Freedom of Religion in Malaysia

I will blog about my experience, and yes - I do find a lack of freedom. Firstly, I am not a Muslim. Some would think - that means, I am free. But that's not true. In forms, if I leave my religion blank, some clowns will happily help me mark "Buddhism". They just assume any and every Ah Lian, Ah Kow and Ah Beng would be a Buddhist. 

Here's my complain. Why can't I have the freedom not to have a religion. Or at least, put Taoism there. But no, they happily classify every Ah Beng as a Buddhist.

The thing is, I have respect for all religions. I really don't think I am a Buddhist at all. I sleep around. I drink a little. Buddhist cannot drink (Alcohol laaa) at all. Neither are Buddhist allowed to be attached to this material world. I am addicted to good sex; yells when my bloody laptop fails.  Curse at traffic. Flirt shamelessly. Eat after 12pm (yup - monks do not eat after noon). If internet is down, TM would be at the receiving end. Needs a handphone. Won't travel without a car.

And to be clear, neither would I make a good Taoist. (I cannot remember all the festivals for Goddess of Mercy, when the 1st and 15th day of the lunar calender. Heck, I don't even know which month it is in the lunar calender). I am not a Christian, nor a Hindu either. I am just human - with some sins and of course, I do some good deeds too.

And most Ah Bengs would even gamble, but yet classified as Buddhist. Buddhist cannot cause suffering - hence a vegetarian diet is called for. I love steak - rare, plaese. I have listened to a Buddhist monk's teaching: even for vegetables - please eat in moderation. The reason: It takes resources to plant vege. This means, if we consume a lot, more wild life would be displaced and that would cause suffering. Yup - suffering to animals are frowned upon by a true Buddhist.

So, please - let us have a freedom from religion. For now at least - maybe when I get older I would be a better Buddhist / Taoist. I personally think I give Buddhism a bad name. Then again, that should be between God and me, not for some official documents.