Buddhist Religious Symbols Blasphemy
Mar 6th, 2009, in News, by Patung
Some Buddhists are, eventually, up in arms over a Buddhist themed club in Jakarta, the Buddha Bar.
The Buddha Bar, a French franchise chain restaurant-lounge-pub, (‘soft’) opened in Jakarta late in 2008 at Jl. Teuku Umar, Menteng, and received some amount of attention, with one international review enthusing that Jakarta had now joined
the likes of London, New York and Dubai in hosting a Buddha Bar.
Jakarta in the last decade had become more cosmopolitan, the warm fuzzy glow of democracy shone, things dug out of the ground in the country had been fetching top dollar, and now with places like the Buddha Bar being opened the burgeoning class of stylish, wealthy, wine class attending people that these good times had produced had another place to parade at.
The review ended on a warning note, saying that in recent times Jakarta had been bombed by terrorists, Muslim militants sometimes smashed up bars that opened during Ramadan, and there had been shortages of wine. smh
None of these catastrophes has befallen the Buddha Bar in its short existence, but it is beset by another problem – Buddhists.
Several times in the last few days Buddhist student groups have protested outside the premises, demanding that it be closed down, or that it change its name to something less offensive. On 5th March 100 members of the Aliansi Mahasiswa Buddhis “sealed” the entrance to the Bar with police crime scene tape, and carried banners like:
Stop insulting Buddhism! The Buddha Bar disturbs harmony among religious groups!
Protest leader Eko Nugroho said detik
This is to show people that Buddhists will not [stand to] be insulted.
The management of the Buddha Bar, and its owners, who are Renny Sutiyoso (daughter of ex-Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso) and Puan Maharani (daughter of Megawati Soekarnoputri), seem to be keeping a low profile. detik
In Bali however, where there are a number of restaurants that use the name of “Buddha”, such as Buddha’s Belly Restaurant, Bali Buddha Restaurant, Buddha Haha Restaurant, there are not known to have ever been protests by outraged Balinese Buddhists. detik
The Buddha Bar formally changed its name on 22nd April 2009, “out of respect” for Indonesian Buddhists and the minister for religion. The bar’s new name is “Bataviasche Kunstkring”, the original Dutch name of the building. antara
81 Comments on “Buddhist Religious Symbols Blasphemy”
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ET says:
On a recent trip to Borobudur with a colleague who works in cultural heritage, we were both pretty appalled by the treatment of the Buddha statues by groups of domestic tourists. E.g. Draping themselves over them, hugging them, patting them on the head etc. – all while having their photos taken.
It seems that Buddhists everywhere have a habit of doing this. On a visit to Singapore I witnessed the same behaviour. As it also seemed odd to me I took pictures. But then I was told that acting like this is to be understood as a token of devotion.
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schmerly says:
ET.. Re pics, been there done that, but didn’t get the teeshirt.
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Burung Koel says:
@ ET
Interesting photos! Wish I knew how to insert them, I could show you the tourists at Borobodur.
Maybe I’m a bit sensitive because most of my experience with Buddhism has been in Sri Lanka, Laos or Burma. In those countries it is forbidden to touch the images, point your feet towards them or sit above them. In temples (like Shwedagon or the Temple of the Tooth), all visitors have to take off their shoes. Not the case in Borobodur.
It seems that Buddhists everywhere have a habit of doing this.
The domestic tourists I saw were Indonesian Muslim. I’m not sure they’d take too kindly to me wearing shoes in their mosque! 🙂
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Lairedion says:
ET,
These are pictures of Budai, the “laughing Buddha” or possibly Maitreya, a future Buddha who is sometimes depicted as the “fat Buddha”. Both of them are not the historical Buddha.
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Wish I knew how to insert them, I could show you the tourists at Borobodur.
There’s no easy way of doing it, other than emailing them to me, or uploading them to a photobucket account and hotlinking them from there with the Img button.
While we’re on Buddha statues – Patung Archa Budha Raib Di Museum Balaputradewa
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Patung, Just put them up on: http://imagevenue.com/ it’s free and very easy to do.
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Brother Mouzone says:
I guess my grand opening of the Allah Wak’-Bar next month is out then… damnnit…
It just goes to show you can’t be too careful…
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Brother Mouzone.. No go ahead and open it, it’s a great idea having to drink five times a day, how devout is that!
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Wine’s just a legal rich men’s drug. All Buddha Bars around the world look more like opium dens. In Rock’n’Roll Cafes Jimi Hendrix’s relics aren’t in a better condition… Theravada Buddhists believe the so called historical Buddha is the only perfect Buddha, Mahayana practitioners think there are innumerable Buddhas, all of them being pure fictions helping “Buddha worshippers” : merely hearing their names is a blessin. But here, in France, so far from Menteng, I think the main problem is the way the place has been bought with the people’s money.
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Hi Fanglong, long time no see….
But here, in France, so far from Menteng, I think the main problem is the way the place has been bought with the people’s money.
Would be grateful if you could go into that a little further.
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Oh, I didn’t mean the Buddha Bar in Paris, but jl. Teuku Umar’s, of which I read in the JP (March 14) : “Besides facing allegations of blasphemy, an independent corruption watchdog said recently that the venue, which is housed in an historic Dutch colonial-era building, was purchased and renovated with nearly $2.9 million in public funds before being converted into a private commercial enterprise, under questionable circumstances… Indonesia Corruption Watch said Thursday it has asked the Jakarta city administration to clarify the ownership of the heritage site – a former immigration office built by the Dutch in 1913 in a prime downtown neighborhood.”
Is it just a stupid allegation ? -
Two Piece says:
What will people think Islam-Bar. And let people drink wine in front of an Al-Quran.
Or, what happens for a Jesus-Bar, and people drink beer in front of the Cross and Bible.In any case, they are molesting thousand years old holy people and beliefs. I do not think this is right at all.
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Oigal says:
Wine’s just a legal rich men’s drug
Only where moronic governments have taxed the product to criminal levels. Drug ..no more than any other substance taken to excess.
Or, what happens for a Jesus-Bar, and people drink beer in front of the Cross and Bible.
mmm isn’t that what Catholics do every Sunday?
Seriously, nothing would happen with the exception of some very isolated snake biters, you will find the Christian church has generally moved past the the terminal insecurity that requires violence at every percieved and otherwise offence. Pretty sure Buddha or Jesus could not give a toss..besides turning water into wine was one of Jesus’s favorite party tricks bit late to go temperance on us now
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Suryo Perkoso says:
Oigal Says:
March 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Wine’s just a legal rich men’s drugOnly where moronic governments have taxed the product to criminal levels. Drug ..no more than any other substance taken to excess.
Or, what happens for a Jesus-Bar, and people drink beer in front of the Cross and Bible.
mmm isn’t that what Catholics do every Sunday?
Seriously, nothing would happen with the exception of some very isolated snake biters, you will find the Christian church has generally moved past the the terminal insecurity that requires violence at every percieved and otherwise offence. Pretty sure Buddha or Jesus could not give a toss..besides turning water into wine was one of Jesus’s favorite party tricks bit late to go temperance on us now
Yes, but catholics are not supposed to get trousered in church on draft Guinness and Jamesons.
I wonder how nabi Isa got on with turning water into Smirnoff blue? I could do with him trying his hand here as I am down to my last snifter.
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fanglong says:
If Puan Maharani’s “innocent”, what about Mr Sutiyoso’s daughter and, of course, PT Nireta Vista Creative ?
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shorty says:
I’m disappointed – 78 posts and not a mention of a rasta bar……weed and bob marley…beats the crap out of booze and buddha.
At least there’d be no religious bigots.
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parakrama says:
i think this is Insulting Buddhism and Buddha but Buddhists never insulting other religions
why did that why innocent Buddhism insulting why what happen to you -
Purba Negoro says:
It costs approximately ID Rupiah 10-30.000 to hire one protestor.
You can hire them in a packet, say 50 loud and destructive brengsek for one million.
Reporters cost about 25- 50.000 plus 5-10.000 travel allowance. One million will easily get you on major TV.It is very cheap.
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BK,
Not sure. Maybe I should’ve said the Thai Theravadin missionaries, according to one source I read on the net have been the most energetic. Most temples I’ve seen have been Thai run. But yes, hard to tell given the blend of Taoism and Kong Fu Tzu.
Molly,
Alcohol forbidden ? Dunno about that. I think the Buddhist teachings (for lay people) are more into recommendations that rules on alcohol. ie. “proceed with clarity,” and “don’t cloud the mind with intoxicants.” For the clergy, the rules seem to be much stricter.