Asian Religion and Technology
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Asia has not escaped the impact of modernization. Changes began in the religious-cultural systems in Asia with contact and colonization. Traditional Asian religions recognize kingship as a divine right and responsibility from which political organization follows. The legitimacy, of a government, derives from divinity, not from the population (Engel, 1994, p. 429). Westernization, modernization, and technology have made their impact felt on the religions and culture of the people of Asia. The beginnings, of the impact of western methods and technology, were perceived with the recognition of the nation-state. Modern technology continues to change how Asian religions are practiced and to an extent their belief systems. The importation of western governmental and social belief systems has also had a dramatic impact on social culture. The cultural, legal, and religious systems, in Asia, overlap each other's spheres of influence. The impact of technology on religion extends beyond the place of worship into how technology is incorporated into everyday life. Most modern advances brought to Asia have an element of modern technology included within them. Modern western technology can not be constrained to only include the effects of modern high technology as is found in western civilization. High technology is financially unobtainable to most citizens of Asian Third World countries. The technology which is readily available consists of com
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ed. The printing press, in widespread use throughout Asia, is an example of technology used by both the religious communities, to disseminate religious information, and the secular community.
Thailand is a primarily Buddhist country with minority religions existing along side the state sanctioned Buddhism. The coup d'etat of 1932, was a result of the traditional notions of the sanctity of the kingship and conflict with a modern western style of law which was instituted under King Chulalongkorn. A Buddhist monk, named Phra Pracak, has had legal problems as the result of his efforts to protect forest reserves from logging (Reynolds, 1994, p. 443). He objects to the wholesale destruction of the forest on religious grounds. The destruction of the forest, for economic development, would not be possible without western tools and machinery. Without modern technology the country would not be experiencing the conflict between religion and development.
A sect of Buddhism has arisen in Thailand which is known as Dhammakaya. It is considered a fundamentalist group. It has as its central practice a form of meditation that goes beyond Theravada orthodoxy. The movement advocates personal ethics and moral purification. What is su
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Catholic Church, Traditional Asian, Hinduism Hindu, Christian Church, Thailand Dhammakaya, Satanic Verses, Third World, Phra Pracak, Ram Ayodhya, Asia Christian, yohannan 1992, modern technology, asian countries, thakur 1993, yohannan 1992 180, reynolds 1994, asian religions, western technology, 1992 180, catholic church, belief systems, third world countries, religion technology asia,
Approximate Word count = 1526
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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