Universal Buddhist Temple

OK, I’ll admit it. I am NOT religious and I am chuckling as I am writing this.
I had to come here a while ago to appease family. This temple is semi divided into three areas. The top floor is separated into two areas, one for reading of passages and one for praying to the gods and burning of incense.
Get this, I mean really get this!!! On the passage reading side, all of this is being done in Cantonese, BTW, they recite stories from whatever or wherever. I dunno and I don’t really care. The passage of the day is a story of travels of some monk, and as I am drifting off into some drowsy altered state of semi consciousness, I discover the story is VIOLENT!!! The guy kept reciting things about THROAT SLITTING!!! And BLOOD AND BLEEDING.
WHOAAAAAA!!!
Since when did peaceful monks become violent and talk about slitting throats? I am numb now.
So after the story, you go to the other side, and pay your respects to the gods or what have you, stick some incense into the pot, bow your head, yada, yada, yada…
Then you get to the good part, you EAT! FOR FREE!!! Yes, you saw that.
You go downstairs and eat monk food WOO HOO!!! But wait, I know what you’re thinking. Bait and switch coming at you,…it’s bland vegetarian food. Luke warm white rice, vegetables, clear soup, and tea. MEH! You sit at a communal bench and eat with a bunch of other worshippers. There are several of these benches, and the place is crowded. I have my doubts that it is for the food. After you’re done, they clean up after you and the next round of worshippers come in and eat.
So what am I rating? I dunno. The experience was OK. I’ve eaten vegetarian food before at a temple in San Francisco, and I remember it being better. I guess there is also violence in the Bible that western civilizations follow, so who am I to judge?
3 stars.
I’m not coming again. Appease or no appease.