Malaysian "magic" boars a hit despite flu scare

Reuters ^ | 05 May 2009 | Reuters

[BGHater]

Thousands of Malaysian Hindus are seeking blessings from a group of wild boars believed to possess magical powers, shrugging off concerns about a global outbreak of "swine flu," a local newspaper reported Monday.

The Sun reported a Hindu temple in the northwestern Malaysian state of Perak has been drawing a steady stream of thousands of visitors daily, eager to feed and touch dozens of wild boars.

The boars, which started to appear near the temple about a year ago, are believed by devotees to possess magical powers and can bring good luck.

Among the busloads of devotees and visitors from as far away as Singapore and Thailand are lottery punters hoping that the boars' good luck will rub off on them.

"People come to offer food and then rub a four-digit number on a boar's body to have better chances to strike it big," the report quoted Ah Tong, a temple volunteer, as saying.

A visitor to the temple, Lai Chin Cheng, said she was not worried about any health threat from touching the boars, despite the outbreak of a new strain of flu that was initially thought to be associated with swine.

[Frogtacos]

The boars, ..., are believed by devotees to possess magical powers and can bring good luck.

Magical powers of tastiness. Bacon = yum

[50sDad]

My dad gave me his high school history book: America was called a Christian nation, Western Culture was acknowledged to be superior to all other societies, and this kind of thing was laughed at. Today, you’d get a panel of three Liberals and one over-apologetic RINO discussing the whole idea like there might be merit to appling it somehow in the Obama Administration.

[BobS]

The boars are just hanging around for the free food and massage. They can get fat and lazy there.

What happens if they catch a disease from humans? Kill the humans?

[BGHater]

Dunno, it can always be worse.

[BobS]

"...Western Culture was acknowledged to be superior to all other societies, and this kind of thing was laughed at..."

Actually, we are part of the Western Civilisation composed of many countries and half the time the South American Civilisation which is distinct.

Obama is just an irritating pebble in the shoe of our civilisation.

[BobS]

Maybe those wild pigs should go there. They eat rats. Those people are insane for herding rats.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

All I see in those pictures is satan.

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

Brahma forbid, these 'Hindus' happen to read their own scripture:

Chapter XII

ARJUNA: LORD! of the men who serve Thee—true in heart—
As God revealed; and of the men who serve,
Worshipping Thee Unrevealed, Unbodied, far,
Which take the better way of faith and life?
KRISHNA: Whoever serve Me—as I show Myself—	5
Constantly true, in full devotion fixed,
These hold I very holy. But who serve—
Worshipping Me The One, The Invisible,
The Unrevealed, Unnamed, Unthinkable,
Uttermost, All-pervading, Highest, Sure—	10
Who thus adore Me, mastering their sense,
Of one set mind to all, glad in all good,
These blessed souls come unto Me.
Yet, hard
The travail is for whoso bend their minds	15
To reach th’ Unmanifest. That viewless path
Shall scarce be trod by man bearing his flesh!
But whereso any doeth all his deeds,
Renouncing self in Me, full of Me, fixed
To serve only the Highest, night and day	20
Musing on Me—him will I swiftly lift
Forth from life’s ocean of distress and death
Whose soul clings fast to Me. Cling thou to Me!
Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwell
Surely with Me on high. But if thy thought	25
Droops from such height; if thou be’st weak to set
Body and soul upon Me constantly,
Despair not! give Me lower service! seek
To read Me, worshipping with steadfast will;
And, if thou canst not worship steadfastly,	30
Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me!
For he that laboreth right for love of Me
Shall finally attain! But, if in this
Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! find
Refuge in Me! let fruits of labor go,	35
Renouncing all for Me, with lowliest heart,
So shalt thou come; for, though to know is more
Than diligence, yet worship better is
Than knowing, and renouncing better still
Near to renunciation—very near—	40
Dwelleth Eternal Peace!
Who hateth nought
Of all which lives, living himself benign,
Compassionate, from arrogance exempt,
Exempt from love of self, unchangeable	45
By good or ill; patient, contented, firm
In faith, mastering himself, true to his word,
Seeking Me, heart and soul; vowed unto Me,—
That man I love! Who troubleth not his kind,
And is not troubled by them; clear of wrath,	50
Living too high for gladness, grief, or fear,
That man I love! Who, dwelling quiet-eyed,
Stainless, serene, well-balanced, unperplexed,
Working with Me, yet from all works detached,
That man I love! Who, fixed in faith on Me,	55
Dotes upon none, scorns none; rejoices not,
And grieves not, letting good and evil hap
Light when it will, and when it will depart,
That man I love! Who, unto friend and foe
Keeping an equal heart, with equal mind	60
Bears shame and glory, with an equal peace
Takes heat and cold, pleasure and pain; abides
Quit of desires, hears praise or calumny
In passionless restraint, unmoved by each,
Linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in Me,	65
That man I love! But most of all I love
Those happy ones to whom ’tis life to live
In single fervid faith and love unseeing,
Eating the blessèd Amrit of my Being!
Here endeth Chapter XII. of the Bhagavad-Gîtâ,	70
entitled “Bhakityôgô,” or “The Book of
the Religion of Faith”

Yet not by Vedas, nor from sacrifice,	335
Nor penance, nor gift-giving, nor with prayer
Shall any so behold, as thou hast seen!
Only by fullest service, perfect faith,
And uttermost surrender am I known
And seen, and entered into, Indian Prince!	340
Who doeth all for Me; who findeth Me
In all; adoreth always; loveth all
Which I have made, and Me, for Love’s sole end,
That man, Arjuna! unto Me doth wend.
Here endeth Chapter XI. of the Bhagavad-Gîtâ,	345
entitled “Viswarupdarsanam,” or “The Book
of the Manifesting of the One
and Manifold”