Sara and I have spent time learning about the world’s religions. We had a great class that we took while studying at Huntington University, our Alma Mater, and learned a ton. I’ve also spent quite a bit of time reading about Buddhism and religion in Asia in preparation for our coming to Thailand. We are by no means experts on the subject, but I’d bet we know quite a bit more about Buddhism than many people in the Midwest USA where we both grew up.
But, it doesn’t take an expert to soon see upon arrival in Thailand that Thai Buddhism isn’t clear-cut Buddhism by the books. While the original teachings of Buddha don’t speak at all to the spirit realm, Thailand is engrossed in fear of and want to appease the spirits that surround them.
OMF recently published a short video showcasing how Folk Buddhism has taken over in Thailand and what that means for its people. I’ll show the video below, but do be warned that it contains some graphic material…
The People’s Buddhism from OMF Media on Vimeo.
