Thailand only: Four year old twins ‘get married’ to help ward off evil spirits

[SunsetT]

It's garbage like this that holds Thailand back....most of the population are insanely superstitious....including the leaders...!

..............and monks in attendance so condoned by the national religion........ Buddhism.

The Catholic Church would have stamped out this superstitious mumbo jumbo.........probably by burning them at the stake.....after torture, of course!

..................

[Bluespunk]

Some people are clearly too stupid to be allowed to have children.

Yep, you better include christians in that statement. They too have the belief in all those spirit things.

TL

Really?

Christians believe that twins of the opposite sex were lovers in a previous life?

They believe 4 year olds should marry to fool evil spirits?

Can you direct me to the "Book of Dumbass Moron" (I'm guessing that's who wrote such idiotic nonsense) in the Bible, because despite my atheism I'd like to read that one.

[Malise]

Crepe and cream, enough said!

I know of two little brothers who's names are Bam and Boo.

Another twist, you can find a few families who have given their kids the nicknames: nueng, sorng, samm, see etc. (1, 2, 3, 4)

Yup i've met 1,2,3 - my partners, cousins kids... they are alright so far.

[DrTuner]

Folks do understand that this is an old animistic belief, right? They ain't going back home to wildly copulate and live happily ever after, it's a silly ritual, that's all. Local Somchais will be happy to have another excuse to help themselves to free booze.

[slipperylobster]

Some people are clearly too stupid to be allowed to have children.

Yep, you better include christians in that statement. They too have the belief in all those spirit things.

TL

Really?

Christians believe that twins of the opposite sex were lovers in a previous life?

They believe 4 year olds should marry to fool evil spirits?

Can you direct me to the "Book of Dumbass Moron" (I'm guessing that's who wrote such idiotic nonsense) in the Bible, because despite my atheism I'd like to read that one.

haha ...thought you said Dumbass Mormans ( the ones with magic underwear )..

[Malise]

I have a two-year old daughter with my Thai wife. When she was newborn and crying at night I wanted to play the hours of lullabies I had downloaded for her. NOPE. Can't do that or it will alert Pii Krasue (the ghost with a head and entrails) and the ghost will come and take the baby away. My wife also had to bring in laundry before dark that was hanging outside to dry so the ghost wouldn't see the baby clothes. Oh, and instead of lullabies, wife and/or mother-in-law would just moan uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. This went on for about the first year.

Wow and you stuck around. Thats a hard gig.. maybe put through the local temple sound system.

[skippy]

What are the odds on a 'reality show' out of this debacle ?

[mankondang]

I went to western building, where parents of a six month child, along with a large gathering of other adults, poured water over this baby's head, so that evil would not posses the child and take away it's soul. The building was called a "church" and the ceremony a "christening". Seems different cultures practice the same believes in different ways.

PS. I didn't know that Buddhism believed in the concept of a "soul", until I read it as reported in the OP.

[LookChang]

Crepe and cream, enough said!

My wife's sister has two boys named Bank and Safe...

[WitawatWatawit]

"...........P.S. the little boy does not look very happy about it all.

regards Worgeordie"

He's just realised who his mother in law is.

Funnyyyyyyyy ....

[thaiduncankk]

Sorry I missed the wedding reception, it must have been a right good piss up !

[skippy]

I went to western building, where parents of a six month child, along with a large gathering of other adults, poured water over this baby's head, so that evil would not posses the child and take away it's soul. The building was called a "church" and the ceremony a "christening". Seems different cultures practice the same believes in different ways.

and your point is ?

[BlindMagician]

Sounds real strange, but then again someone being crucified and coming back from the dead is just as strange. Only atheism makes any sense because it relies on facts not unproven beliefs.

Typical cynical (closed minded) statement from the atheist religion/cult with its arrogant cult leader Richard Dawkins!

Ignorance in the extreme.

Pot calling the kettle black.

Trained rational based thinkers are by definition open minded - open until there is proof that justifies forming a conclusion. Not cynical, not based on superstition.

If you are atheist, you are by definition not religious, and combined with their rational thinking, cannot be part of a cult, also by definition.

Your reply, hEaDy, only goes to add weight to the arguments on our side.

But lets put all that aside, and lets for a mad minute assume your side hold the argument - can your beliefs justify 4 year old twins being forced marriage by their parents? How does that fits into your belief system?

[nichol]

I was beginning to worry and im glad that they cleared that part up that the Sinsod was paid up..

I'm a bit confused on who pays who?

let alone if they in the future have offspring.. might explain a few problems in the gene pool in some places.

Actually the Sinsod was 10,000,000 Baht and not just a rumour because it was laid out for the whole village to see ( yes they were all there )

and after all the food and drink was finished the Sinsod handing over ceremony commenced and the father give the money to himself

lol only in Thailand

[Lupatria]

…this practice isn’t uncommon in Thailand.

I’m glad to get this information; it keeps me from mulling over the genetic structure in the neighborhood.

[gregk0543]

"People will believe anything but if you tell them the truth they wont believe you." Quote from my father.

Anyway good to see the parents care for their children. Thats a good sign.

Pity we cant use these rituals to protect us from climate change and human destruction of the environment.

The evil spirits that have possessed humans seem to be indiscriminate and no one can stop them.

[timmyp]

As soon as they legalize same-sex marriage, twin brothers and twin sisters start getting married.

I have twin brother, and I wish we would have gotten married when we little, then evil spirits wouldn't have dragged me to Thailand. Same-sex marriage just came too late to ward it off.

[Aninquisitivemind]

Sounds real strange, but then again someone being crucified and coming back from the dead is just as strange. Only atheism makes any sense because it relies on facts not unproven beliefs.

Typical cynical (closed minded) statement from the atheist religion/cult with its arrogant cult leader Richard Dawkins!

555 Closed mind, which invisible friend do you have? The one nailed on the cross to save you, who could perform magic tricks, heal the sick, walk on water, but no one ever wrote about him in his life time, people had to wait for many decades after his death.. ? Or the one where the prophet flew to heaven on a winged horse and split the moon in two? Or or or or? and just to inform you, atheism is not a religion or cult, or a belief, it is sanity. It doesn't need magic and supernatural hocus pocus, Ok, yours is true, but everyone else's religion is wrong! You are sooo lucky.

[nichol]

And who will be evil when the siblings have offspring with birth defects?

i think if you read the report the father himself states that it is a trick to pretend they are a couple just to fool the spirits so therefor not even real to anyone at the party/wedding except of course the spirits, but it must have worked because at the end there was no spirits, or beer or food etc etc

so I don't think you have to worry too much about two young four year old innocent children having offspring

[johnhw]

verging on child abuse, ridiculous.

Is that "child abuse" like threatening children with eternal hellfire if they don't believe EXACTLY what their parents believe?

[csabo]

"... are at a high risk from living a life tormented by bad luck and evil spirits."

How ironic. After getting married, I lived a life tormented by bad luck and evil spirits.

You got off easy. I married Satan herself.

[csabo]

verging on child abuse, ridiculous.

Is that "child abuse" like threatening children with eternal hellfire if they don't believe EXACTLY what their parents believe?

Thats exactly correct. Indoctrination aka brain washing or mind control is child abuse which eventually makes us all victims. Paris got a dose of that reality this week.

[DrTuner]

Sounds real strange, but then again someone being crucified and coming back from the dead is just as strange. Only atheism makes any sense because it relies on facts not unproven beliefs.

Typical cynical (closed minded) statement from the atheist religion/cult with its arrogant cult leader Richard Dawkins!

Atheism is another -ism, yes, but most people tend to mean agnostic when they say "atheist", meaning they don't give a flying <deleted> what others use as a mental crutch, as long as they aren't forced to believe in unicorns pooping rainbow colored ice cream.

[English 1]

It's like the middle ages.

This is 'Magic Man' and the 'Spirit Houses' nonsense which still prevails in the countryside.

There is no hope for a Nation with countless thousand believing this twaddle.

Another reason why an Election would be a catastrophe!

[csabo]

Sounds real strange, but then again someone being crucified and coming back from the dead is just as strange. Only atheism makes any sense because it relies on facts not unproven beliefs.

You choose to select facts or you choose to put faith in a chosen belief. Two people can disagree and both be right.

Actually that's not how reality or logic works.

[Bluespunk]

verging on child abuse, ridiculous.

Is that "child abuse" like threatening children with eternal hellfire if they don't believe EXACTLY what their parents believe?

Don't know what branch of Christianity you were raised in but my parents were fairly observant Roman Catholics. Confession, communion, confirmation, church on Sundays and religious days. Not once was I ever threatened with damnation for wrong doing. It was made clear that repentance was necessary if I wanted forgiveness but hellfire was for mortal sins.

Personally I'm an atheist and don't give a toss what faith a person does or doesn't follow but it's not fair to say all Christians threaten their kids with damnation.

I'm sure some do but many are somewhat more rational than that.

[DanceAllNight]

the longer i stay in thailand, and the more i learn about thai culture and experience it, the more i realize how strange this place is. No offense.

[ParadiseLost]

All the negative views, but nobody can say why it is such a bad thing... And for good reason, it's just as harmless as a christening, or batmitzvah (forgive spelling) and no more creepy than easter or christmas... Kids and adults both have a great day and a weird tradition is kept going.

People who see perversion or brainwashing here have obviously been brought up in the good old christian faith and as such feel they have to sit in judgment: everything not in the bible is wrong - so no surprise there.

Friends of mine have 3 year old twins and I look forward to the day they perform this ceremony.

[Aninquisitivemind]

verging on child abuse, ridiculous.

Is that "child abuse" like threatening children with eternal hellfire if they don't believe EXACTLY what their parents believe?

Don't know what branch of Christianity you were raised in but my parents were fairly observant Roman Catholics. Confession, communion, confirmation, church on Sundays and religious days. Not once was I ever threatened with damnation for wrong doing. It was made clear that repentance was necessary if I wanted forgiveness but hellfire was for mortal sins.

Personally I'm an atheist and don't give a toss what faith a person does or doesn't follow but it's not fair to say all Christians threaten their kids with damnation.

I'm sure some do but many are somewhat more rational than that.

AND if you are a evil person your whole life, rape, murder whatever BUT repent on your death bed you go to heaven. Where a good compassionate person their whole life who is a non believer goes to hell. The only sin that cannot be forgiven is believing that your sin is so great that not even God can forgive it. This is called the sin against the Holy Spirit. Hmm Sounds fair.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Aninquisitivemind

[Bluespunk]

I'm not sure that (and I'm saying this only as a theoretical case in which it is assumed I believe in the whole Christian thing) anyone who has done the evil you mention would ask for forgiveness out of a sense of repentance but rather fear. In the eyes of god (can't believe I'm saying this) would that really be repentance?

I'm sure theologians might be able to answer that question (no doubt after decades of debate) but as far as my parents were concerned it wouldn't have been acceptable. I'll go with their viewpoint, if I don't I'll get sent to my room again.