials in nearly every country, but no matter the language it is still merely marketing, not spirituality...

[Fullstop]

It is professional courtesy that officers of a religion refrain from criticizing other religions..

Honour amongst thieves and con men I guess.

[Fullstop]

Even the idea of making merit to gain something is declared to be "negative merit"

I'm guessing that there are a lot of spititually bankrupt Thais out there.

[DrTuner]

I what writings did Buddha talk about heaven? To my knowledge he spoke about Nirvana which is a state of mind - never heaven.

Heaven is easier to sell.

[nazree360]

So the point being there is no heaven in Buddhism I believe it is enlightenment or navarina?

nirwana

[Mot Dang]

From the article: "A vast majority of Thailand - estimated to be as high as 96 percent by Thai authorities - is Buddhist. Islam is the largest minority religion in the country."

I would rather assert that genuine Buddhism is the minority religion in this country.

You may draw these conclusions in the bigger towns and cities, due to a history of materialism and hedonism that has developed over the past 20 years in Thailand, but if you go out into the rural areas your assessment does not hold water. Wherever I go in rural Thailand the people are practicing devout Buddhists. This includes my village of more than 30 years in the Buriram panhandle. Thailand is not alone in this world where cities have a deleterious effect on core beliefs.

[NickJ]

The problem is this.....In the West, you want to be a Priest or a Minister, usualy means the seminary or a degree in Theology.....one most likley needs to become trained.....the ordained......Not so here, just throw a party, get the entire village wasted.....shave your head....and Your In!!!!!!!!!!! Now your revered with the right uniform and haircut......

[Smokemachine]

People are destroying Buddhism gradually. Stop causing conflicts with other belief. Give your help to the needy even they do not belong to your group. Let's share the love with the world.

[hansnl]

It is professional courtesy that officers of a religion refrain from criticizing other religions, even though they are competitors in a shrinking market. (Also why sharks don't bite lawyers.)

The reasons are obvious. If you start pointing out the faults and fallacies of his religion, he is likely to do the same to yours, and there isn't a religion yet that shines under close scrutiny.

Of course, islam is adhering in the most strict way to the courtesy mentioned above?

[Godders]

From the article: "A vast majority of Thailand - estimated to be as high as 96 percent by Thai authorities - is Buddhist. Islam is the largest minority religion in the country."

I would rather assert that genuine Buddhism is the minority religion in this country.

You may draw these conclusions in the bigger towns and cities, due to a history of materialism and hedonism that has developed over the past 20 years in Thailand, but if you go out into the rural areas your assessment does not hold water. Wherever I go in rural Thailand the people are practicing devout Buddhists. This includes my village of more than 30 years in the Buriram panhandle. Thailand is not alone in this world where cities have a deleterious effect on core beliefs.

The opiate of the people. Even more now that those funny leaves they used to chew have been put on the banned list.

[Prbkk]

Transfer him to an inactive wat