How does the Wat Phra Dhammakaya movement spread the message of Buddhism through modern methods?

This lesson is about a sect and temple in Thailand called Wat Phra Dhammakaya which has been in the media due to its modern take on Buddhism.

Wat Phra Dhammakaya has attracted a lot of attention for its modern methods of spreading Buddhist teachings, which go against traditional teachings of Buddhism. They raise money through marketing campaigns, subscriptions to their Sangha, and use it to give to good causes, even though financial gain is considered to be unethical for Buddhist communities or Sanghas which should exist only to teach about the message of the Buddha. It is also considered unethical for monks to handle money. It caused particular controversy when money they received once was found to be from the proceeds of a money laundering scheme. They have also created a searchable CD of the Pali cannon, the Buddhist scripture, which goes against the Buddhist view that using modern technology for holy means is wrong. They also offer distance learning, and a more secular approach to teaching about Buddhism. You can only access the community if you pay a subscription fee, which, although very small, goes against the teachings of the Buddha. With a huge number of followers, Wat Phra has at times caused the military government to feel threatened, resulting in the attempted arrest of the Abbott, and to Buddhist monks preventing the police from entering the temple, in a non-violent stand off. The aim of this lesson is to give students the opportunity to reflect on how the teachings of the Buddha are being interpreted in modern society, and to learn about the changing attitudes towards spiritual life in cultures beyond our own western ones.