Temples to go dark on Vap Poya

Punchi Tuesday, 20 September 2022 06:22 AM

If the temples were being used for invoking Buddha to deliver blessings on us and as the Mahawansa states our Buddha thrice visited and blessed paradise there would be no shortages of electricity, fuel, food, medicines, western Christian moneyed tourists and everything good.

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Spartacus Tuesday, 20 September 2022 06:27 AM

Super, do that and do it on all Poya days or rather everyday. There is nothing beneficial that has come out of these Temples or Monks either to Buddhism or Country. Rather they have become centres for instigating politics and religeos

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T.M.iyer Tuesday, 20 September 2022 06:28 AM

Religious places of all Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, Churches

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LSRM Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:00 AM

Very good. Let them switch off the Loud Speakers as well. The Dayakayas who donate luxury vehicles to temples can easily pay for the electricity bills.

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D.M. Abeysekera (attorney-at-law) Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:19 AM

Not only Temples but even the public should not pay their huge bills then only the merciless govt. will realize.

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Bannis Mama Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:24 AM

A general all island protest should be staged against the increased electricity and Water tariffs. First the Govt. should curtail the overstaff, overtime payments and appointments by previous ruthless rulers for their own benefits to come to power.

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Senior Professor Rodney Fernandopulle Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:26 AM

Maintenance cost for 39 State Ministers [looters of SLPP] itself will cover the loses of CPC

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Kattu Piya Samson Master from Koswatte Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:30 AM

People must get into the streets and chase Ranil and his nasty robbers seated as Ministers and State Ministers.

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Ragitha Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:34 AM

Why give a special rate for religious institutions which don't take any steps to reduce electricity consumption. Also such places have plenty of money donated by laymen.

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Sandy Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:36 AM

Did ancient monks use electricity, turn off lights every day and help conserve electricity. An island country has limitations in producing electricity.

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Sokrates Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:53 AM

Not only the lights but also the annoying loudspeaker blare should be switched off

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Sunil Tuesday, 20 September 2022 08:24 AM

This is one of the best ways to teach this dastardly government that they cannot palm their corruption and inefficiencies on the general public, least of all the religious organizations. The wretched minister was quoted as saying that he will not hesitate to disconnect the power supply to places of worship who will not pay their electricity bills, yet another example of the high handed acts of this government. These so called leaders are emulating the actions of the equally wretched president.

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Concerned citizen Tuesday, 20 September 2022 08:31 AM

They shouldn’t not be given concessions.They waste a lot of electricity because they are given concessions.THe donation boxes are there to manage the expenses of the temple .They are not for luxurious lives that most of these monks aspire.Just like the layman they should know how to manage their expenses properly as per the Buddha teaching.If they are given concessionary rates it will have to be borne by the masses.Most of the monks were instrumental in bringing the Rajapaksas to power spreading lies just like they are doing now spreading false stories about conspiracies against Buddhism

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Ma Tuesday, 20 September 2022 08:32 AM

Is this the Buddhism our clergy crow about? People starve without food

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Nm Tuesday, 20 September 2022 08:38 AM

Some priests use the most expensive cars and live in luxury using the money people contribute and still complain. Use the temple funds on solar energy. Govt can help the poor temples to get solar power.

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Tom Tuesday, 20 September 2022 08:43 AM

Most of the religious places do not care about conserving electricity because they enjoy heavily subsidised rates. Even in a situation like this, they still want to enjoy the status quo putting the burden on starving masses.

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chanuka Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:14 AM

switching off lights one day is not going to save any electricity. Switch it off every night. Let devotees pray during the day time

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gamini Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:16 AM

electricity needs to be conserved. School children need it for their studies. Country needs dollars, so hotels need power. Temples do not pay electricity bills, or pay subsidized rates. Better switch it off

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ajith Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:16 AM

let the devotees come forward and pay the electricity bills of temples at standard rates

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Terrence Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:19 AM

When the poor classes of society are suffering not having the basic necessities ie. food etc how come that the fatted clergy sans exercise benefitting from the bounty of beneficiaries be given exceptional treatment

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L Jaya Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:19 AM

Policy decisions need to be taken with wide consultation with the community, not to stupidly follow IMF recommendations to solely repair the primary account balance. Impact assessment is very much needed in making policy decisions. God bless SL

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Dhamma Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:33 AM

Looks like all Mahanayakas (except that of Asgiriya Chapter) are now for various reasons revolting against the Government leaders and some refusing to even receive them at their Temples.

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Tissa Fernando Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:34 AM

Good decision, why mot install your own solar system instead of Benz and BMW cars for the monks.

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Monk Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:35 AM

It'll not make any difference since temples and monks seem to be in the dark these days from what we see and hear on the news.

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H Ranawaka Tuesday, 20 September 2022 09:55 AM

Darkness Protest

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Food first religious place last Tuesday, 20 September 2022 10:33 AM

If the temple cannot get donation, it might as well not use an excessive amount of electricity for Poya alokaya. The temples seem to be in the business of showing off, while paying little head to the severe financial crisis we are in, which is affecting how much food each households are getting. The temples wanting to keep up their lavish use of electricity is a crime against the poor of our nation. They want cheaper prices than given to the poorest in our nation. Religion has too much status in our nation, much to our long term economic detriment. Developed nations all jettison religion because it stall progress and in the long term leads to problems that cause hunger for many.

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sam Tuesday, 20 September 2022 10:55 AM

Those in power will not care what temples do

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M S PERERA Tuesday, 20 September 2022 11:27 AM

Just simple Command all service personnel to warn against burning unnecessary lights in their places,for example STUDIOS FOR LIGHTING ACCESSORIES One verbal warning is enough. In Mount Lavinia the eleven LIGHTS SHOPS can supply enough for the seven temples and nine churches etc etc

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Dakshina Dissanayake Tuesday, 20 September 2022 11:28 AM

Most of the Buddhist temples prelates own luxury vehicles and recent been a Buddhist monk was killed and robbed his defender and wagonR , how do they maintain these high end vehicles, big question to debate

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Wasanth Tuesday, 20 September 2022 12:32 PM

Let us go back to the traditional lighting of places of worship .. use coconut oil and candles. All these new higher tech illumination is a wastage. Lighting decoration is almost like a competition between places of worship now. Very sad indeed.

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Against subsidy for religion Tuesday, 20 September 2022 03:46 PM

Another gimmick by a desperate group looking for attention. Since they are not good enough in their work for the public to get adequate donation, they don't need to flaunt excessive electricity use. Maybe the poor can be tricked into providing money for the temples, but with the luxury in larger temples it is really only fools who think going to temple will get them a better afterlife. Our country should separate religion from state affairs including school. Removing religious education from the curriculum gives more time for other more important subjects which have worth for later life.

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Jacob Sharma Tuesday, 20 September 2022 04:23 PM

It will be helpful for the planet not only this temple but also the whole Hindu, Buddist temples, viharas, churches, mosques, mandhirs etc also go dark for energy conservation and help with the struggling economy. It must be user pay by the respective laity only . The state and the whole society should not bear the cost and suffer.

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Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 21 September 2022 12:42 PM

CeB should disconnect power and take legal actions against anyone not paying bills. These guys have all the money for everything else but pay electricity bills.

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