Religion in Thailand
The Thai people are religious, not fanatically by any stretch of the imagination, but nonetheless it still takes on a vital role in family life and society. 95% of the country are followers of Buddhism, with the remaining 5% mainly Muslims, with a handful of Christians, Sikhs and Hindus thrown it for good measure.
It's great to see a country that has three of the largest religions in the world all living together in perfect harmony. This is no doubt due to the peaceful and accepting nature of Buddhism, which is more a philosophy of life, than a god-based religion.
The Thailand form of Buddhism is based on the Theravada teachings, which relates that Buddha was a real man, an insightful and intelligent thought provoking individual — but defiantly a man.
Thai culture and the attitudes of its people have been molded and sculptured by this way of thinking, which attributes to why the Thais are so understanding, accepting and very forgiving. As proven with the large amount of transsexuals totally accepted within society, while they have to hide behind closed doors in the so-called "educated" western countries.
The beautiful trappings of Buddha are in evidence wherever you wish to look, in the form of colorful temples and Buddha statues, making the dowdy Christian Churches look like something from the mid-ages.
The country's Islamic percentages generally live in southern Thailand, especially within a close proximity to the Malaysian border, while the Hindus and Sikhs are from the descendents of the Indian population who now call Thailand home.
Exploring Bangkok, you will find an eclectic mix of mosques temples and churches scattered across the landscape. The King of Thailand openly encourages the worship of a diverse selection of religions, resulting in a religious expression and freedom seldom experienced within most countries across the globe.
The fundamental teachings of Buddha have a positive effect in respect to family morals, individualism, love, freedom and tolerance the Thai people embraces. The religion is based on a karma ethic, which believes if you do good things, good things happen to you. It's an adorable philosophy to show love and respect for others, while receiving it back.
Most Thai men (sometimes women) devote a small period of their lives to becoming a monk. This can be a few weeks, months or years, depending on the individual person's preference. They leave their families behind, shave their heads and live in the temple during this period, learning teachings from the elder monks. The monks are revered across Thai society, even more than the Royal Family!
Thailand alone is home to more than 27,000 Buddhist temples, most of which are situated in the countryside.
Most households, businesses and even bars have a Buddhist shrine; where food, drink and incense are offered to Buddha in exchange for good luck and good will. Before you open a new business, move into a new house or even buy a new motorbike, monks will be asked along to bless it with good luck and prosperity.
It is refreshing to see a nation who positively moves forward with the guiding hand from such a beautiful philosophy.
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