[Vnbiz] Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh returns to Vietnam for UN Day of Vesak

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear anh Shane,

You read too much into my writing, while I cannot read too much into your
writing :-)

I didn't say anything about approving the government conduct.  But if I want
to teach a group of kids something important, and some governement requires
me to do a bunch of crazy procedures, and if the procedures don't amount to
an impossibility, I wouldn't mind complying with the procedures just to get
to the kids.  I may raise my concern about the procedures to
the government later, but I would not allow some crazy procedures to stop me
from doing what is important.  BTW, there are millions of bad and
unnecessary procedures in any society.  Lots of government paperwork
requirements for my company here are truly wasting time and an abuse of
government power, but I fill out the paperwork anyway.

Also, when we work on spiritual matters, the little inconveniences of life
shouldn't our hindrance.

Great day, brother.

Metta,

Hoanh


On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 9:13 AM, Shane Wall <
shane.wall at translingualexpress.com> wrote:

> [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
>
> Hi anh Hoanh,
>   Maybe I wasn't very clear, too much "nghia bong" in my English. Of
> course any event which will have a large number of attendees must have
> security in place. So why not sell tickets (and give the proceeds to
> charitable works), employ security guards and conduct physical security
> inspections/searches at the gates? After all, this is what happens at
> sporting events across most of the developed world already!
>
>   My point is that if I have to register my name with the authorities,
> then I will immediately become a more "interesting" person for them to
> "keep an eye" on. Enjoy your unfettered freedom over there in D.C. ...
> as a foreigner here with a Vietnamese wife, I get police visits (usually
> late at night) about once a month! They don't need a warrant; they don't
> need an invitation; they look in, under, behind, around everything! Of
> COURSE you would be happy that they are doing this ... for my safety
> (which is the reason they give us).
>
>   So by your answer below, it appears that you approve of governments
> controlling the geographic locations and timings where people can
> nurture and reinforce their own internal spiritual beliefs, i.e.
> choosing the time and place, where religious activities can be
> conducted? What do you think about having to REGISTER those activities
> with the government beforehand? I suppose that is okay as well, is it?
>
>   I will leave it at that.
>
> Shane
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Mr. Shane Wall
> Managing Director
>
> Trans Lingual Express
> 188/16 Nguyen Thuong Hien St,
> P.1, Q. Go Vap, HCMC,
> Vietnam
>
> Mail: shane.wall at translingualexpress.com
> Web: www.translingualexpress.com
>
> Ph: +84 (8) 588 1701
>
> Mbl: +84 (090) 9484 753 (English)
> Mbl: +84 (090) 7885 375 (Vietnamese)
>
>
>
> --
> Tran Dinh Hoanh, Esq., LLB, JD
> Washington DC
>
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