The Student Room Group

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Reply 20
Science and religion don't mix well, no, but I know quite a few vets who are pretty religious and for that matter, I know a lot of doctors who are religious too. In fact, one of my best friends is studying medicine at the moment and she is very involved in the church (her dad is a minister). I think it probably depends on how you interpret your faith. You can stick rigidly to your religion's rules or you can stand back and think practically about it from time to time.
Reply 21
Im actually in the middle of reading Buddhist Psychology by Caroline Brazier, il give you a shout when im finished and should be able to give some sort of awnser :P
Reply 22
If it helps from what I have read so far I have gathered a few key points:

The five precepts are not rules, but guidelines by which the follower must make their own interpretation.

"... it is impossible to avoid being implicated in many acts of killing that happen in the world. We cannot walk across a field without treading on small creatures or eat a meal without knowing that some animal has probably died in its production, even if we are vegetarian. We cannot prevent mice getting caught in the big harvesting machines or insects falling into grain hoppers. Dukkha is inevitable. The precepts thus become a means by which the practioner both modifies her behaviour and increases sensitivity." Buddhist Psychology, Caroline Brazier, pg 257

I know it doesnt tackle the situation directly but it gives some insight. Buddhism acts as a framework for your own interpretation
Reply 23
Yeah, I've always got the impression that it's quite a nice religion. You basically make up your own rules in a way.
Reply 24
its not a religion, its a following.
Reply 25
pedantic much?
Buddhists are nice people, but as said earlier, it is a way of life/guidance to help you to live in harmony with the world and cause the least environmental/human impact(idea of stewardship).

And how many wars have the Buddhists/Buddhist extremists started? Have they bombed anywhere? Are there any Buddhist terrorists? It seems that most religions preach peace and getting on with your neighbours, yet still religion seems to be the basis for most if not all wars past and present?
Reply 27
doolie_xx
pedantic much?


Perhaps :P Would it sound less pedantic if I said it like this?

"Its not a religion :P, its a following"

Either way its quite a major distinction in the fact it doesnt believe in a supernatural being.
Reply 28
Maybe a little less condescending, yes :P.

Nah, just in my ignorance, I don't know a hell of a lot about it so I was not aware of the fact that it isn't considered a relgion. Not a deliberate mistake, I assure you.
Reply 29
lol, its my bad really. I seem to play devils advocate without even realising. Im not an ass really! Hohnest! Anyway, detracting from the topic. :P

Im really curious to know a Buddhists view on the parasites eating your brain scenario. I have read situations where people saying its fine to take antibiotics and kill bacteria because bacteria (in this persons view) arent sentient beings. Would the type of parasite affect their decision? Would the method of removal matter to them? Do they have a ranking on whose life is more important?

So many questions!
does anyone know any buddhist vets to answer our Qs?
thanks Joe for your quotation, judging by it the book sounds rather intellectual heavy philosophical stuff... not the sort of book you read at bedtime!
'Chocoholic'- I don't know of any buddhist terrorists but you're right a lot of religions do seem to be used as an excuse for a war. however i think the people that use it as an excuse don't really follow the religion properly- as far as i know islam is a peacful religion but terrorists think it isn't and attack the west under the pretence of islam.
Buddhism is a peaceful religion, i accept they haven't started any wars or have any terrorist groups, i was using rhetorical questions to try to emphasise their neutrality.

Sure, some people misread their holy books/laws to justify law, like some Muslim extremists have done, but if you look back into the past, the Crusades, was largely regarded as a holy war, even the church pledged support.
Reply 32
Out of interest, did anybody watch that "America's Most Hated Family" thing? Bloooody hell was that scary :s-smilie: It really showed that you can interpret anything the way you want to basically.
yes i did watch it. their poor children were brainwashed, it is very easy to do this to small children which is worrying... even their older children genuinely beleived in that rubbish. i think it was especially distasteful when the picketed a soldier's funeral to protest about the war in Iraq- i know the war is horrible but you could show a bit of tact?
Brainwash is a harsh/violent word, i'm sure it was just gentle encouragement...at least the kids aren't out on the streets happy slapping people, or ****ting through people's letter boxes.

Kabbalah is a cult, what's so wrong about that? You have to pay(donate) to be allowed in so it must be good?
Reply 35
no, but telling people they're going to die and go to hell isn't particularly nice either. Their website (www.godhatesfags.com) is reeally worrying, "God hates America/Sweden/Canada etc..." "Thank god for all the dead Swedes!"
It's seriously mega worrying that people think like that.
Sarah_V
no, but telling people they're going to die and go to hell isn't particularly nice either. Their website (www.godhatesfags.com) is reeally worrying, "God hates America/Sweden/Canada etc..." "Thank god for all the dead Swedes!"
It's seriously mega worrying that people think like that.


I agree, having looked at the site (and being very shocked) it is just wrong that children grow up believing that this is true.
WBC engages in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED, etc.


I'm hoping this is just a spoof site against happy clappies, but it doesn't seem that way. If it puts your mind at rest, Bush is a Catholic, and he's sitting on a stockpile of ~10,000 nukes, and he doesn't conduct 'peaceful demonstrations' like they do. I'm really scared of the Veterinary Christian Fellowship now!

If you really want a laugh, visit the An 'Open Letter To The United Kingdom' on the left, ah, they even wrote a song for us, that has earned a place very close to my heart. Maybe when people ask me whether they have a chance at getting into vet school, i should reply with Shirley's response, 'not a chance poopy pants!' Apparently 60.6 million of us are going to die when Christ returns...i'm certainly going to be one of them, what about my fellow vets, are you going to be part of the 99.999% that dies? Your thoughts please.

It is the wrong environment for kids, it will just culture bigoted adults who are homophobic, racist, etc. Then again, i know extremist Muslims who have bought their children up as racists/homophobes, etc. I don't think we'll ever change that, at least they're very 'passionate' about what they believe, but maybe they should all get jobs and do better things with their time/life?
ch0c0h01ic
Brainwash is a harsh/violent word, i'm sure it was just gentle encouragement...at least the kids aren't out on the streets happy slapping people, or ****ting through people's letter boxes.


Happy slapping kids are the result of bad parenting, what we see in this church is something far more sinister.

As the journalist spoke to one of the teenage girls, I felt a tear come to my eye. She was in an (as she saw it) impossible situation, similar to that of beaten wife syndrome and other psychological tortures. She could do nothing but deny the journalist while it was clear that she knew there was something wrong. She's the victim of fanatics.

"Fanatics are madmen who find a masochistic pleasure in strangling their own doubts, there is no dealing with them." -H.G Wells

I love how far the discussion has fallen from the bull.
yes its weird what random tracks these discussions go on.
I can't understand what some religions have against 'dating'/'going out' etc. surely to ensure the next generation it should be encouraged? why do people need their parents approval? why is it forbidden in this weird american cult? mind you maybe it would be a good thing if they didn't have children then it would die out...

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