Religious crime

The Facebook update of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rimpoche put me into thinking yesterday and further bolstering my thoughts on what I read, the news last night made me conclude greed can be so malicious. The lure of money can turn a decent human being into a psycho-path.  I am sure many of you might have heard and read it. The news left me no choice but to pen it down. We have gone into the extremes to find a subject of our humor and livelihood.

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Firstly it was a well known comedian of ours who mocked and made fun of the religious titles of our monastic community and  now we have a travel agent who deceived his/her clients for millions of Ngultrums just to make them listen to Rimpoche’s teachings. Rimpoche as I have listened to in the past provides every teaching for free. Let this kind of deception not be a gold rush for the people in the future. I have heard of the term ‘Responsible Tourism’ and I am sure every travel agent is aware of this. I would like to add a word on this ‘Responsibly Responsible Tourism’.

The comedian was made to beg for his blasphemy in the national television and for the agent, I am wondering whether or not the governing body of the tourism industry is doing anything about this.  As I find it, our religion is becoming a subject for people to do all sorts of things and you may wonder at the mockery people make about the well off religious clergy.

Religion is one of the foundations that constitute our country and people from outside pay heavy amounts just to see our centres of religion and nature. Our Vajrayana tradition allows us to be ‘naturalists’ and that’s why we take pride in our flora and fauna.

Such acts that too from our very own people is very intimidating. Was there no other means to earn a living? For those who committed this…the land of the peaceful dragon and of the Drukpas doesn’t need a religious law because our religion proposes peaceful and harmonious living. I am not sure if a religious law should be in place for a country like ours. Had our country been an Islamic republic of blah blah blah or whatever… these crimes  will be punishable by death.

Until the next news breaks on religion from within or outside the country, I can only seek solace in the words of the Dalai Lama.

"Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace".