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Are you religion blind?

I've been living in Thailand since 2010, and in Songkhla since 2014. It's about 30% Muslim here and the rest are mostlyThai Buddhist, with a few Hindus.

I'd been using my big juicer to grind cashew nuts and mung bean sprouts into cashew/raw sprout butter, something I could eat during recent health issues.

When the juicer broke last week, I took it to a repair shop, and began trying different Thai foods, hoping to find something that wouldn't exacerbate the condition.

The food I tried was delicious, but I immediately got much worse. With a missing molar on both sides of my mouth, I couldn't chew raw nuts and sprouts without the grinder, so kept trying different Thai foods.

One Thai dish made from steamed sprouts, "pahk toah nok," didn't aggravate my stomach, but the vendor only serves it at noon and I couldn't eat then.
Still, I stopped by the Tesco-Lotus mall food court tonight, hoping.

The vendor, an older lady, said it was sold out, and suggested food at a different counter but I explained I'd already tried that food, and it had made my stomach worse.

I had left the mall and was crossing the parking lot in the rain when the Tuk-tuk drivers told me someone was calling me. It was the vendor lady.

She said she'd make me the food herself, so I followed her back into the mall, thinking to myself how WONDERFUL the Thai Buddhists are..then, with a start, I realized she was Muslim, wearing a head scarf.

I had become "religion blind."

She not only made and served me the steamed sprouts dish, she didn't even charge for it! I ate it gratefully..it was delicious!

birdingnut 8 Apr 28
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4 comments

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0

Why do you think that had anything to do with her being muslim?

I was startled that I didn't differentiate between the religions. When I first moved to Thailand I was even afraid of Muslims. One area I lived, Lopburi, the Muslim population was hostile to Caucasians, and I was afraid to walk past their mosques because of the jeering and catcalls.

@birdingnut When I lived in India and wanted to wander around Old Delhi unmolested, I wore the burkha I had made in the bazaar. Made life a lot easier.

1

I believe in the right for people to have their belief systems regardless of mine. Most are really just versions of self regulation or paternally need voids being filled. I think that 99% of theist belief systems as metaphors for Psychology. External loci versus internal loci minded people.

1

With your digestive and eating issues, try "lettuce soup"
It is a local Thai Dish you should be able to eat with no issues

3

The only time I really see someone’s religion is when they are shoving it in my face, trying to convince me that I’m wrong, judging others for not complying with their belief system, etc.

@LoreleiLeigh I think part of it is that we have allowed (and some have actively supported) our politics to be taken over by nut jobs, bigots, and narcissists.

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