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May 2, 2005

Monk Impersonates God to Retrieve Magic Turtle

by Red Wolf

Cambodia: The Buddhists rarely rate a mention in the Prattle, but we'll make up for that oversight with the tale of a dodgy monk who got done for impersonating a god.

Monk Khong Chantha thought he saw a sucker coming when he sold a reputedly magic turtle, with Buddhist inscriptions carved into its shell, to an elderly local woman for $1.25. However, he was more than a little miffed when the little old lady set up shop with her magic turtle, claiming that it invoked miracles. He was so miffed that he returned and tried to reclaim the reptile by force. Understandably not wanting to hand her money-spinner back to the monk, there was a bit of a blue and the little old lady ended up reporting the monk to the local plods.

The woman subsequently reported the monk to police, who then found a forged letter purportedly signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen in the monk's possession which gave fake government backing to Chantha's claims he was a living reincarnation of the Buddha, said [Ros] Vanna.

Secretary of State for the Ministry of Cults and Religions, Chhorn Iem, said he had lost count of the number of fraudulent monks and gods that came to his ministry's attention, but that it lacked legal experts to intervene and ensure these religious frauds felt the full weight of the law.

People are always trying to cheat each other with stories of miracles, and it's all rubbish. We need legal people in the ministry to explain to and work out punishment for 'instant' monks and gods, Chhorn Iem said.

Unfortunately, there is big money in cheating people, but we try to stop them bringing the Buddhist religion into disrepute. Miracles are supposed to be honest.

In case you were wondering, the cops decided that both parties were charlatans, so they confiscated turtle, which was then taken into protective custody before later being handed over into the guardianship of a local pagoda. The Buddhists do seem to be a colourful lot in Cambodia.

Monk arrested over 'magic' turtle fraud - Mail & Guardian Online, 28th April 2005.

Posted in Love Thy Neighbour at 10:04. Last modified on July 14 2009 at 16:45.
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