Buddhist Religious Symbols Blasphemy

Mar 6th, 2009, in IM Posts, by David

View the original article here.

81 Comments on “Buddhist Religious Symbols Blasphemy”

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Achmad Sudarsono Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 9:05 am
BK,

Not sure. Maybe I should’ve said the Thai Theravadin missionaries, according to one source I read on the net have been the most energetic. Most temples I’ve seen have been Thai run. But yes, hard to tell given the blend of Taoism and Kong Fu Tzu.

Molly,

Alcohol forbidden ? Dunno about that. I think the Buddhist teachings (for lay people) are more into recommendations that rules on alcohol. ie. “proceed with clarity,” and “don’t cloud the mind with intoxicants.” For the clergy, the rules seem to be much stricter.
ET Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 9:39 am
On a recent trip to Borobudur with a colleague who works in cultural heritage, we were both pretty appalled by the treatment of the Buddha statues by groups of domestic tourists. E.g. Draping themselves over them, hugging them, patting them on the head etc. – all while having their photos taken.

It seems that Buddhists everywhere have a habit of doing this. On a visit to Singapore I witnessed the same behaviour. As it also seemed odd to me I took pictures. But then I was told that acting like this is to be understood as a token of devotion.
schmerly Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 10:31 am
ET.. Re pics, been there done that, but didn’t get the teeshirt.
Burung Koel Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
@ ET

Interesting photos! Wish I knew how to insert them, I could show you the tourists at Borobodur.

Maybe I’m a bit sensitive because most of my experience with Buddhism has been in Sri Lanka, Laos or Burma. In those countries it is forbidden to touch the images, point your feet towards them or sit above them. In temples (like Shwedagon or the Temple of the Tooth), all visitors have to take off their shoes. Not the case in Borobodur.

It seems that Buddhists everywhere have a habit of doing this.

The domestic tourists I saw were Indonesian Muslim. I’m not sure they’d take too kindly to me wearing shoes in their mosque!
Lairedion Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
ET,

These are pictures of Budai, the “laughing Buddha” or possibly Maitreya, a future Buddha who is sometimes depicted as the “fat Buddha”. Both of them are not the historical Buddha.
David Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Wish I knew how to insert them, I could show you the tourists at Borobodur.

There’s no easy way of doing it, other than emailing them to me, or uploading them to a photobucket account and hotlinking them from there with the Img button.

While we’re on Buddha statues – Patung Archa Budha Raib Di Museum Balaputradewa
schmerly Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Patung, Just put them up on: http://imagevenue.com/ it’s free and very easy to do.
Brother Mouzone Says:
March 16th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I guess my grand opening of the Allah Wak’-Bar next month is out then… damnnit…

It just goes to show you can’t be too careful…
schmerly Says:
March 17th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Brother Mouzone.. No go ahead and open it, it’s a great idea having to drink five times a day, how devout is that!
fanglong Says:
March 20th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Wine’s just a legal rich men’s drug. All Buddha Bars around the world look more like opium dens. In Rock’n'Roll Cafes Jimi Hendrix’s relics aren’t in a better condition… Theravada Buddhists believe the so called historical Buddha is the only perfect Buddha, Mahayana practitioners think there are innumerable Buddhas, all of them being pure fictions helping “Buddha worshippers” : merely hearing their names is a blessin. But here, in France, so far from Menteng, I think the main problem is the way the place has been bought with the people’s money.
David Says:
March 20th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Hi Fanglong, long time no see….

But here, in France, so far from Menteng, I think the main problem is the way the place has been bought with the people’s money.

Would be grateful if you could go into that a little further.
fanglong Says:
March 21st, 2009 at 7:55 am
Oh, I didn’t mean the Buddha Bar in Paris, but jl. Teuku Umar’s, of which I read in the JP (March 14) : “Besides facing allegations of blasphemy, an independent corruption watchdog said recently that the venue, which is housed in an historic Dutch colonial-era building, was purchased and renovated with nearly $2.9 million in public funds before being converted into a private commercial enterprise, under questionable circumstances… Indonesia Corruption Watch said Thursday it has asked the Jakarta city administration to clarify the ownership of the heritage site – a former immigration office built by the Dutch in 1913 in a prime downtown neighborhood.”
Is it just a stupid allegation ?
Two Piece Says:
March 24th, 2009 at 9:42 am
What will people think Islam-Bar. And let people drink wine in front of an Al-Quran.
Or, what happens for a Jesus-Bar, and people drink beer in front of the Cross and Bible.

In any case, they are molesting thousand years old holy people and beliefs. I do not think this is right at all.
fanglong Says:
March 24th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
David Says:
March 24th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Good point Fanglong The Corruption Watch story is here, says in 2001 the city government allocated 30 billion rupiah for the building, to preserve it, but now it’s ended up in private hands.
Oigal Says:
March 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Wine’s just a legal rich men’s drug

Only where moronic governments have taxed the product to criminal levels. Drug ..no more than any other substance taken to excess.

Or, what happens for a Jesus-Bar, and people drink beer in front of the Cross and Bible.

mmm isn’t that what Catholics do every Sunday?

Seriously, nothing would happen with the exception of some very isolated snake biters, you will find the Christian church has generally moved past the the terminal insecurity that requires violence at every percieved and otherwise offence. Pretty sure Buddha or Jesus could not give a toss..besides turning water into wine was one of Jesus’s favorite party tricks bit late to go temperance on us now
Suryo Perkoso Says:
March 24th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Oigal Says:

March 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Wine’s just a legal rich men’s drug

Only where moronic governments have taxed the product to criminal levels. Drug ..no more than any other substance taken to excess.

Or, what happens for a Jesus-Bar, and people drink beer in front of the Cross and Bible.

mmm isn’t that what Catholics do every Sunday?

Seriously, nothing would happen with the exception of some very isolated snake biters, you will find the Christian church has generally moved past the the terminal insecurity that requires violence at every percieved and otherwise offence. Pretty sure Buddha or Jesus could not give a toss..besides turning water into wine was one of Jesus’s favorite party tricks bit late to go temperance on us now

Yes, but catholics are not supposed to get trousered in church on draft Guinness and Jamesons.

I wonder how nabi Isa got on with turning water into Smirnoff blue? I could do with him trying his hand here as I am down to my last snifter.
fanglong Says:
March 27th, 2009 at 7:45 am
If Puan Maharani’s “innocent”, what about Mr Sutiyoso’s daughter and, of course, PT Nireta Vista Creative ?
shorty Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I’m disappointed – 78 posts and not a mention of a rasta bar……weed and bob marley…beats the crap out of booze and buddha.

At least there’d be no religious bigots.
parakrama Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
i think this is Insulting Buddhism and Buddha but Buddhists never insulting other religions
why did that why innocent Buddhism insulting why what happen to you
Purba Negoro Says:
April 15th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
It costs approximately ID Rupiah 10-30.000 to hire one protestor.
You can hire them in a packet, say 50 loud and destructive brengsek for one million.
Reporters cost about 25- 50.000 plus 5-10.000 travel allowance. One million will easily get you on major TV.

It is very cheap.