Spiritual Warfare?

A Warrior Wears Amulets
The "blood wars" currently raging in Thailand are really spiritual in nature. The BBC writes a very interesting story about the violent "blood" rebellion going on today.

In the battle for Thailand's political soul - played out over several years by "yellow" and "red" waves of protesters - symbolism is probably the most important weapon.

A powerful belief in astrology and the supernatural ('saiyasat') co-exists alongside an increasingly commercial, globalised culture.

This is not just a frame of mind found in far-flung rural areas. Many of the country's top leaders, civilian and military, have actively participated in magical rituals to seek special powers and enlist them on their side.

A leading historian of Thailand, Chris Baker, and top economist and political analyst Pasuk Phongpaichit, have produced a paper entitled "The spirits, the stars, and Thai politics".

The blood of the common people is mixing together to fight for democracy

It outlines several instances of serious consultation by leading political figures - from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the generals who led the coup against him in 2006 - with astrologers, spirit mediums and supernatural forces.

It details events such as damage to specific shrines and the smashing of a statue at the famous Erawan shrine in central Bangkok as efforts to either harness or distract spiritual forces at times of political tension.

"Of course this is not new; but there does seem to be a definite correlation between periods of military rule and upsurges of interest in supernatural influences on Thai politics," the authors wrote.

In the Secular Humanist West we tend to pooh pooh such sentiments but in the East they are central to life, love and politics. As a Christian, Teacher I have traveled to Asia many times and understand that Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism are rife with spirits and supernatural beliefs. Where we Christians ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit, the Eastern Mystics ask to be filled with many spirits.

In Yoga, for example, the practitioner is given a mantra to say over and over while meditating. That mantra is always the name of one of the Hindu gods, of which there are some 350 million. Thus, the mantra is essentially a way to ask those gods to fill the meditative person. This is why Yoga is not good for anyone but especially for Christians. Idolatry is never a good thing.

The blood wars in Thailand are in reality "spiritual wars" that call down evil spirits to do battle against other evil spirits. It is similar to Haiti with its Voodoo practices and are dangerous indeed for any of us to interact with.