If there is a reason as to why WeChat is gaining so much momentum, we guess first of all it does have China’s massive population to thank. Secondly the app is more than just a messaging app and has been used for all kinds of things, such as to facilitate property sales and also allowing users to take out personal loans.
Now it looks like the app’s services have gone one step further and that is venturing in the realm of religion. According to reports, it seems that Buddhist spiritual services are now being offered via WeChat where users can purchase offerings like a bouquet of lotus flowers that will then be placed at a shrine by a monk. Other items include “peace” incense and small piles of peaches that will reportedly set the user back $1.70.
Some of these services are even offering live release services in which a Buddhist monk will “save” an animal of your choice, with animals ranging from mud fish that will cost $0.10, and will go up to “10,000 year old turtles” will are priced at $13. Safe to say that many users in China are livid over how these services operate.
Note that they aren’t actually operated by WeChat or its owner, Tencent, and it seems that many of them have since been taken down after users have flagged them over their activities, although unfortunately it seems that that are still quite a few that remain.