The topic covered by this documentary will hardly leave any Thai person untouched. It describes the massive rise in religious influence of abbot 'Dhammajayo' and the followership he got in his temple 'Wat Phra Dhammakaya' in the Pathum Thani province of Thailand over the years, the criminal charges against the abbot and the widely publicized standoff with police units in 2017 since when he 'disappeared'.
The documentary gives a voice to both followers and critics, and does a quite good and balanced job in that, although the producers hardly hide having mixed feelings about the temple and their monk's practices of fundraising, which were given as the reason behind the standoff.
Personally, I felt that much of the things the documentary showed, like the way some of the depicted followers behaved and talked, how the ceremonies are organized and orchestrated, and how the events are filmed by temple staff was going somewhat beyond religious belief, but struck me as set up to induce collectivist states of trance and 'blind' followership just as we see it in sects.
In any way, very worthwhile watching, particularly for those interested in topics like 'politics vs religion' and the various flavors of Buddhism.
The documentary gives a voice to both followers and critics, and does a quite good and balanced job in that, although the producers hardly hide having mixed feelings about the temple and their monk's practices of fundraising, which were given as the reason behind the standoff.
Personally, I felt that much of the things the documentary showed, like the way some of the depicted followers behaved and talked, how the ceremonies are organized and orchestrated, and how the events are filmed by temple staff was going somewhat beyond religious belief, but struck me as set up to induce collectivist states of trance and 'blind' followership just as we see it in sects.
In any way, very worthwhile watching, particularly for those interested in topics like 'politics vs religion' and the various flavors of Buddhism.
