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Monks Battle Monks For Bucks

The Shaolin Monks, followers of peace, enlightenment, simplicity and, of course, kung fu, are in a battle. However, their fight has nothing to do with saving the free world, stopping a rogue enemy or defending their monastery. In fact, the peaceful and passive monks are battling a more serious adversary -- capitalism.

Life at the monastery got interesting after the monks' most recent trip to Vegas in February. Remember? The men of spiritual enhancement came to town to make money for monastic renovations on their centuries-old home in China, but they hit town and it was all flowing orange robes on the New York-New York coaster, a seat on Leno's "Tonight Show" couch and canopies in a duplex suite at the MGM.

So, obviously, they're coming back. The monks return for another stint at the MGM's Hollywood Theatre Sept. 20-28. But not without a little controversy.

This group of monks, which is known within the monastery as the fighting monks, has been at odds with another group of Shaolin monks known as the praying monks.

With me so far?

Well, the praying monks got wind of the dough to be had with a traveling kung fu show, not to mention the publicity, and have organized their own band of martial arts experts -- only these guys are plucked from kung fu academies, temporarily dubbed Shaolin monks and sent out to perform. Forget the claims of inner harmony and a material-free lifestyle -- these monks smelled profit.

The praying monks are under the tutelage of a new abbot at the monastery. Rumor has it this new abbot has a cell phone, computer, e-mail address and chauffeured Mercedes. He's installed ticket offices at the monastery and is asking visitors for donations.

How very American of him.

This entrepreneurial spirit hasn't endeared the abbot to the fighting monks, who are touring to help promote Chinese culture and raise money to help other Shaolin monks. I mean, when monks can't get along, I'd say there's a bit of a problem, don't you think?

So while these two opposing factors battle it out for who gets the bigger piece of America's action, Las Vegas will have another opportunity to support the original fighting monks when they return to Sin City next month. The praying monks have yet to hit the Strip.

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