Missionaries should not require instantaneous conversion from the Thai unless the Holy Spirit does his work in their hearts. A change should come naturally by the power of the Holy Spirit. The meaning of Christianity should be stressed more than the form. Christians should approach Buddhists with humility and loving persuasion, backed by the testimony […]
Archives for December 2010
Youth vs. Age [Thai Culture]
The respect North Americans have for their elderly is indeed pale compared with the high value placed upon the elderly in other cultures. Thai people show respect for the elderly and ancestral generation… Thai law does not allow men or women to sue their parents in court. To honor one’s parents throughout life is considered […]
Some interesting things I’m learning about Buddhism and Thailand
Some interesting things I’m learning about Buddhism in Thailand: Monks are not ordained for life. Many times they will do it just for the rainy season If they remain past that, it is usually from 1-3 years. Thai are from the most conservative and fundamental school of the 3 branches of Buddhism – the Theravada school […]
Bite-Sized Chunks of Thailand
Buddhism is very foreign to a western, christian mind. We can learn the basic tenets of Buddhism in a few minutes, but to understand all the implications and influence that it has on the culture is a life-long study. So, on this blog, I am going to share in bite size chunks information about Buddhism […]
Independence vs. Dependence [Thai Culture]
At the heart of a North American’s identity is self-reliance… In Thailand, the relationship is one of dependency… For this reason, the social network in Thailand is closely knit together. Missionaries should not be surprised when young Thais are asked to accept Christ and say “Let me go back home and ask permission from my […]
Confrontation vs. Indirection [Thai Culture]
The Thai tendency is to avoid direct confrontation so as to preserve surface harmony. Thais hate confrontation. Among Thais, serious and permanent damage is done to a relationship when a stage of open argument is reached. Face- to-face conflict is not viewed as a satisfactory solution to most problems. In Thailand it may not only […]
What Religion are You?
The Folly of Idolatry
When God talks of idolatry, he kinda makes fun of it. Like he can’t just let it pass without making snide remarks about its foolishness! Not to mention that He used the first 2 of the 10 commandments to speak on the subject. He is preeeetty harsh against idols. But we kinda like our idols, […]
Material vs. Spirituality [Thai Culture]
Thai culture understands that spiritual growth is more important than amassing wealth… Taken from the work of Dr. Nantachai Mejudhon who summarized Fieg’s work in an article that was published in Sharing Jesus Effectively with the Buddhist World. Implications for a missionary: Don’t live an extravagant lifestyle. It is contrary to scripture anyway, and would cause a Buddhist […]
Equality Vs. Hierarchy and Rank [Thai Culture]
Americans learn as schoolchildren that “All men are created equal”. Taken from the Declaration of Independence, this value is burned in the American psyche as a “self-evident truth”. If egalitarianism is the central theme in the American social structure, then hierarchical relations are at the heart of the Thai society…Thai society provides language, both verbalisms […]