People attending the " Vivid " light show in Sydney were bemused to find what appeared to be Buddhist monks circulating in the crowd, aggressively seeking donations of money. They are attired in the robes seen in most Asian cities but this appears to be a scam designed to rip off an unsuspecting public. The Buddhist religion looks to the generosity of the common people to provide it's monks with food and the necessities of life, but they are traditionally a most peaceful religion and retreat from violence - in their search for " Nirvana ".
These " monks " are very different. Those who offer a pittance - or politely refuse to make any sort of donation - can expect a religious tirade and an increase in pressure. They have perfected a plausible line of " religious babbling " and they consistently refuse to take no for an answer. In past decades Sydney was plagued by several pseudo religious cults who specialised in begging on city streets. It seems that the wheel turns full circle.
In Victoria a woman has just been convicted of murdering her daughter in law by bashing her to death with a hammer. She had been hounding her son to divorce his partner to no avail - and her motive was sheer greed. The son had " permanent Australian residency " and the woman knew that the family could extract hundreds of thousands of dollars from people in China desperate to get a foothold in Australia and overcome our immigration laws.
The plan was to offer marriage to her permanently resident titled son to a Chinese woman which would see her gain similar status - in exchange for a vast sum of money. In some cases, these marriages only last the time demanded by immigration for authentication - and then proceed to divorce, but allow the new resident to use family reunification rules to bring others to this country. In this case, the presence of an inconvenient wife thwarting a money bonanza was solved by a grisly murder.
Many people despair at the endless incidents of greed and deception that constantly roil the political arena. The Victorian parliament is close to collapse because a politician accused of rorting his car and petrol allowance has the balance of power and objects to being called to account for his actions. In New South Wales a Royal Commission has delivered a corruption finding that may see several leading politicians face court. Across the entire Australian political spectrum, politicians are accused of jockeying for position and being disloyal in their quest for a leadership role. The aim of personal gain seems to take precedence over the common good !
It seems that avarice is a basic component of the human psyche. One of life's aims is self betterment - and we commend that as a worthy objective. It is just that a fine line divides methods we use to achieve our rewards. On which side of that line we step - depends on our personal moral compass !
No comments:
Post a Comment