I'm sure they'd choose for it to be other but...you know.

No, no, no... they are not being treated like cattle.

Cattle gets fed.

kbronsito: No, no, no... they are not being treated like cattle.

Cattle gets fed.

The temple has also set up a temporary relief shelter for the beggars, where they are provided with food and water, said a staff member from the temple.

You were saying?

Godscrack: [imageshack.us image 500x300]

+1

xanadian: kbronsito: No, no, no... they are not being treated like cattle.

Cattle gets fed.

The temple has also set up a temporary relief shelter for the beggars, where they are provided with food and water, said a staff member from the temple.

You were saying?

Godscrack: [imageshack.us image 500x300]

+1

Probably should have read the whole article huh?
Are they getting antibiotics in their feed?

kbronsito: xanadian: kbronsito: No, no, no... they are not being treated like cattle.

Cattle gets fed.

The temple has also set up a temporary relief shelter for the beggars, where they are provided with food and water, said a staff member from the temple.

You were saying?

Godscrack: [imageshack.us image 500x300]

+1

Probably should have read the whole article huh?
Are they getting antibiotics in their feed?

Ah, good point.

The Chinese government makes neo-atheists appear religiously tolerant.

Begging used to be an actual profession, you know, and in parts of Asia it still is. Beggars beg, that's what they do, kind of like day laborers here in the US. And just like day laborers, if things aren't in place to protect the beggars, both they and their "employers" could have problems.

I don't agree with the Chinese method, but it's difficult to argue with the motives.

But are they as tasty as cattle?

Cows say "mer".

And China is on the UN's Human Rights Commission. BUHAHAHAHA.

the801: isn't begging supposed to be integral to Buddhism? something about owning no worldly goods but a robe and bowl that is used for begging?

That's what i was getting at with my Weeners. Buddhist monks aren't called monks there, they're all called Bhikkhu, which means beggar. It's a fundamental part of their practice.

What this really is, is more oppression of Buddhists by the Chinese government, but as long as the media just calls them beggars most people in the west are all "OMG poor homeless people suck. They should all be executed but the bleeding heart liberals won't let us.".

J. Frank Parnell: the801: isn't begging supposed to be integral to Buddhism? something about owning no worldly goods but a robe and bowl that is used for begging?

That's what i was getting at with my Weeners. Buddhist monks aren't called monks there, they're all called Bhikkhu, which means beggar. It's a fundamental part of their practice.

What this really is, is more oppression of Buddhists by the Chinese government, but as long as the media just calls them beggars most people in the west are all "OMG poor homeless people suck. They should all be executed but the bleeding heart liberals won't let us.".

Like I said, too, in the Eastern culture, as it used to be in the West for quite a long time, begging is a profession, something people do by choice: They've decided they cannot work, society says, OK, don't work, but here are the working rules for begging, the times, the locations, etc. The beggars don't seem too unhappy in their little fenced-off area; they've got their bowls out front and they can leave when they choose...how is that a problem except that our ethos doesn't allow for professional begging?

Gyrfalcon: Like I said, too, in the Eastern culture, as it used to be in the West for quite a long time, begging is a profession, something people do by choice: They've decided they cannot work, society says, OK, don't work, but here are the working rules for begging, the times, the locations, etc. The beggars don't seem too unhappy in their little fenced-off area; they've got their bowls out front and they can leave when they choose...how is that a problem except that our ethos doesn't allow for professional begging?

Well, they're in front of a Buddhist temple, so it's not like they're just doing it anywhere. And they're just trying to get food, or money to buy food with food. After they get some food they go back to meditation, or whatever else is scheduled. You may think they don't do any work, but you're just saying that as someone who only appreciates physical work. What Buddhists do is inner work. Meditation isn't easy. Anyone who doubts that should try sitting with their eyes closed for a couple hours, left with nothing but their own thoughts.

Calling it a profession doesn't really apply. Their profession is Buddhism, and how they get food is done that way for reasons of dharma, not laziness. Although i'm aware that apart from the Buddhists there are career beggars, and maybe even a few fake Buddhists.