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The link below is to an article about corruption in the Thai Buddhist establishment.

http://www.atimes.com/article/thailand-tackles-its-bad-boy-buddhist-monks/

I thought it might be instructive to point out that corrupt behavior exists, not only in the Catholic Church, but throughout all religious institutions because they are made up of human beings.

I think the reason most of us find this so offensive is that these institutions are supposed to help and succor the rest of us. But we must never forget that institutions of any kind try to build up their power in one way or another and certain people will always try to use such institutions to gain what they want. Remember Lord Acton's dictum, "Power tends to corrupt." I don't think he was only talking about political power.

When I lived in Asia, it was not uncommon for silly Westerners romanticize the East and point out how peaceful Buddhists were. Even more admirable, in their minds, was the lack of interest in material gain which seemed to radiate from these Buddhists.

Of course, only someone ignorant of history could believe such fairy tales. One has only to read about the many conflicts between adherents of various Buddhist sects to laugh at such naivete'. Many Buddhist monks were happy to slaughter each.

And as to greed, many perhaps most Chinese believe in an interesting mix of Buddhism and Taoism. No one who has had more than a few dealings with the Chinese would say they are "not materialistic" as a group. The story of the corrupt monk is not uncommon in Asia.

Buddhists are susceptible to the same temptations and desires as the rest of us. I figure they probably live up to their religious ideals about as much as others do, which is to say, "not much."

Well, I suppose there's a reason Buddhism has several branches. But I'm reminded of the scene in A Fish Called Wanda in which Jamie Lee Curtis, schooling Kevin Kline in some errors he has picked up in his philosophical readings, tells him, "The central tenet of Buddhism is not 'Every man for himself!'" This was only the second of 3 idiocies she mocks him for. ("Aristotle was not Belgian!" and "The London Underground is not a political movement! Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up." I verified the precise wording on wikiquotes, knowing they just had to include that one.)

By coincidence this article was on Drudge Report today.

301 ‘Predator Priests’ Named In Pa. Grand Jury Sex Abuse Report: ‘They Were Raping Little Boys & Girls’

I have no doubt similar things have happened around the world in various religious orders, but the Catholic Church in America seems to be "special."

I have no doubt similar things have happened around the world in various religious orders, but the Catholic Church in America seems to be "special.”

When God has an anointed institution (the Church), the tendency can be to overlook the minutia and protect the institution to the exclusion of specific ideas and behavior. The Church *is* the big idea. If reform means bad press for the Church, it’s probably easy to justify sticking your head in the sand.

The ills of Hillary Clinton aside, many conservatives are doing so today regarding Trump. “America” or “Conservative” as an idea must be preserved. Don’t bother me with the details of ethics and behavior.