
For almost two years, the global pandemic has plunged businesses across the world into financial crisis. In a bid to survive, entrepreneurs have created marketing plans and gimmicks to attract customers. However, there are a few areas which we must treat with respect and not ‘cross the line’, particularly if it is something we have not understood well enough. One of these is religious faith.
Although Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand, many Thai people fail to realize this. They not only treat Buddha inappropriately, but also unknowingly play a part in spreading misconceptions about Buddha, even though they often pray at a temple and ask for His help when faced with hardship. Perhaps this is because Thais are so familiar with Buddhism that they take for granted the Prophet’s spiritual contribution to humanity.
One example of this is the creation of the Thai sweet dessert called Alua, made to look like Buddhist amulets. Its advertising clip quickly went viral, drawing both praise for creativity and criticisms for a lack of common sense and respect. The social backlash was so widespread that the shop owner had to admit defeat and cease production. She explained that she never meant to be disrespectful, but only tried to make a living. However, her explanation only came in response to social outrage. The sad part is that even a monk gave a favorable comment on the products, saying the idea was creative.
But if the Buddha’s symbol is allowed to be represented in food, what else could Buddhists do to further weaken the faith? When society starts to see the practice as normal, how can it respect Dhamma or, at least, even understand the importance of Dhamma?
In Thailand, Buddhism is the foundation of religion, tradition and culture, namely, respect for others, and the reason Thai society is highly tolerant of the differences, and even mistakes, of others. But, as previously stated, there is a line that should not be crossed when it comes to religious faith and beliefs.