Malaysian Buddhist Icons

posted in: Asia, Photo-Poet, Travel 5

 

Things I learned in Asia:
-religious icons are fascinating, creepy and terrifying all at once. In fact, if there is a hell, I bet the roads are lined with them.
-Chinese buddhism is the disneyland of Buddhism–all bling.

-the Malay people are fun loving by nature.
-the big island in the Perhentian’s (where we stayed) is virgin jungle and the monkeys are shy and sooo beautiful!
-Monitor lizards are huge and shy.
-Feng Shui is real and one shouldn’t build a home without it.
-one doesn’t need to eat much at all–ever.
-the equator humidity is rather nice.
-the world is far bigger than my mind map.
-North Americans are by far the most outgoing, friendly travelers.
-it is acceptable to be verbally aggressive in some cultures.
-it is acceptable to lie in some cultures.
-a hose is no substitute for toilet tissue.
-pan roasted peanuts are nice with rice.
-some sauces are so hot they go down the throat like comet and cause the inner ears to ache.
-tea is a wonder drink.
-the burka really is a violation against humanity.
-Asia is addictive–you just want to explore more and more of it.
-Haagen Dazs and french pastries never loose their appeal.
-aspartame is poison.
-tiny jellyfish get irritating rather quickly and one longs for jellyfish free water!
-Dutch really are a race of giants.
-Taipei, Taiwan is an amazing, gigantic display of lights and dark ocean from the air at night.
– waking up somewhere over the pacific ocean at night and looking out the plane window I saw the most amazing sight: the big dipper–HUGE and so close, I felt like I could touch each star.
-true cinnamon is Sri Lanka cinnamon, and only use the bark to season, it is only the oil that is good for you. The grated stuff we buy isn’t true cinnamon and it is grated bark, which is toxic.
-there are plants in jungle (the flower buds) that when crushed and inhaled can cure the flu and cold ( I inhaled one and it is powerful!)– a natural healer in Penang taught me much on a walk through the Penang spice garden.
– one can do without most comforts and distractions on this planet, but one needs music in the evening.

-Extreme sexism is traced to a filthy rich dictator who prays on the poor. Keeping the women in chains ensures the women’s offspring will be illiterate and obedient. In fact, after living in an extremely sexist culture and then reflecting on the sexism, religion, government and royal family, I finally understand what extreme religious misogyny is all about and why it exists. It all stems from a desire for an elite few to maintain wealth and power. The way to go about that is to ensure your subjects are poor and weak and will not overthrow you. This is achieved by keeping the women in “chains” and away from education and society. It is women who educate their children. An illiterate woman raises illiterate children. These extreme misogynistic practices are designed to oppress an entire population. They know the only way to do that is to put the women in bondage. Below is a poem I wrote after finally getting why women are always the scape goats of an extremist regime.

The Fascist Dream
Chain the women
The people remain poor, uneducated
The King holds absolute power and wealth
Chain the Women
Religion a birth sentence
Death the only liberty
Chain the women
Illiterate mothers raise obedient soldier-sons
Obedient wife-daughters
Chain the women
Illiterates will not challenge his rule
The King keeps his crown
The King keeps his jewels
Chain the women
A fascist’s dream

5 Responses

  1. Johan
    | Reply

    You better love loving and you better behave
    You better love loving and you better behave
    Woman in chains, woman in chains

    Calls her man the great white hope
    Says she’s fine, she’ll always cope, ooh
    Woman in chains, woman in chains

    Well, I feel lying and waiting is a poor man’s deal (A poor man’s deal)
    And I feel hopelessly weighed down by your eyes of steel
    (Your eyes of steel)
    Well, It’s a world gone crazy keeps woman in chains, woh woh woh
    Woman in chains, woman in chains

    Trades her soul as skin and bones
    (You better love loving and you better behave)
    Sells the only thing she owns
    (You better love loving and you better behave) ooh ooh
    Woman in chains (the sun and the moon), woman in chains

    Men of stone, men of stone, hey baby, no no no, ooh

    Well, I feel deep in your heart there are wounds time can’t heal
    (The time can’t heal)
    And I feel somebody somewhere is trying to breathe
    Well, you know what I mean
    It’s a world gone crazy keeps woman in chains

    It’s under my skin but out of my hands
    I’ll tear it apart (somebody somewhere is trying)
    But I won’t understand (to breathe)
    I will not accept the greatness of man
    It’s a world gone crazy keeps woman in chains
    Gone crazy keeps woman in chains

    So free her, so free her, so free her
    So free her, so free her (the sun and the moon)
    So free (the wind and the rain) her, so free her
    So free her, so free her, so free her, so free her
    So free her, so free her (the sun and the moon)
    So free (the wind and the rain) her, so free her

  2. Melissa Mix Hart
    | Reply

    cool. who wrote that song?

  3. Johan
    | Reply

    Tears for Fears

  4. Miranda
    | Reply

    That live traffic feed is creepy. Too big brother!

  5. Melissa Mix Hart
    | Reply

    i know: bug sister is watching you!

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