Author Topic: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo  (Read 15156 times)

icy

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British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« on: April 23, 2014, 12:11:42 AM »
Colombo:  A 35-year-old British woman faces deportation for sporting a Buddha tattoo in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, where disrespect of the religion by foreigners is frowned upon.

The woman tourist, who has been detained, had arrived at the Colombo international airport from Mumbai yesterday morning.

"She was produced before the magistrate at Negombo who ordered her to be detained at the immigration detention centre before deportation," a police statement said.

The tourist had an image of the Buddha seated on a lotus flower tattooed on her right arm, it said.
It was not immediately clear where the woman, who was not identified, would be deported to.

Sri Lanka is a Buddhist-majority island and the authorities remain sensitive to any disrespect of the religion by foreigners.

Last year, another British tourist was deported for a similar incident.

In 2012, at least three French tourists were handed suspended jail sentences for "inappropriate" behaviour in front of a Buddha statue.British tourist to be deported over Buddha tattoo

diamond girl

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2014, 03:03:21 AM »
Buddhism has always been seen to be the most tolerant religion but i feel that this action over the British tourist's tattoo is over zealous and will make Buddhism become another fundamentalist religion, which it isn't. After all, since she tattooed it on her arm, it shows that she likes the image of the Buddha, which is the direct opposite of what the Sri Lankans imply.

When people become overly sensitive to perceived offences to their religion - regardless of what religion it is - a practice that is supposed to create peace and harmony destroys it instead. However, as we continue in this age of degeneration, certain Buddhists will create the forces for Buddhism to be destroyed from within, as predicted by the Buddha himself. 

Q

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2014, 03:30:59 AM »
Another case of idiocy by Sri Lanka. What are they trying to do? Be the Talibans of Buddhism?

What a pain in the a$$ to see some people closed minded. Buddhism was created to assimilate with different cultures... well Buddhism in the Western country is definitely different from Buddhism in Sri Lanka, can't they even understand that? On top of that, all they take is the surface value of the situation... whatever happened to motivation? If we follow the Buddhist ethics to the letter but do not have good motivation, it would not bring us far anyway.

WisdomBeing

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2014, 03:34:11 AM »
I agree with Diamond girl. The actions by Buddhists in so-called Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka does not reflect well on Buddhism. Can we please be more tolerant of different expressions of our religion. If we don't, where does it stop? In this case, i don't think the tourist was being disrespectful of the Buddha. It was an image tattooed on her arm, not on her butt or leg. And as Diamond girl says, the tourist would have tattooed an image of the Buddha because she likes it and not as a sign of disrespect.

The last thing Buddhists need is the impression that we are becoming militant and overly sensitive. This sounds more like fundamentalists of other abrahamic religions and if we are not careful, we will become labeled as such.
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Solomon Lang

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2014, 06:02:06 PM »
This is very interesting. When governments (like the CTA) legislate laws concerning religion, this is what happens. Bummer!
Solomon's Judgement: 2 women came to resolve a quarrel over which was d true mother of a baby. When Solomon suggested they should divide d child in two with a sword, one said she would rather give up d child than see it killed. Solomon then declared d woman who showed compassion 2b the true mother.

Matibhadra

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2014, 01:10:12 PM »
Sri Lanka underwent almost 500 years of Western brutal colonization, oppression, and suppression of its Buddhist culture, being humiliated and persecuted by Western predator bigots in their own land. It is just natural that Sri Lankans protect their most important asset, specially in relation to what they might perceive as Western abusers.

European countries brag about themselves as examples of freedom, but try to enter any one of them with a swastika tattoo. Or try as a foreigner to enter US or UK with a tattoo which might be interpreted as a symbol of Taliban or Islamic terrorism. Probably you will not be so nicely treated as the British tattooed woman, you will receive a Guantanamo-style terrorist treatment.

And why? Because they see such symbols as a threat to their culture, security, and sovereignty. In the same way the Sri Lankans. But Jewish-Christian Western imperialist brutality is in no way better than Nazism or Islamic terrorism.

Thoughtless Westerners, who can only think what Jewish-controlled press tells them to think, should give up their colonialist arrogance, which wants to set up rules to the rest of the world, specially their ex-colonies such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka, or China, look at the immeasurable damage they have caused to such countries, deeply apologize, and learn to shut up.

gbds3jewels

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2014, 08:28:34 AM »
I think this is ridiculous. Imagine if Christian countries start to deport people with tattoos of Jesus or the cross. An object is only sacred to the eyes of the beholder. We cannot enforce it on people. I thought Buddhists believe that the image of Buddha brings blessings to the kind stream of those who gaze upon the image. In this case, the British woman tourist by here tattoo is "accidentally" a vessel for spreading the blessing of Buddha image.

Kim Hyun Jae

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2014, 01:37:25 PM »
Is there any legal law in Sri Lanka that was written that prohibits any tatoo of any Buddhist image on a human body?
 
I know for sure that if you visit any Buddha images in Sri Lanka, we aren't allowed to take pictures with our backs facing the Buddha image. We would be told by the keepers to turn our body side ways so our backs does not face the Buddha image directly to take pictures of ourselves.

Sri Lanka revers the Buddhist religion of their country and even Hindus there respect Buddhism. In my opinion, Sri Lanka should make an official announcement to prohibit anyone with such tatoo to cover it up before entering their country in an act to respect to the Buddhist religion.



Matibhadra

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2014, 04:15:12 PM »
Quote
I think this is ridiculous. Imagine if Christian countries start to deport people with tattoos of Jesus or the cross.

Why should Sri Lankans comply with current Western standards on what might or not sound as a good reason for deportation?

Just in case you are not updated, since 1948 Sri Lanka is not anymore a Western colony, as it had been for almost 500 years. But looks like you still think with the mind of the disgruntled colonizers, nostalgic of the times they could control and sack the country for their own profit.

Sri Lankans have their own multimillenary Buddhist tradition and culture, and they know best how to protect it together with their country, specially better than arrogant barbaric Jewish-Christian Westerners who have brutalized their country and culture for half a millenium.

bambi

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2014, 05:01:57 PM »
I think that it's a bit too much to deport someone because of Buddha's tattoo on the body. Mind you, people tattoo something that they like on their body and not the opposite. So I can am sure the lady respect and love Buddha so much so that she decided to tattoo it permanently on her body. I think those that show disrespect in front of Buddha images should be punished instead and not because of tattoos.  :-\

rossoneri

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2014, 05:04:47 PM »
Buddha image in this day and age has becoming one of the most famous imagery in the world. Some one might not be a Buddhists themselves could very well have a tattoo of the Buddha because it is just an art piece to them. Perhaps the Sri Lankan government should have an official announcement for the world to know about their country's protocol. Well, every country have their do's and don't and some times we have to respect that when we are paying a visit to their homeland.

Personally, i think it is not appropriate to have a Buddha tattoo out of respect.

kris

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2014, 05:29:36 AM »
whether or not to have tattoo of Buddha image has always been a subject of debate, and I think it will still be a subject of debate for years to come. People who agree about it has their points, and so do people who oppose it.

but my point is, each country has their own custom, culture and rules. If Sri Langka has evaluated the pros and cons then decided to implement this rule, then the visitors need to be sensitive to this.

dondrup

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2014, 05:37:02 AM »
It is not the first time foreign tourists were deported from Sri Lanka for their inappropriate behaviours or for having their bodies tattooed with the Buddha image.  These actions are disrespectful and offensive to the Sri Lankan Buddhists. Hence, visitors are advised to be mindful and aware of the local laws, culture, customs and religious practices before entering the country.  Otherwise be prepared to face the consequences of being deported, jailed or punished by the law.  Sri Lanka just like any other countries has every right to enforce its own laws and rules as it deems fit. To the Sri Lankans, Buddha images are very sacred and holy. Even when you visit someone's home for instance you would act or dress appropriately so as not to offend the hosts.  This is basic manners or courtesies one would follow.  If we respect others, others will reciprocate. 

cookie

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2014, 10:30:13 AM »
I agree with Dondrup. Each country is entitled to their rules and regulations on their religion, culture and other aspects. But people also have freedom to have their bodies tatooed with spiritual images if they are done respectfully. Hence, no one is really wrong here. Just a difference in opinion. As the girl was not "mistreated" but probably just uninformed or misinformed, hence the unfortunate  drama of her being deported took place. Everyone of us when visiting other countries must maintain full respect for the people and government of that country. Find out all the information before making a visit to any country.

Klein

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Re: British Woman Tourist to be Deported Over Buddha Tattoo
« Reply #14 on: April 26, 2014, 10:43:34 PM »
It is not the first time foreign tourists were deported from Sri Lanka for their inappropriate behaviours or for having their bodies tattooed with the Buddha image.  These actions are disrespectful and offensive to the Sri Lankan Buddhists. Hence, visitors are advised to be mindful and aware of the local laws, culture, customs and religious practices before entering the country.  Otherwise be prepared to face the consequences of being deported, jailed or punished by the law.  Sri Lanka just like any other countries has every right to enforce its own laws and rules as it deems fit. To the Sri Lankans, Buddha images are very sacred and holy. Even when you visit someone's home for instance you would act or dress appropriately so as not to offend the hosts.  This is basic manners or courtesies one would follow.  If we respect others, others will reciprocate.

I understand where you're coming from. Is this highlighted to tourists before they enter Sri Lanka? Otherwise, it's really harsh to deport someone because of their tattoo. Buddhism is about acceptance and tolerance. It's about mind transformation resulting from one's practice of Buddha's teachings. By behaving in a non tolerant manner, it doesn't reflect well on Buddhists in general. It shows our attachment to outer trappings.

The best way to inspire others of our practice is by our actions and not our words.