[kylsq0Ln]

Hmm, this thread has taken an interesting turn. I've been puzzling about FaranginPhetch's comment about "idol worship", not wanting to say anything rash...

While, from my perspective, and the perspective of every Thai monk I've talked to, Buddhism is not idol worship (one respects the teacher and the teaching: the Buddha images are there as a reminder, not as objects of worship) it is true that Thai add on other (not-really-Buddhist) things to their spiritual lives, such as the spirit houses (usually representing their ancestors, so completely un-Buddhist) and the putting out of food (sometimes "for Buddha", sometimes "for me, just in case..."). And during the Songkran holiday people splash water on the Buddha images at the temples, and collect the run-off to take home... And don't get me started on amulets... Of course, most of these things are not particularly different to what Christians do with images of Christ, beads, holy water, etc...

One problem I have with my Thai friends is terminology. Some use the term "praying" for the chanting. When I tell them how Christians might interpret that word they generally stop using it...