[MotoSook]

I was raised Buddhist guys, and as most Asian Buddhist men are urged to do, I spent time in a temple. I learned that some monks are just there to freeload and feel important. There are some that I highly respect as they appear to be truely selfless. However, Buddhist temples and the persons who run them (the monks don't always control the business end of the temple) are another matter. Temples vary in how they conduct their business, de-centralized.

The temple I spent time in had their treasury drained by a sect of board members (for lack of a better term), and that sect then started a competing Temple in another town. There is bad blood, but the faithful overlook this and the money aspect.

Growing up, I saw the greed aspect of the religion and could never wrap my mind around the practice of giving money that my financially poor parents embraced. Just like other religions there is an underlying tone of "salvation" in giving money or performing other acts of "merit."

I practice my own religion now. It's a combination of Buddhism and Christianity (more Buddhism)...but I would not say that I am either. Mostly, I live by the principals of honor and respect that my parents instilled in me. In the end, all religions have the same moral message, but you can't practice it in a group of any size and expect that there won't be any need to fund the group.