Anthony Greenfield
Religion plays a major role in Thailand, governing their everyday lives and even their political structure. Ironically, Thailand’s Buddhist population has not been faithful to their religion due to their involvement in human trafficking. Catholic missionaries attempted to resolve the issues in Thailand, but were highly unsuccessful. The Thai people have been corrupted, with no glimpse of changing, mainly caused by a lack of religious morals. Although Islam has not had a direct impact in contemporary Thailand, their social teachings may be the savior that the Thai people have been searching for. Whether directly or indirectly involved, each of these three religions teach a message that gives all people basic human rights, which should give refuge to the Thai during their struggle with human trafficking.
Buddhism has been involved in the millions of lives that have inhabited Thailand. It has direct ties to their government and the laws the citizens must abide by. Thailand’s constitutional monarchy protects the Buddhist clergy and institutions, while also giving them special benefits and rights. Unfortunately, the society in Thailand has been rapidly falling, as seen in their participation in human trafficking. Buddhists believe that life is determined based off of one’s good actions and their bad actions, all which affects one’s karma. One who acts right and stays on the path of the Buddha will have good karma. On the other hand, one who diverts from this path will be distracted by ignorance and have bad karma (Lotus Buddhist Monastery). It is surprising that with the amount of influence Buddhism once had on the government cannot aid Thailand in its dark moments today.
Catholicism has forced its way into Thailand through missionaries, who have set up Diocese and other congregations. Their message was of course to convert those who were willing to the Catholic faith. Being that only about 0.4% of the people are Catholic, the message of Catholicism has not been productively spread throughout Thailand (Society of St. Pious X). The main reason for its collapse was the amount of responsibility the Church felt it needed to take on when it established itself in 1965. They felt they needed to expand vastly across the nation of Thailand in order to aid in the need of welfare and social development issues (Society of St. Pious X). Today, Catholicism takes part in some of the spiritual and social development of the country, but their influence is limited based off of their lack of population growth.
Muslims have not had a major impact on Thailand, although their population is increasing through this nation. The little effect Muslims have had on Thailand is surprising because their message on basic human rights is so strong. The first three human rights include the right to life, the right to the safety of life, and the respect for the chastity of women (Islam 101). These rights speak directly against all aspects of human trafficking, especially sex trafficking. If all humans had the right to life, then selling them into cheap labor is utterly wrong. Upholding the chastity of women proves that sex trafficking, whether for money or for pleasure, is disturbingly wrong. If this message could be spread more commonly around Thailand, then the Thai people would be much better off.
These three religions share the basic teaching that all humans must be treated with equality and with respect. The act of human trafficking is a disgrace to these religions, and it is surprising that they have had no impact on the Thai people. Even the government, who has a deeply rooted tradition in Buddhism, has fallen off the moral track. Catholicism did not aid Thailand either, and although Muslims are rapidly growing, their impact is little as well. With no hope, Thailand’s corrupt ways must try and salvage whatever they can before they are engulfed in human trafficking.
Works Cited
"Ch 2: Basic Human Rights." Islam 101. Web. 16 May 2011. <http://islam101.net/human-relations-mainmenu-27/14-human-rights/31-ch-2-basic-human-rights.html>.
Chumsriphan, Father Surachai. "A Brief History Of The Catholic Church In Thailand." Society of Saint Pius X-District of Asia SSPX. Oct. 2002. Web. 16 May 2011. <http://www.sspxasia.com/Newsletters/2002/Oct-Dec/Catholic_Church_in_Thailand.htm>.
Dae Poep Sa Nim, Ji Kwang. "Home - Lotus Sangha of World Social Buddhism." Lotussangha.org - Lotus Sangha of World Social Buddhism. Web. 16 May 2011. <http://www.lotussangha.org/en/buddhism/home.html>.
"Islam in Thailand." Islam in Thailand. Web. 16 May 2011. <http://www.thaiworldview.com/bouddha/islam.htm>.
"Religion in Thailand." Body Jewelry Manufacturer and Wholesaler. Quality Body Jewelry. Web. 16 May 2011. <http://www.hellosiam.com/html/thailand/thailand-religion.htm>.
Kate Molinari
ReplyDeleteIt is truly surprising that the morality of each religion has not greatly impacted the Thai people. However, why haven't they impacted the country? The explanation you give for the Catholic faith's limited reach makes sense, but you fail to explain the reasons for both Buddhism and Islam.
In Buddhism, karma is the closest thing to morality. However, karma also contributes to the acceptance of sex trafficking. Besides declaring that what goes around comes around, the belief of karma states that a person is in their current situation due to previous actions ("Understanding Karma in Thailand"). Therefore, if a child is sold into prostitution, it is because he did something terrible either in this life or his previous life. While desiring good karma makes the Thai people do good deeds like support Buddhist temples, it also leads them to ignore the problems of others since everyone is personally responsibe for their circumstances. Thus, Buddhism lacks a proper moral system.
In the case of Islam, the religion holds a perfect set of morals for eliminating sex trafficking. The reasons for the lack of their influence is found in recent history. The Malay Muslim population became a part of Thailand when the southern region was annexed in 1902, and mistreatment led them to insurgency in the 1940s. Violence spiked in 2004, and since then Muslims have been treated much like they were and still are in the US after 9/11. People in major cities like Bangkok have a great fear of the Muslim people. In the first minute of this video, you can see the experiences of a Thai Muslim when he moved to Bangkok (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ige05fbie9Y). It is due to this cultural barrier and conflict that Thailand has not accepted Islam values as their own. Asking Thailand to accept Islamic beliefs would be like asking the United States to do the same now; Muslim extremists have ruined the opportunity for the beliefs to be integrated for a very long time.
Culture Shock:Thailand and Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ige05fbie9Y
Understanding Karma in Thailand:
http://www.thaibuddhist.com/thai-buddhism/understanding-karma-in-thailand.html
Jennifer Elovitz
ReplyDeleteIt is completely true that the Thai people have been corrupted. Religion, which is supposed to improve morals within society, has unfortunately often played the reverse role in Thailand.
As Kate just stated, Buddhism and their belief in karma highly contributes to the acceptance and even encouragement of sex trafficking in Thailand. Women in Thailand want to purify their souls by doing work which will help their families. Daughters feel that by showing their gratefulness to their parents for what they have been given, they not only have an opportunity to alleviate financial pressures on their family, but also as a chance to purify their karma and as one more step to reaching nirvana (http://www.sexwork.com/Thailand/buddhism.html). Girls enter prostitution without feeling any guilt or judgment from their families because it is seen as taking the opportunity to make merit for their families and to purify their karma. As a result, they have grown up thinking that by entering into prostitution, they are ultimately getting closer to Nirvana.
You state that the social teachings of Islam may be the savior of the Thai people. While their teachings do go against sex trafficking because of the strict rules women must follow in order to avoid sexual enticement, I would definitely not call Islam the “savior” of the Thai people. Some people in Thailand may interpret the social teachings of Islam in a way that derails the overall morals of the country. Women have been oppressed, and many of their rights have been removed. In Islam, rights were given “out of the blue” by God through revelation, and they cannot be reversed by anyone's decision (http://www.islamic.org.uk/women.html). Most Muslims strictly believe in the purity and validity of the Qur’anic laws, and they follow these laws even though they are clearly quite unfair to women. Men make every decision, and women must be obedient at all times. However, just as rights became part of the law for women in the West after great political struggles, it is possible that this unfair treatment of women influenced by Islamic teachings may also be reversed in the future. Islam may someday become the “savior” for the Thai people, but it is certainly not their savior now.
Anthony Greenfield
ReplyDeleteKate
There is no difference between impacting the people of the country and the country itself. I also stated that Buddhism has been ignored by the government, therefore it had no influence over their actions, and that is why it has been so unsuccessful.
Karma can both be good and bad, which is why I reflected upon the fact that the people must change in order to attain good karma. The individualistic problem with Buddhism is the main reason why the government and the people are so corrupt. It is also the reason why Buddhism cannot resolve the issues of Thailand.
Islam, on the other hand, has been widely accepted throughout Thailand due to the growing population. Thailand is very open to diversity in religion and the people live in harmony despite the difference in religion (Religion in Thailand). Islam has not been a great influence because of the small population in the past, but recently their increasing numbers may help the Thai people.
Jen
Although some women sell themselves for good karma, most are forced into prostitution. (Facts on Trafficking- Thailand). Also, a good majority of women that are trafficked are from foreign nations, concluding that not all these women are Buddhist (Facts on Trafficking- Thailand). Traditional Buddhism states that one must stay on the path of Buddha to reach nirvana, and nowhere near these teachings does it say that women must do whatever they can to support their families financially. It actually states that remaining chaste is a part of staying on the right path (Lotus Sangha of Social Buddhism).
Islam may not be the savior of Thailand, but it is surely a better path for the Thai people. Adopting some of the customs of Islam does not have to mean the women should be oppressed. Moderate Muslims view all humans as equals, as well as agree that all humans deserve certain rights (Islam in Thailand). Thailand needs a radical transformation, and if you feel that one day Islam can help, then how come that day be now.
Tim Sakow
ReplyDeleteThe Thai government has seen many issues regarding human rights and economic disadvantages, and have strayed from the "middle way" in order to stay afloat economically. Being that 95% of the entire population in Thailand is Buddhist, people have been born into the religion with little knowledge about the religion. In recent years it has become apparent that religion is not a strict factor within Thailand, and even though many are a part of the religion, it does not mean they follow it. This day in age, religion tends to take a back seat to society because of the need to support families and live comfortably. In Thailand it is no different, and seeing how almost the entire nation is born into Buddhism it affects a large part of the population. The issue is not so much Buddhism as it is the governmental aspects that redirect religious beliefs. Buddhism has not largely affected the laws regarding trafficking and prostitution because of the fact that they have been overlooked and ignored.
http://www.sexwork.com/Thailand/buddhism.html
Anthony Greenfield
ReplyDeleteTim
It does make sense that the Thai have little knowledge of the religion that they are being born into. With this lack of learning, there tends be misinterpretation within the religion. The lack of knowledge also leads to corruption within the government, who has fallen off the right path of Buddhism. Thailand has become so accustomed to improving their economy that, as you said, society has taken money as a priority over religion. The irony in that is that religion is the solution to Thailand’s many problems.
Andrea Vilchez
ReplyDeleteAlthough Muslim influence in Thai society is in fact limited by the small portion of the kingdom’s population that actually practices the religion, I feel that the social tensions between Buddhist Thailand and Islamic groups have also played a major part in the weak Muslim hand. Conflicts between the two religious groups have created an insurgency in recent years that has left Thailand in a sort of internal conflict. While the kingdom is primarily Buddhist, Islam represents a significant portion of the Thai population, being among the country’s three most influential religions. Bombings and other attacks from Muslim extremists on Thai Buddhist centers have created almost irreconcilable differences, similar to those established in the United States after the attacks of September 11 (GlobalSecurity.org).
Additionally, while Islamic texts do advocate a preservation of human life and rights, I would not necessarily say that Islam morals are the ideal saving force for Thailand. The Qu’ran does include several passages on the equality of women and men, and the equal rights bestowed upon each person. However, Islamic law often stipulates that women and men are not, in fact equal, but in actuality, women are lesser than their male counterparts. Several other texts inclusively hold laws and regulations that place women in submissive partnerships with other men, in which their “human rights” advocated in the Qu’ran are most, if not at all times, relinquished upon their entrance into a relationship.
Shamoun, Sam. "Women in Islam [Part 4]." Answering Islam, A Christian-Muslim Dialog and Apologetic. Web. 16 May 2011. http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/women_in_islam4.htm.
Pike, John. "Thailand Islamic Insurgency." GlobalSecurity.org - Reliable Security Information. GlobalSecurity.org, 08 Mar. 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/thailand2.htm.