Foie Gras and Buddhism

Why? I am asking because I follow Buddhism but wanted to know how to view things that conflict. Buddhists are supposed to forgive, but do they still exercise their right to not be friendly due to something they disagree with?
 
The few people who call themselves Buddhists in the Western World were let down by their religion so they took some elements of Buddhism, added them to their own system of beliefs and carved them into a spiritual identity.

I would therefore expect the answer to your question to depend on how they feel about animal cruelty.
 
Jon123456 said:
Why? I am asking because I follow Buddhism but wanted to know how to view things that conflict. Buddhists are supposed to forgive, but do they still exercise their right to not be friendly due to something they disagree with?
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If one has got a problem with eating fois gras, one should also have an issue with anyone who eats any 'living life'.

Just because one is of cruety does not make it less of an 'evil' as other form of killing and eating.

As long as the concious is clear of the deed, and you can balance your guilt and your believe, then it can be forgiven. There are plenty of other mantra that states do no harm, but you also get Tibetian monks kicking the living lights out of others, because they balance their guilt to their perceived beliefs.

At the end of the day, I'm only a Taoist / Buddhist. I don't follow the full mantra of 'do not kill life', not the murderous bit, but the consumption of animals. I am not against fois gras either.

It's all down to you and how you believe the teaching is telling you. Easily twisted for evil but then, why follow it if evil is what you ultimately want to follow?

My last lesson with a buddist monk was about 14 years ago, so a little sketchy on the teaching and advise we got when we questioned similar stuff - especially about the eat and killing of animals.
 
Fois Gras is just an example. It might be a Buddhist and someone who goes shooting or fox hunting. Do Buddhists view that person in exactly the same way as they do anyone else? Or do they have repulsion towards their activities and so therefore avoid association or friendship with them? What would the Dalai Lama say?
 
Mmmmmm fois gras Mmmmmmm. Use to get this sent from France by wife's Miami.
Buddhist or not it's rather nice.
 
OhEsEcks said:
I thought full on proper buddhists only ate a vegetarian diet?
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Yup, they do.

They also do not impose or judge one for not eating or following the same, and if given, they'll rather go hungry than go against their mantra of avoid killing and protecting life.

e: There are Buddhist monk that eat meat too - IIRC, Thai Theravadan Monks eat what is given to them during their begging rounds. I wonder if they've been given fois gras...
 
I don't think a good Buddhist would eat foie gras, but I can think of no reason why they wouldn't be able to be friends with someone that does.

There is no obligation to force other people to share Buddhist beliefs, it is up to the individual to choose their path.
 
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I dont think you need to be a budhhist to realise that fox hunting or force feeding ducks is A Bad Thing.
I also disagree that there is no difference between eating meat and cruelty to animals. It is possible to give the animal a decent life and humanely killed.
 
i'm not a Buddhist but anyone that goes fox hunting or eats fois gras is a "dick."

I hope this brings you enlightenment on your journey
 
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