What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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appicchato
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by appicchato »

Fugetaboutit...
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PsychedelicSunSet
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by PsychedelicSunSet »

tiltbillings wrote:
Mkoll wrote:Anything could happen.
Ajahn Chah once said something about if he became a Xtian and it should mean to his followers. If someone could fish that out, that might be of interest.

These are all the Dhammatalks he gave where Christianity came up that I can think of, although I don't think any of them are the specific one you're thinking of.


It was Christmas and the foreign monks had decided to celebrate it. They invited some laypeople as well as Ajahn Chah to join them. The laypeople were generally upset and skeptical. Why, they asked, were Buddhists celebrating Christmas? Ajahn Chah then gave a talk on religion in which he said, "As far as I understand, Christianity teaches people to do good and avoid evil, just as Buddhism does, so what is the problem? However, if people are upset by the idea of celebrating Christmas, that can be easily remedied. We won’t call it Christmas. Let’s call it ‘Christ-Buddhamas’. Anything that inspires us to see what is true and do what is good is proper practice. You may call it any name you like."
-Paragraph 179

http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_ ... n_Chah.htm

Like those Christians who came today. They just said one thing. They said one thing that was full of meaning. ''One day we will meet again in the place of ultimate truth.'' Just this one statement was enough. Those were the words of a wise person. No matter what kind of Dhamma we learn, if we don't realize the ultimate truth (paramatthadhamma) in our hearts, we won't reach satisfaction.
-Even One Word is Enough

http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Even_One_Word_Is.php

And here's a story given by one of his students, Thanissara.
As a woman, I couldn't have a lot of contact with Ajahn Chah, and I couldn't be sent to study with Ajahn Sumedho either. Instead, Ajahn Chah suggested I practice with the American nun, Kum Fah. Kum Fah was very inspiring to me. When I left Thailand, I decided to ordain as a nun in England at Chithurst. After a time, Ajahn Sumedho organized a group from England to return to Thailand. One of the things we were looking forward to was reconnecting with this very inspiring nun. To our surprise, we found that Kum Fah had become a rabid born-again Christian. It was very distressing to see that this person had become so different than before. Furthermore, she was very keen on putting down Ajahn Chah and converting us to her views. Ajahn Sumedho went to Ajahn Chah very upset about the way Kum Fah behaved. Ajahn Chah simply said to Ajahn Sumedho, "Well, maybe she's right."
-The Life and Teachings of Ajahn Chah

http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha299.htm




Happy uposatha everyone.

:anjali:
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mikenz66
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by mikenz66 »

Here's a picture I took in Nong Khai a few years ago:
Image
http://www.thai-blogs.com/2007/05/05/ma ... -thailand/

:anjali:
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SarathW
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by SarathW »

I think Christians are more worried about what if whole world turns into a Buddhist majority planet!! :)

See the OP:
Did Arthur C. Clark say this?

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=16297
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by Ceisiwr »

What repercussions will it have on Global Dhamma if in 30-50 years Thailand becomes majority Christian nation (their proximity with US makes this a not-so-far-etched idea, look how Christianity is exploding in Africa)..Its not a distant reality....S. Korea in less than a generation became a significant Christian and culturally a Christian majority nation

Well the Dhamma will be forgotten someday ...

Don't get be wrong I'm not a big fan of Evangelical Christianity, for various reasons, however if people want to be Christian how can you stop them?


The best bulwark against Christianity are the teachings of anicca, dukkha and anatta so maybe more emphasis on putting this across in Thailand is needed? However I doubt that 90% of Thailand is really Buddhist anyway, even before the missionaries.
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
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pilgrim
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by pilgrim »

Sam Vara wrote:Would it matter all that much, even if it were likely? Things change. Europe used to be the epicentre for certain forms of Christianity which now flourish more in what were once European colonies. British Christianity now welcomes pastors and priests from Ghana and the Philippines, who proselytise to us home-grown white heathen. It might be comforting to know that there are populous nations like Thailand which are overwhelmingly Buddhist, but how much does this benefit my actual practice? If Thais were to decide that the strain of Buddhism which sustained their ancestors was no longer appropriate for them, then who am I to lament the fact?
It would matter a lot if one thinks there is a good chance that one would be reborn again. Just to take human birth is considered fortunate, then one hopes to encounter the Dhamma again.
Shaswata_Panja
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by Shaswata_Panja »

pilgrim wrote:
Sam Vara wrote:Would it matter all that much, even if it were likely? Things change. Europe used to be the epicentre for certain forms of Christianity which now flourish more in what were once European colonies. British Christianity now welcomes pastors and priests from Ghana and the Philippines, who proselytise to us home-grown white heathen. It might be comforting to know that there are populous nations like Thailand which are overwhelmingly Buddhist, but how much does this benefit my actual practice? If Thais were to decide that the strain of Buddhism which sustained their ancestors was no longer appropriate for them, then who am I to lament the fact?
It would matter a lot if one thinks there is a good chance that one would be reborn again. Just to take human birth is considered fortunate, then one hopes to encounter the Dhamma again.

exactly my point, if you were reborn on earth and there was no more Dharma left...can you imagine how huge a setback would that be ? you may be locked for a few thousand lifetimes in the hellrealm because you harboured false views
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Ceisiwr
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by Ceisiwr »

exactly my point, if you were reborn on earth and there was no more Dharma left...can you imagine how huge a setback would that be ? you may be locked for a few thousand lifetimes in the hellrealm because you harboured false views

That's a pretty big speculation

I'm not one to subscribe to rebirth chit chat, however even if you have the view of being reborn after death isn't it a standard teaching that such a rebirth is unknowable


You could stop all Thai's from being Christian and still be reborn as a stingray ...


Also I'm not sure that holding the views of a Christian (depending on the denomination of course) would lead you to hellish states?

My mother is a Christian, she seems to be quite happy and content
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by Ceisiwr »

you may be locked for a few thousand lifetimes in the hellrealm because you harboured false views

Ironically this sounds very similar to something you would hear an evangelical say ... :?
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
SarathW
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by SarathW »

I think lot of easterner see Christianity as a posh life style.
They don’t see the misery behind closed doors!

Christians seems to enjoy the life.
They eat, drink, dress and live well.

Buddhism talks the opposite.

I am not sure whether Christians are following the Jesus Christ teaching.

I think one day Buddhism will survive thanks to west.
I see Ven. Thannisaro’s (Not to mention many other) effort as the modern day Thripitaka writing.
It is amaizing considering all those translation done by one man.

:meditate:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by Ceisiwr »

I think lot of easterner see Christianity as a posh life style.
They don’t see the misery behind closed doors!
What misery?
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
SarathW
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by SarathW »

clw_uk wrote:
I think lot of easterner see Christianity as a posh life style.
They don’t see the misery behind closed doors!
What misery?
Dukkha. :)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by Ceisiwr »

SarathW wrote:
clw_uk wrote:
I think lot of easterner see Christianity as a posh life style.
They don’t see the misery behind closed doors!
What misery?
Dukkha. :)
I know that but you seemed to imply there was some misery in Christisanity that was behind closed doors?
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
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pilgrim
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by pilgrim »

Mr Man wrote:
This is five years old but....

Buddhism fastest growing religion in Singapore http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php ... tbF5WeYapo
I think this article sampled a very small number which shows positive results, largely I believe, as the result of the excellent work by a single organisation among the english-speaking graduate population. The recent census of the general population shows a significant decrease in the Buddhist population. see:
http://ahandfulofleaves.net/dhamma/?p=1519

Singapore’s population increased by 611k (24%) from 2.5 million in Year 2000 to 3.1 million in Year 2010. During this period, the number of people who identified themselves as Buddhist actually fell from 555 k to 442 k.
Last edited by pilgrim on Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
SarathW
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Re: What if Thailand turns into a Christian majority nation?

Post by SarathW »

Sorry I meant Christians. Please excuse me for my grammar. :)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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