Monkhood is ripe for reform

[GraemeR]

When Pope Benedict resigned, the Catholic Church suffered from many scandals ranging from child sexual abuse, reluctance to punish the perpetrators _ many of whom are high-ranking priests _ corruption and fierce infighting in the central bureaucracy, the Vatican Bank crisis, and declining number of the faithful who believe the Church has become irrelevant to modern times.

Interestingly, sexual and financial scandals, as well as fierce conservatism and gender prejudice, are not exclusive to the Roman Catholic Church. These are exactly the same problems that are plaguing the clergy in our predominantly Buddhist country.

Like the Catholic Church, our clergy operates in a deeply feudal hierarchy, but ours is in a much more unorganised structure. The members of the Council of Elders are all very old monks who are acting like an executive board of an organisation, but one without the management team to turn their policies into action.
More here

I think this problem arises when organisations worry too much about lay people's sexuality and not enough about the problems of priests, monks etc

Graham

[poto]

I rather prefer the decentralized nature of the monkhood.

The problem with centralizing power in any system is that those who desire power and rise to the top are often the least deserving of it. Any kind of system meant to have power and control over others is bound to attract the corrupt. While the righteous will often have little or no desire to take part in such things.

[convivium]

I rather prefer the decentralized nature of the monkhood.

The problem with centralizing power in any system is that those who desire power and rise to the top are often the least deserving of it. Any kind of system meant to have power and control over others is bound to attract the corrupt. While the righteous will often have little or no desire to take part in such things.

this is what a big part of the story of zen buddhism is all about.