Thailand Thread

[BishopMnA 0]

So if I'm reading you correctly, and upon my own reflection, Buddhism for example, teaches you to live a good life, but doesn’t really tell you “how to”, while Christianity tells you to lead a good life, but lays out the ways to do it, like with the 10 commandments. Is that along the lines of your thinking?

Kinda... [by the way...I like your 'fundamentalism' comment under your pic]

I think there is a great deal of instruction within Asian philosophies/faiths, entire libraries are filled with these documents! So, its not like they also don't have a set of rules to follow. Buddhism has the 4 nobel truths and the 8 fold path, though these are not as 'definitive' as 'Thall Shalt not Kill'. Hinduism has the 700 verses of the Bhagavad-Gita.

I found it interesting though that Siddhartha did say that if something he was teaching didn't work for the individual, then forget about that teaching and move on. One thing I always loved about the Buddha was that he always fully stressed his humanity and in his humanity he was always humble. That is very noble.

With Christianity though, Christ probably wouldn't say to 'forget about his teachings and move on', if something wasn't working for the individual...but rather to 'stick with it' until you understand it. This is pretty evident in the gospels, when most of his disciples (except the 12) abandoned him after his most difficult of teachings. Yet even this gets misconstrued by different sects of Christianty, leading to fundamentalism and/or existentialism...so...it takes some 'searching' to really understand how to comprehend Christ...luckily we have the Holy Spirit to help us

I'd have to defer to USCandual regarding a more legalistic form of worship, which is followed more closely through the 613 laws of Judiasm. Christians, don't follow as nearly stringent set of rules! We're too weak! Catholics have a great respect for Judiasm...

Well...you guys have a nice afternoon/evening! I'm going to pick up my wonderfully angelic wife . As I mentioned earlier, she is working M-F at FedEx and really really really loves it! However, in the evenings and sometimes on the weekends, she is helping at the local Thai restaurant around the corner. My wife, like a lot of Thai people, is an AMAZING chef! So, she really enjoys working at the Thai food restaurant. She's not on any work schedule there, she just calls the owner once a week or so and asks them if they need/want any help and then she goes in Well...anyways, she's off work in 30 minutes, so I thought I'd go pick her up...with a bottle of wine...and then take her down to the Potomac River. We live in a new subdivision and the Potomac runs behind us...just 250 yards behind my backyard...and we have a private access to this portion of the river through our homeowner association. They worked during the last month to put in a boat ramp/picnic area...and it just opened up 3 days ago. Its great! I'm glad Spring is here!

Peace!

MK+JC+AK

[*Robert* 2]

Democracy Texas style!

That's awesome!!

I love her excuse: "we don't break for lunch, for dinner, for bathroom breaks...." C'mon now, a big collective "Awwwwwwww!!!!"

I wonder if this is unique to Texas, or goes on in other states as well?

It's BS is what it is!!! Why do "lawmakers" seem to always think they are above the law?

Has anyone wondered what we'd find out if the IRS did an audit on all the lawmakers? If all of the candidates for Obama's administration are any sign, I think we might fix the national deficit!

[scandal 951]

Great post, Mark. Please keep them coming

So if I'm reading you correctly, and upon my own reflection, Buddhism for example, teaches you to live a good life, but doesn’t really tell you “how to”, while Christianity tells you to lead a good life, but lays out the ways to do it, like with the 10 commandments. Is that along the lines of your thinking?

Kinda... [by the way...I like your 'fundamentalism' comment under your pic]

Me too!

I think there is a great deal of instruction within Asian philosophies/faiths, entire libraries are filled with these documents! So, its not like they also don't have a set of rules to follow. Buddhism has the 4 nobel truths and the 8 fold path, though these are not as 'definitive' as 'Thall Shalt not Kill'. Hinduism has the 700 verses of the Bhagavad-Gita.

I found it interesting though that Siddhartha did say that if something he was teaching didn't work for the individual, then forget about that teaching and move on. One thing I always loved about the Buddha was that he always fully stressed his humanity and in his humanity he was always humble. That is very noble.

With Christianity though, Christ probably wouldn't say to 'forget about his teachings and move on', if something wasn't working for the individual...but rather to 'stick with it' until you understand it. This is pretty evident in the gospels, when most of his disciples (except the 12) abandoned him after his most difficult of teachings. Yet even this gets misconstrued by different sects of Christianty, leading to fundamentalism and/or existentialism...so...it takes some 'searching' to really understand how to comprehend Christ...luckily we have the Holy Spirit to help us

I'd have to defer to USCandual regarding a more legalistic form of worship, which is followed more closely through the 613 laws of Judiasm. Christians, don't follow as nearly stringent set of rules! We're too weak!

Regarding Judaism, the 613 you refer to (the Hebrew acronym is "taryag") are not laws, but "mitzvot", loosely translated as "commandments" and/or "good deeds". I know, those are two very different things in English, but somehow in Hebrew both concepts are bundled into the ntion of a "mitzvah". BTW - the celebration of a Bar Mitzvah for a boy who turns 13 is simply the date on which we recognize this young man as responsible for his actions, and thus subject to fulfilling the "mitzvot".

Anyway, you are quite right that Judaism is a highly structured and ritualistic form of practice. It's all about preparing your food, observing the Sabbath and holidays, saying the right prayers in the right order on the right day, etc. etc. Even things like a couple's sex life (YAY!!! I got to bring SEX into this finally!!) are brought into the structure. A woman must attend the "mikvah" (ritual bath) after she finishes her menstruation cycle, and the married couple is not permitted to engage in sexual relations for approximately a 2 week period each month during and after her cycle when she is considered "unclean". Orthodox Jewish couples typically buy two twin beds that can be adjoined for the 2 weeks of the month when they are permitted to sleep together, and then separated during the woman's cycle.

The modern practice of Judaism is however radically different from that practiced by Israelites in the ancient land of Israel from approx 950BC until Roman times. During that period observance was largely centered around sacrificial offerings. Much of the Pentateuch, particularly latter portions of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and most of Numbers, deals with the detailed codifications of these ritual offerings. In fact, those sections are the writings of the "P" source (as part of the "J", "E", "P", "D" sources of the Documentary Hypothesis of the Bible, largely accepted by scholars as the authorship and dating of the Pentateuch). "P" was all about giving legitimacy to the Priestly class during the struggle between the split Kingdoms of Judea and Israel. It's all politics, in the end. But I digress.... the point I was actually trying to make is that Jewish practice in the time of the Temples (First and Second) was centered on the priests and sacrifice. When that ended with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, Jews effectively created a brand new religion centered on prayer and ritual in the home and the synagogue, with Rabbis replacing priests (Kohanim) as the spiritual leaders of the community. The Judaism I was born into bears little resemblance to that of my forefathers.

Catholics have a great respect for Judiasm...

Hmm... I certainly wouldn't say that about Ferdinand and Isabella and Torquemada in 1492, or about Pius XII during WWII, or about Bishop Richard Williamson.

Let's just say that Catholicism has had centuries of hostility towards Judaism, and only in its modern relatively-enlightened form are Catholics coming to see Jews as sharing a common tradition, and not an opposing one.

Well...you guys have a nice afternoon/evening! I'm going to pick up my wonderfully angelic wife . As I mentioned earlier, she is working M-F at FedEx and really really really loves it! However, in the evenings and sometimes on the weekends, she is helping at the local Thai restaurant around the corner. My wife, like a lot of Thai people, is an AMAZING chef! So, she really enjoys working at the Thai food restaurant. She's not on any work schedule there, she just calls the owner once a week or so and asks them if they need/want any help and then she goes in Well...anyways, she's off work in 30 minutes, so I thought I'd go pick her up...with a bottle of wine...and then take her down to the Potomac River. We live in a new subdivision and the Potomac runs behind us...just 250 yards behind my backyard...and we have a private access to this portion of the river through our homeowner association. They worked during the last month to put in a boat ramp/picnic area...and it just opened up 3 days ago. Its great! I'm glad Spring is here!

Enjoy your day! Here we are having a gloomy weekend by the shores of Lake Michigan, so hope you are having more sunshine than we do.

Peace!

And to you too

MK+JC+AK

[daboyz 36]

Hilarious:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thaksin-Rap-t258446.html

[scandal 951]

This has nothing to do with Thailand, but it must be the cutest and funniest thread I've EVER seen on VJ!

Pass it around ... it'll bring smiles to your face, guaranteed!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=176955

[*Robert* 2]

Here's the website for a Thai restaurant in Las Vegas called the Lotus of Siam. http://www.saipinchutima.com/

It was the reviews that made me pick this place, and we were not dissapointed. They recommend reservations, because it isn't that large and located in a strip mall, and they get lots of customers. We were lucky and got in without reservations. The food was great, and there is no comparison to any of the other Thai restaurants I've eaten at. They specialize in Northern Thai food (aka Issan) and they don't hold back on the heat!

Given their menu as a guide, what would everyone want to order?

[Niels Bohr 72]

I love Thai seafood cuisine. Have you guys ate insects from any of the street vendors in Thai? The time I saw a guy from the UK ate the fried scorpion freaked me out. EWWWW.

[anya-D 8]

I think there is a great deal of instruction within Asian philosophies/faiths, entire libraries are filled with these documents! So, its not like they also don't have a set of rules to follow. Buddhism has the 4 nobel truths and the 8 fold path, though these are not as 'definitive' as 'Thall Shalt not Kill'. Hinduism has the 700 verses of the Bhagavad-Gita.

gotta post to this..

Have you heard of 'Sil 5'? This is 5 rules for people to follow in their every day life...

1. Do not take life

2. Do not lie

3. Do not steal

4. Do not use drugs / drink alchohol

5. Do not do wrong in sexual relation (bad translation.. sorry)

The first one - do not take life.. apply to everything but there's an exeption. In the story, Buddha was asked by the people that what will they eat if they cannot kill - Buddha asnwered was that you can kill if it's nessessary to continue your life. But after you do that, you need to ask them to forgive you and make merrit for it. it doesnt mean the bad karma will go away thought.

Do not lie - is pretty much simple to understand..so is do not steal. It is a simple word but it covered everything from white lie, not telling the truth, twisted the truth, talking nonsense, gossip, creating lie... take pencil from the office, give incorrect change... (yes, talking nonsense and gossip are covered in this)

Do not use drug or drink... this is becasue the main thing about Buddhism is that you shall maintain your conciousness at all time. And drugs and alcohol will compromise that.

The last one.. do not do wrong in sexual relation - affair, fling, even thinking about other people's wife or husband, or gf, bf...

Buddha's teaching is very deep.. just yesterday I heard on a program about his real teraching about something very interesting...

He said that - if a person admit that he's doing something wrong.. it's not just simple as that.. it goes beyond that if that person know that what he's doing is wrong by his own conciousness or that he admit that he is wrong becasue too much evidence against him? The first one is the example of Buddha teaching.. and the second one is not. Everything mostly come down to intention...

If i give money to the temple $100 and I pray I want to be rich for the money I donate... and the other person give $5 to help out the poor so they have food to eat or student to be able to go to school.. the second person will have the better karma.

As for Thailand is a Buddhis country... well yea.. but dont look at normal people as the example of a good Buddhist..becasue hardly anymore people really undersatand the teaching. they just go to the temple when they want good luck.. and that's not a good buddhist.... some monks are not a very good example anymore either.. well wait.. i know one person.. The King of Thailand is a great example of a true Buddhist who'e not a monk.. Buddhist can be practice anywhere so it's not nessessary to go to the temple.

And I would like to say that the reason I think buddhist is different than others - is that eventhought Thailand or Buddhist "countries" had wars and stuff.. But the war started not in the name of religion.. but for the 'nation'

[scandal 951]

I think there is a great deal of instruction within Asian philosophies/faiths, entire libraries are filled with these documents! So, its not like they also don't have a set of rules to follow. Buddhism has the 4 nobel truths and the 8 fold path, though these are not as 'definitive' as 'Thall Shalt not Kill'. Hinduism has the 700 verses of the Bhagavad-Gita.

gotta post to this..

Have you heard of 'Sil 5'? This is 5 rules for people to follow in their every day life...

1. Do not take life

2. Do not lie

3. Do not steal

4. Do not use drugs / drink alchohol

5. Do not do wrong in sexual relation (bad translation.. sorry)

The first one - do not take life.. apply to everything but there's an exeption. In the story, Buddha was asked by the people that what will they eat if they cannot kill - Buddha asnwered was that you can kill if it's nessessary to continue your life. But after you do that, you need to ask them to forgive you and make merrit for it. it doesnt mean the bad karma will go away thought.

Do not lie - is pretty much simple to understand..so is do not steal. It is a simple word but it covered everything from white lie, not telling the truth, twisted the truth, talking nonsense, gossip, creating lie... take pencil from the office, give incorrect change... (yes, talking nonsense and gossip are covered in this)

Do not use drug or drink... this is becasue the main thing about Buddhism is that you shall maintain your conciousness at all time. And drugs and alcohol will compromise that.

The last one.. do not do wrong in sexual relation - affair, fling, even thinking about other people's wife or husband, or gf, bf...

Buddha's teaching is very deep.. just yesterday I heard on a program about his real teraching about something very interesting...

He said that - if a person admit that he's doing something wrong.. it's not just simple as that.. it goes beyond that if that person know that what he's doing is wrong by his own conciousness or that he admit that he is wrong becasue too much evidence against him? The first one is the example of Buddha teaching.. and the second one is not. Everything mostly come down to intention...

If i give money to the temple $100 and I pray I want to be rich for the money I donate... and the other person give $5 to help out the poor so they have food to eat or student to be able to go to school.. the second person will have the better karma.

As for Thailand is a Buddhis country... well yea.. but dont look at normal people as the example of a good Buddhist..becasue hardly anymore people really undersatand the teaching. they just go to the temple when they want good luck.. and that's not a good buddhist.... some monks are not a very good example anymore either.. well wait.. i know one person.. The King of Thailand is a great example of a true Buddhist who'e not a monk.. Buddhist can be practice anywhere so it's not nessessary to go to the temple.

And I would like to say that the reason I think buddhist is different than others - is that eventhought Thailand or Buddhist "countries" had wars and stuff.. But the war started not in the name of religion.. but for the 'nation'

Very interesting Anya. Thank you for sharing that with us, I hadn't known all that about Buddhism.

It's interesting to contrast the 'Sil 5' you gave with the 10 Commandments in the Judeo-Christian bible:

1 I am the Lord your God

2 You shall have no other gods before me; You shall not make for yourself an idol

3 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God

4 Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy

5 Honor your father and mother

6 You shall not murder

7 You shall not commit adultery

8 You shall not steal

9 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

10 You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor

The first 3 deal with the Monotheistic nature of Judeo-Christian theology, which obviously is not found in Buddhism.

The 4th regards the Sabbath, which also has no direct counterpart in Buddhism.

The 5th is a commandment to honor parents. Even though this is not explicitly in the 'Sil 5', I know that Buddhism places very great reverence on respecting parents, elders, teachers, and monks. I find the tradition of the deep wai which Thais have to show respect is very moving.

And finally, commandments 6-10 are very similar to the Sil 5.

Also --- about your example regarding the person who gives charity at the temple, $100 because they want something for themselves out of it, or $5 because it is purely out of their desire to help the poor ... in Judaism we have something similar to this. Our word for charity is "tzedakah", and there are several levels of 'better' ways to give it, as follows:

Levels of Tzedakah

Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity, from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are:

1. Giving begrudgingly

2. Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully.

3. Giving after being asked

4. Giving before being asked

5. Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity

6. Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity

7. Giving when neither party knows the other's identity

8. Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant

Again, I think it's a very similar concept to what you described in Buddhism.

[HYENA 4]

[/color]

Just checking into the new Thailand thread...

Actually, perhaps this is naive on my part, but I rather thought the main reason the King & royal family stay out of the mess is because he's a constitutional monarch with no actual political authority. The very moment he would descend into taking sides in active political matters would be the moment that he would lose his stature and authority and calming influence on the nation at large. He does the country a service by staying above the fray.

It's too late which is why there's so much unrest in Thailand...they crossed that clalming influence line you mention. The kings daughter funded the the yellow shirts (which is one of many reasons the red shirts are so angry). That's why no one took any action when they shut down the airports, etc. They were fully supported.

(side mention about an earlier gross-misquote...I love Thai food, people, culture...just don't like prejudice which is fueled by this shirt color politics). The reason I'm getting married? (I won't bother responding; why does anyone)! The PM's sent to me reveal I'm not off topic with the concerns of others, as well...I apologized for the length...just feeling frustrated at the k1 process and the fact it's been many months and no NOA2 and also empathizing with the losers in this class war in Thailand.

Back to the shirt colors; no one is allowed to mention what I just did here (no freedom of speech, even when royals do bad). Politics are extremely muffled by this third leg politics. Neither have enough power and at the same time both have too much power to run the country efficiently so the people will continue to suffer the consequences.

Edited April 21, 2009 by HYENA

[HYENA 4]

This has nothing to do with Thailand, but it must be the cutest and funniest thread I've EVER seen on VJ!

Pass it around ... it'll bring smiles to your face, guaranteed!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=176955

I think we're batting 20% of posts to do with Thailand...but it is amusing (now can we get on to the sex and off the religion)?

Blagoyovich for president!

[daboyz 36]

[/color]

Just checking into the new Thailand thread...

Actually, perhaps this is naive on my part, but I rather thought the main reason the King & royal family stay out of the mess is because he's a constitutional monarch with no actual political authority. The very moment he would descend into taking sides in active political matters would be the moment that he would lose his stature and authority and calming influence on the nation at large. He does the country a service by staying above the fray.

It's too late which is why there's so much unrest in Thailand...they crossed that clalming influence line you mention. The kings daughter funded the the yellow shirts (which is one of many reasons the red shirts are so angry). That's why no one took any action when they shut down the airports, etc. They were fully supported.

(side mention about an earlier gross-misquote...I love Thai food, people, culture...just don't like prejudice which is fueled by this shirt color politics). The reason I'm getting married? (I won't bother responding; why does anyone)! The PM's sent to me reveal I'm not off topic with the concerns of others, as well...I apologized for the length...just feeling frustrated at the k1 process and the fact it's been many months and no NOA2 and also empathizing with the losers in this class war in Thailand.

Back to the shirt colors; no one is allowed to mention what I just did here (no freedom of speech, even when royals do bad). Politics are extremely muffled by this third leg politics. Neither have enough power and at the same time both have too much power to run the country efficiently so the people will continue to suffer the consequences.

Can you site your source as to the Queen paying the PAD?

[daboyz 36]

[/color]

Just checking into the new Thailand thread...

Actually, perhaps this is naive on my part, but I rather thought the main reason the King & royal family stay out of the mess is because he's a constitutional monarch with no actual political authority. The very moment he would descend into taking sides in active political matters would be the moment that he would lose his stature and authority and calming influence on the nation at large. He does the country a service by staying above the fray.

It's too late which is why there's so much unrest in Thailand...they crossed that clalming influence line you mention. The kings daughter funded the the yellow shirts (which is one of many reasons the red shirts are so angry). That's why no one took any action when they shut down the airports, etc. They were fully supported.

(side mention about an earlier gross-misquote...I love Thai food, people, culture...just don't like prejudice which is fueled by this shirt color politics). The reason I'm getting married? (I won't bother responding; why does anyone)! The PM's sent to me reveal I'm not off topic with the concerns of others, as well...I apologized for the length...just feeling frustrated at the k1 process and the fact it's been many months and no NOA2 and also empathizing with the losers in this class war in Thailand.

Back to the shirt colors; no one is allowed to mention what I just did here (no freedom of speech, even when royals do bad). Politics are extremely muffled by this third leg politics. Neither have enough power and at the same time both have too much power to run the country efficiently so the people will continue to suffer the consequences.

Can you cite your source as to the Queen paying the PAD?

[daboyz 36]

Wife made an observation. I live in Texas. She asked me if people from Mexico working in Texas, are the same as Isaan people going to Bangkok to work. I said pretty much the same except you dont have to cross any international borders to go from Isaan to Bangkok.

[HYENA 4]

[/color]

Just checking into the new Thailand thread...

Can you cite your source as to the Queen paying the PAD?

Uhhhhh. my wife? LOL! I'll ask her where she heard it from. She seems to know some people who are quite updated and know the extended story past the news media (the why's).

She knows lots about the bombings (maybe because hot news brings fast rumors). One at pratunam was because someone was selling beef and the police and beef mafia wasn't having any of it (also an undercurrent of yellow shirt this is how it's always been done vs red shirt "I need to make a living" age old arguement.

She hates politics but seems to know a bit (who knows what's on general TV since I don't understand enough Thai). I'm not one to spread false stuff so I will do my best to find something better than "the soi dog told my wife and the food vendor told the dog"... Then again, if I knew, then the news would know...that's right, they can't report it.

When she did tell me that (back when they occupied the airport) all of the government, military and police moves were in line with it, so it made too much sense (to the point I was thinking, why didn't I think of that)? I think that also explains why tempers are so hot now because for the first time, the King didn't get involved at all.

Let me table this and I'll have to wait 'till she wakes up to find out where she learned this. I doubt I'll get names since saying that is illegal over there but I'll try to find how she learned this (imagine that....illegal saying such a simple thing that if real, it's the perfect situation...do everything and no one can talk)!

Regarding all the Thaksin posts. They all know (red shirts) he's dirty, a crook, etc but when it comes down to the wire, they directly benefitted (money in their pocket) so they don't care, they're that poor, who does what as long as someone relieves their food/financial/healthcare stress no matter how little since 100% of them are corrupt. They don't realize the magnitude and how much it hurt their country but since when has the 'country" as a whole looked out for them? (Just analyzing if it were me and basing this on what they say when I say Thaksin is a crook...and they say "no one else is standing in line to help us...he's all we've got...we haven't even the king now..."

Edited April 21, 2009 by HYENA