Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
What if ?
I was on a course over the weekend looking at transmigration. My mind drifted as it so often does onto the subject of the hear and know. I began to think about Buddhism and the belief of imperminance.
I thought about the life cycle of Asian communities and the mental and spiritual capacity to deals with a harsh living enviroment, a shortened life span, no medical care and no economic security.
If you compare this to the west it is obvious that we can and do allow for the future.
I pondered on this for a while and it became clear to me that the success of Buddhism in the East is based on the above. I thought about the "what if" factor. What if Buddhism had established it's self in Western Culture before the industrial revolution and vice versa.
The facts are that we can make certain presumptions, plans and create a safety net for our future because of our political security and economic prosperity.
Life for us is a far more certain and comforting, this I find is a real challenge to core Eastern religious beliefs.
What I am trying to say is that in a modern world it is possible to map one's future althought that map is diverse. I think that's a real challenge and maybe just not an illusion. How does that sit with you ?
What if ?
I thought about the life cycle of Asian communities and the mental and spiritual capacity to deals with a harsh living enviroment, a shortened life span, no medical care and no economic security.
If you compare this to the west it is obvious that we can and do allow for the future.
I pondered on this for a while and it became clear to me that the success of Buddhism in the East is based on the above. I thought about the "what if" factor. What if Buddhism had established it's self in Western Culture before the industrial revolution and vice versa.
The facts are that we can make certain presumptions, plans and create a safety net for our future because of our political security and economic prosperity.
Life for us is a far more certain and comforting, this I find is a real challenge to core Eastern religious beliefs.
What I am trying to say is that in a modern world it is possible to map one's future althought that map is diverse. I think that's a real challenge and maybe just not an illusion. How does that sit with you ?
What if ?
0
Comments
"Life is a bit like a shopping trolley... You go partly where you want to go and partly where the damn thing takes you....!"
No amount of planning could have got Nick and me into the hole we now find ourselves in...and we are planning like mad to get ourselves out of it...!
It sometimes feels like the 'light at the end of the tunnel' is actually an on-coming train....
it's not what happens that matters.
it's how you deal with it and accept it that is the vital thing.
By all means plan ahead... It wasn't actually raining when Noah built the ark.....
But you never know when life's going to play one of her amusing little trumps.
And no amount of planning can prepare you for those.....
I even submitted a letter to an on-line forum for ex-pats and would-be emmigrants.
It was deleted.
I may well contact a British magazine or paper when we return though!
Plans go awry, I think any religion of belief has to change and adapt.
Not really sure was Man made for belief or belief for Man ( I probably should put Humanity instead of Man, but never have been hot on PC)
Our life expectancy here in the West has changed so much even since I was child, I am more or less expecting to hit my 80's screaming in with a bar of choccy in one hand and a glass of wine in t'other.
Also here in the West we seem to mull over beliefs a lot more, how many Eastern peoples even have access to computers to discuss this. Don't get me wrong but I think we have the capacity to 'enjoy' a belief, in the poorer Eastern countries daily survival is more important, finding food a necessity, possibly even what we waste per day would feed a family there.
So, it boils down to a life of hardship or a life of relative comfort and ease, and how does religion fit on those shoulders?
I'm finding out if Buddhism is for me, some people are preparing to meet their God, whoever He may be.
The results of a survey recently released by China's Health Ministry underline the problems facing the country's healthcare system and what many see as a pressing need for reform.
An investigation found that 36% of patients in cities and 39% in the countryside did not go to see the doctor because they were unable to afford medical treatment. Nearly 28% of those admitted to hospital left because of economic difficulties.
I agree with your point about Japan. It has excellent healthcare however it is the exception in this case.
I have done this too. And there seems to be a conspiracy of silence about the downside of living abroad - I've even contacted TV programmes and asked them to take the rose tinted specs off and advise people what it is really like and what CAN happen.
But there is such a huge industry in shifting people from the UK to the rest of Europe that no one wants to publish it, but then no one wants to hear it either - if you speak to Brits over here looking for a house and try to give them fair warning, in a spirit of helpfulness, they just accuse you of being "last in, pull up the drawbridge". I even had one woman accuse me of trying to put her off because I wanted to buy the house myself and was discouraging potential buyers to bring the price down .... what a sad wee person she was!
Put people from the UK off living in France? even with the froglegs, the Frogs and Chirac, any of it is better than Blair's bollox up of the UK!!!
House prices here are on average 8 times salary, frequently even higher, Council Tax just increases annually, when Blair became PM we paid aon average £700 pa its now £1250 and rising. Commutting? my husband forks out £2500 pa and we live 40 mins from Fenchurch Street.
You cannot fly the flag here as it offends everyone, they were trying to stop the Christian Christmas and call it Winter Festival so that the Muslims weren't upset. Anything English or nationalist is frowned on, we are to be British. The Welsh Scots and Irish have their own Parliament, the English do not, we have to share Westminster with them.
We have a stupid poodle as PM, a load of ghastly denigrates in the Cabinet, the opposition is toitally hopeless and as for the LIB Dems!! Now gays are getting married, they have more 'rights' now than straights in law, but we can't say anything as it offends.
Two of my friends have moved or bought property in France this year, and love it.
The average cost of a 3 bed semi here is £200k, council tax for that is about £1000 pa, income tax is a right laugh, you get ill and you may as well give up. I needed an eye op on each eye last year, the first one was fine, the second got cancelled 3 times. Stealth tax is beyond a joke, car tax is £180 pa and the roads are awful, fuel is currently 94.9p per litre for deisel, Bob pays out nearly £8 for 50g of tobacco, our friends in France get him some for £4.00. Wine is not too bad , so far.
Sorry get a bit pee'd off with this country!!
Why don't cut of a piece of it and ferry it out to a quiet, isolated part of the Atlantic where you can live in your own "Little Britain".Don't worry about a political parties or TV as I am more than sure Kilroy is looking for a job.
I'm lucky - my qualifications are recognised over here and I can work, I also speak the language fluently which is a distinct advantage. The Old Feller and I are in the system because we worked here and have access to social benefits and the very good health system.
Your friends, I assume and correct me if I am wrong, are people who sold their property in the UK with the idea of coming over here and not working but living off the investment. I hope it works out for them, I really do, because if anything goes wrong, like the exchange rate going mental, and they find themselves wanting to work or start up their own business, they could be in deep deep trouble.
The French administration system is a total nightmare. I have been self employed over here and the charges levied on my tiny business nearly made me bankrupt. I am allowed to work on my qualifications but the kind of work I can get are restricted and the conditions imposed on me are draconian - BUT I am lucky, I can work.
Other people have qualifications that aren't recognised, can't work, can't get into the system because they can't work and are told to their faces - go away and starve!
Yes there are benefits to being here but no, it can be a nightmare for some - which is why some people decide to go back to the rollcall of misery you listed in your post, because despite all that, they are better off there!
This is meant in love and only to inform - in no way to criticise.
Life is expensive, and far from rosy.
Politics are biased, and basically, any politician here is just out to make sure they're still in one piece and ahead of the game.
No provision is made for anyone, if they are not nationals. There is no representation of ethnic minorities or other rligious groups..
And this from a Frenchman studying European Economic policy:
If France doesn't do something to bring itself in line with Germany and the UK, it will commit economic and social suicide.
But Sherringham, honestly, you do not know how good you have it in the UK. Trust me - believe me - all in all, you do have the better deal.
However, Herman pipped me at the post.
NOW MODERATING:
I have removed one sentence from his post as I felt it was overstepping the mark.
Sherringham:
PC or not - as it is very difficult to assuage exactly whom you are addressing in your posts - bear in mind please that we have people from all walks of life in this forum.
It matters not a jot what a person's persuasion is. There should be no bar on the rights of people to be who they want to be. If it is directly damaging to others, all well and good. If not, judgement, criticism and condemnation is not appropriate.
Thank you for that. I was not aware that the Chinese medical system had become so bad. The point nonetheless remains that not all Eastern countries share the same problems and that generalising about East and West simply reinforces mistaken assumptions in many cases.
I can only assume as you think everyone is gay in the Lib Dem or that the Labour Party are as you put it is "ghastly" you must be a Tory.
It pain's me to remember Margret Thatcher the milk Snatcher, the Miners strike, the Steel strike, Tebbit's get on you bike, Black Wednesday, 3.5 Million Unemployed, Falklands War, The selling off of council houses in Westminster to Tory voters, Black Thursday, Oh and the poll tax riots.....Christ and idiot Mark Thatcher.
Even more depressing are that suicide rates have tended to rise in the UK when a Conservative government has been in power during the last 100 years, with the big exception of Edward Heath's 1970-74 administration.
If that wasn't bleak enough.....Here are a few other names that you may wish to think about before Voting Tory.
Phil Collins... He is threatening to come back to Blighty if the Conservatives win the election.
The tax exile - worth a staggering £130m - said he’d leave Britain for Switzerland if Labour won the 1997 General Election.
Against all odds, he stuck to his guns.
I'm certain he needs all that dosh for something - possibly gifts for the homeless kids he sang about in Another Day in Paradise.
Noel Gallagher was first to speak out:
“Vote Labour. If you don’t and the Tories get in, Phil is threatening to come back from Switzerland and live here - and none of us want that.”
I dislike Jeffrey Archer more than most Conservatives.
His lies and deceits have been comprehensively documented by the courts and media.
Last year the disgraced peer ran the London Marathon for charity.
Cash was solicited at jeffreyarcher.co.uk, a site carrying the name of Jeffrey Archer Limited:
Jeffrey Archer Limited has never been registered as a company in Britain, as revealed by a search at Companies House.
Archer’s site goes on to say:
“As soon as all pledges have been collected, I will announce the sum raised for these tremendous causes.”
Nearly 12 months after the marathon, the site carries no such announcement.
I'd love to hear explanations for these two facts.
Perma-tanned poser Peter Stringfellow hosted a Conservative fundraising gala on Sunday night.
For the 25th anniversary of Stringfellows, the entrance to London’s premier trumped-up brothel gentleman’s club sported Michael Howard’s smug mug in place of the usual legs akimbo lady.
Margaret Thatcher turned up, but failed to enjoy any table-dancing action.
We understand that visitors were asked to buy two £25 raffle tickets on the threat of…
“Two days cruising around the Balerics [sic] for four people on Peter Stringfellow’s 50ft Sunseeker Yacht, skippered by Peter Stringfellow and his girlfriend Bella.”
Second prize was three days, third prize forever.
You’ll like him - but not a lot.
Paul Daniels threatened a final disappearing act if Labour won the ‘97 election.
The pint-sized magician said he’d consider taking his cash to Barbados to avoid a Blair government.
Sadly, his word was as bad as his toupe.
Despite a one-way ticket and removal van c/o The People, he declined to leave on election day.
He later claimed his remark had been taken out of context.
Jim Davidson is the classic celebra-tory.
Like many, he threatened to leave Britain in 1997 if Labour won the election.
He finally emigrated to Dubai in 2004, telling Des O’Conner…
“I could change my religion to Muslim and have four wives. Mind you I’d have four mothers-in-law if I did that.”
See what he did there? We can’t help but wonder how he feels about living with, ahem, Johnny Foreigner, but there you go.
Bewilderingly, he was made an OBE for his charity work in 2000.
Two years later he addressed the Conservative Party conference on defence policy, explaining:
“I don’t yet know exactly what I’m going to say, but I reckon it will be controversial stuff.”
Just like Sinderella, we presume. He was clearly the right man for the job - after all, he’d donated £5,000 to Iain Duncan-Smith’s leadership campaign.
Davidson is notably absent from the current Tory campaign, suggesting that their PR people have seen sense.
Busted star Charlie Simpson (now fronting Fightstar) came clean about his true blue politics in October 2004.
He told Tatler, the rich man’s Hello! magazine:
“I don’t really like politics but I’ve always grown up with their view – the Tories’ way of doing things. I just prefer it,”
Busted bandmate Matt Jay added:
“From the financial position I am in now, I am a fucking Tory boy too.”
The band went on to invite Michael Howard to appear in a video; Simpson said:
“He owes us one, really, and we like the idea of doing our bit for the voting youth.”
Howard bottled it. Busted did their bit for the voting youth by splitting weeks later.
Pop star paedophile Jonathan King has been released on parole - and guess who he’ll be backing ?
A lengthy profile in The Observer reveals that the self-styled King of Hits had three prison pin-ups: Will Smith, Sam Fox and Margaret Thatcher.
King famously persuaded Thatcher to sing How Much Is That Doggy In The Window? at the 1990 Brit Awards.
After spending 3.5 years banged up at Her Majesty’s pleasure, I had expected his political views to have softened somewhat.
Jolly Hockey Sticks,
HH
And Tony Blair and New Labour are not Tory?
You have got to be kidding if you think they are Labour.
Yes, I am a Tory voter, its not illegal.
And the reference to gays having more rights than Heterosexuals is quite right, as two friends who are in a sexual relationship, but are not married but cohabit do NOT enjoy those privileges.
Seriously , do you have nothing better to do than read off like Hello or something like that?
And thankyou for your unkind offer of the Atlantic, perhaps you may feel free to take that option up yourself soon?
Knitwitch, one of the couples has bought a house this year in France, but they are still UK resident, but truly it didn't cost much more than their car. Its actually her property as they are unwed/sexually active, and his wife will not divorce him .
The other couple bought their property about 8 years ago, and have developed it into holiday lets during the summer, but the rest of the family moved out this year. Its not an investment home, they rented a Police Housing Association house here, Grahame retired from Essex Police last Spring and they had to vacate the house within two weeks of that event.
To give you a prime example, the actor, Nigel Hawthorne lived with his partner Trevor Bantham for years. He died, aged 72. Unfortunately, this quiet, private and delightful man died before both he and his partner could benefit from this legislation, and his partner is now in severe financial difficulties. I am not completely certain of all the fiancial implications, but this situation affects inheritance, pension, insurance and property rights.
"It means same-sex couples can have their relationships recognised in law for the first time.
It also provides registered gay and lesbian couples with a number of legal rights and entitlements already held by heterosexual couples in civil marriages."
I live in France and can tell you that the 'Grass is not always Greener' in fact France is finding its Xenophobic attitude and total reluctance to embrace other cultures a major stumbling block. You appear to be very angry and this is reflected in your posts, We have a 'Menagerie' of Members on here...Black, White, Asian, Male, Female, Adult, Teenagers, Muslims, Jews, Christians, Pagans, Satanists, and Gay people. The timbre of your post does you no credit and sadly reflects the Old TORY values of intolerance.
I respectfully request that a) You research your facts before posting and b) Moderate the timbre of your post content.
How you think that being a supporter of a ultra rigthwing political party sit's with being a Buddhism....well I am at a loss.
Where I live, the BNP put up posters in the last election asking people to vote tactically. They called on the voters to vote Tory. Why because the BNP ( which was founded by young Tories and the National Front) now believe you cannot put a cigarette paper between them on a number of policies including immigration.
I would fight for your right to say what you want. However personally I find them repulsive and I think you are seriously misguided if you think this community support these ugly views. You are in desperate need of enlightenment .
HH
Dear Sherry Toff,
unwed and sexually active.....? Jeeper's, what do you mean. I am desperate to know if you are the wife in question. Because if you are that explains alot.
Ok Yarr,
HH
I'm actually not homophobic, you and others have chosen to believe that I am.
Iam however a Tory voter, and as this also offends I shall be leaving this site.
Never the less no has asked you to leave this site.
Not so. provision can be made in a will to redress this matter.
Then why draw the parallel?
It sounds as if it is something you resent... And I was more questioning the tone of your post. I was asking you to be mindful of the feelings of the people who use this forum. Why, if you are not homophobic then, do you sound as if you resent these rights.
I already deleted an offensive final remark from HH's post.
I have done the same to yours.
part of Buddhist study is to make Right Effort to use Right Speech.
By all means put your point across, but don't insult people. That is not conducive to the Eightfold path. And as you're on a Buddhist forum, I thought that was one of the things you were interested in studying.....
Your political beliefs would do nothing to exclude you from the site. Remaining or leaving would be a choice entirely made and driven by you.
God save the Queens...
HH