Buddhist monks and sex scandal – media earthquake

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In Thailand, there has been considerable attention and concern for days about the celibate life of Buddhist monks. A scandal triggered a media earthquake. Numerous monks, some of them highly respected, paid millions in hush money to a woman for “inappropriate trysts.”

You are “just human” everywhere

“One is only human,” even if one’s own position should actually push this “profane” characteristic into the background, is a supposed justification. While the scandals that repeatedly flare up due to further revelations surrounding abuse cases in the Roman Catholic Church have already taken on a traditional form, not excluding the (formerly) Protestant churches of the EKD, Thailand, a country steeped in Buddhism, now also has its own tangible scandal.

Buddhism is inevitably associated with monasticism and monastic life, virtually in celibacy. Even the simple touching of a woman is to be avoided. If there are “outliers” here and there in the discipline of individual monks, nobody cares, but the headlines about the extent of the uncovered so-called sex scandal continue to circulate.. Bangkok Post is able to report more and more details and on a larger scale than “previously assumed.”

The focus is on a 35-year-old woman who allegedly had various trysts with high-ranking monks, secretly “documenting” the process in order to subsequently extort hush money. The number of photographs and videos obtained so far is around 85,000. The period spanned approximately three years, and the known amount of money extorted from the woman is said to be a good 385 million baht, or approximately 10 million euros. The majority of the money is said to have been taken from the temple coffers. This is obvious, since the exemplary monk himself “actually” lived the asceticism.

Impact on grants

Since the temple and its structure are not dependent on tax revenue like churches in Germany, but are financed almost exclusively through donations and other contributions, this incident also leaves a clear mark on the public. This is especially true for the well-known names of high-ranking monks, who are certainly supported with public funds.

However, these exemplary monks have set anything but a good example of high morals with their behavior. Just as many devout Catholics have a picture of the current pontiff hanging on their wall, Thai households also often display images of very popular monks.

Investigations and prevention

The Thai government has announced a nationwide investigation with the aim of uncovering further “serious violations of monastic discipline” and initiating measures to prevent them. In this specific (mass) case, there have already been individual arrests and charges. 13 monks have been fired. Other monks have voluntarily removed their robes, and others have fled. The most prominent individual case involves a monk-abbot. He allegedly transferred 380,000 baht (approximately €10,200) from the temple’s coffers to the woman, who is also accused, and a further 12 million baht (approximately €324,000) from his own savings.

The public is now also being instructed to be vigilant and report suspicious activity in temple premises. This has now led to a drug raid at a temple in Sisaket Province. In this context, four monks were arrested after testing positive for methamphetamine.

A survey conducted in Thailand revealed that a significant portion of respondents believe that many monks choose this life to maintain a secure existence. Thus, the spirituality is a facade, but in their own nature, they are still very closely connected to the world. In this sense, one could certainly say that Far Eastern monks are “just people too.”

All roads lead to… Babylon

Buddhism has its roots in the Hinduism of northern India. Both religions share many similarities, including the names and attributes of “deities.” While Hinduism certainly personifies these “deities,” in Buddhism they tend to have an allegorical character. Nevertheless, there are protective and also harmful spirits (“angels”).

One such example is the names of the Thai weekdays. Sunday stands out. In Hindu Sanskrit, this day is dedicated to “Aditya,” the “sun god.” In Buddhism, he was given the name “Phra Athit.” Thus, Sunday is called “Wan Athit” in Thai. This principle also applies to all other weekdays, including Saturday (Thai, “Wan Sao”), based on the “Hindu god Śani,” to whom the celestial body Saturn is assigned. Specific colors are also assigned to each weekday: red for Sunday and purple for Saturday.

The numerous similarities with the mythologies, rites, and dogmas of ancient Babylon are striking, and are also reflected in the religions of other regions, including “modern” astrology. The planet Saturn, as the planet for the 7th day of the week, and the sun for the 1st day of the week, are also found in Mithraism, as well as in the mythology of the ancient Egyptians.

This raises the question of whether one is confusing cause and effect by simply claiming that religions are based on their respective cultures? Isn’t it more likely the opposite? Doesn’t this type of practiced religion, which can clearly be traced back to the “one great adversary,” actually lead to the formation of cultures?

Sexuality is a central theme

The factor of sexuality played a significant role in the religion of ancient Babylon. Ancient Rome, including Pompeii, which fell in 79 AD, was also pervaded by feasting and the like (mentioned in Romans 1). In ancient Egyptian mythology, the obelisk was considered a symbol of the phallus (of Osiris). The obelisk, like the one in the center of St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, in the center of the sun wheel painted on the ground, and also in front of the Lateran Church in Rome. The sun wheel symbol is also found, unsurprisingly, in Hinduism and Buddhism.

It’s actually not difficult to recognize that the teachings of the Roman Church are based on Babylonian origins. By ancient Rome, this Babylonian paganism had transformed into the Mithras cult, the very element of the papacy that emerged with the fall of the Western Roman Empire (Info).

Therefore, it should not be surprising that striking parallels can be observed in the supposedly different religions when it comes to “inappropriate relationships” or even abuse, even according to their own doctrine.

A “phenomenon” that has long since spread widely even in secular circles under the code name “love.” It is not for nothing that the gospel regularly places the topic of “fornication” at the top of its list when warning against such consequential transgressions.
1 Corinthians 5:9; 1 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 13:4; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)