Hello,
In a recent conversation with a Buddhist friend, she confessed that she believes the UK Conservative Party tend to promote inequality, greed and selfishness and thus confessed she could never bring herself to vote for them. This has led me to consider which, if any, UK political party hold values that reflect my own Buddhist inspired views. As such, I was wondering if any UK Buddhists out there had ever voted or intened to vote Conservative in a general election?
Metta
Josh
Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
And the labour party?
- Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
I have never voted, and probably never will, but if I did I would vote for the candidate rather than any particular party. The best politician are those who are honest, hard-working, and intelligent. I am not so cynical as to think that all politicians are dishonest.
Blog • Pāli Fonts • In This Very Life • Buddhist Chronicles • Software (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
I have never voted Conservative, but it is worth noting that the Conservative candidates themselves would probably argue that they are promoting self-reliance, respect, responsibility and restraint as virtues.
And further worth noting that the actual difference in policies between the main parties is actually quite small. People become successful politicians in the UK because of the vision and desires which they stimulate in the electorate, while pretending that they have some degree of control over the overwhelming exigencies of political and economic globalisation.
Bhikkhu Pesala's point is extremely pertinent. Would you vote for a candidate who claimed to promote social justice if they also promoted, say, abortion or euthanasia?
And further worth noting that the actual difference in policies between the main parties is actually quite small. People become successful politicians in the UK because of the vision and desires which they stimulate in the electorate, while pretending that they have some degree of control over the overwhelming exigencies of political and economic globalisation.
Bhikkhu Pesala's point is extremely pertinent. Would you vote for a candidate who claimed to promote social justice if they also promoted, say, abortion or euthanasia?
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
No, I haven't - but there have also been times when I haven't voted for anyone at all.josh71188 wrote:, I was wondering if any UK Buddhists out there had ever voted or intened to vote Conservative in a general election?
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- purple planet
- Posts: 728
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:07 am
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
In every country and every city you never vote for a good candidate you just vote for the least worse candidate -
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
I tend to agree with others here. I am not particularly knowledgeable about UK party policies so have voted for the candidate I feel would be the best. With a representative democracy you are never going to get an individual or a party who lines up 100% with what you think are the best policies.
Never voted conservative but that's mainly due to family allegiance. I think they would disown me if I ever did
Never voted conservative but that's mainly due to family allegiance. I think they would disown me if I ever did
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared."
Iti 26
Iti 26
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
you might find this interesting
British Parliament debates: Buddhist mindfulness in place of drugs -
http://www.dailynews.lk/features/britis ... lace-drugs
metta
paul
British Parliament debates: Buddhist mindfulness in place of drugs -
http://www.dailynews.lk/features/britis ... lace-drugs
metta
paul
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
I tend to vote for the Communist party of Britain or The Socialist Party. Have voted for the greens before as well.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
Our political landscape here in Australia is rather similar (much more similar than the landscape itself, come to think of it ) so some of you may find http://www.abc.net.au/votecompass/ fun/interesting/useful. Just be aware that our Conservatives are the Coalition (of Liberal-by-name-only and National (essentially rural-conservative) parties). Our Labor is roughly the same as yours, as are the Greens. We have some small right-wing parties that I'm tempted to call a lunatic fringe but won't ... quite ... but they don't make much of an appearance in the quiz, if any.
Kim
Kim
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
My dream is to find a politician who follow Dasa Raja Dhamma.
I do not think that will happen in my life time.
flying
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasavidha-r%C4%81jadhamma
I do not think that will happen in my life time.
flying
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasavidha-r%C4%81jadhamma
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
Who always keeps their campaign promises.......Nobody.
Who is not influenced by big money..........Nobody.
Who will serve in line with Buddhist ideas......Nobody.
The choice is clear, vote for Nobody.
Voting only encourages them.
chownah
Who is not influenced by big money..........Nobody.
Who will serve in line with Buddhist ideas......Nobody.
The choice is clear, vote for Nobody.
Voting only encourages them.
chownah
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
The only time in my life that I voted conservative was in the federal election before the last one. I knew the liberal party candidate - he was a friend and I knew he would have been a great representative for our electorate. I also know the newly elected (liberal party) representative for our electorate. His daughter and my daughter went through med school together and are best mates. I didn't vote for him despite my confidence in his abilities, but rather voted Green as a result of a lack of confidence in both our major parties, the lack of compassion in their policies and the morally dubious nature of their leaders.Kim OHara wrote:Our political landscape here in Australia is rather similar (much more similar than the landscape itself, come to think of it ) so some of you may find http://www.abc.net.au/votecompass/ fun/interesting/useful. Just be aware that our Conservatives are the Coalition (of Liberal-by-name-only and National (essentially rural-conservative) parties). Our Labor is roughly the same as yours, as are the Greens. We have some small right-wing parties that I'm tempted to call a lunatic fringe but won't ... quite ... but they don't make much of an appearance in the quiz, if any.
Kim
kind regards,
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
Sarath and Chownah, this might be the best advice for you on this thread.purple planet wrote:In every country and every city you never vote for a good candidate you just vote for the least worse candidate -
Voting for nobody gives a vote to the opponent/s of the least-worst candidate that you could have supported. And you don't want to support the most-worst candidate, do you?
Kim
- purple planet
- Posts: 728
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:07 am
Re: Buddhism and the UK Conservative Party
Here in israel I vote usually for the most right wing party i find ( in israel right and left has nothing to do with economy - in some ways in economy the israeli "right" is actually left) to the part who has a hard anti teror agenda and is against giving away land - and on the other hand i want to vote for a party who has animal rights agenda - there was a left wing party who claimed to be a "green" party - mainly in enviorment issues but also a little about animals
So i thought about this - and decided that if there is no israel - there wont be no animal rights anyway so i decided to choose the extreme right party - so in my view i choose from the least worst even though the party was not enough animal rights oriented in my opinion -
but after i decided i checked and saw that actually the right wing party has done a lot for animal rights much more then the left party - still its not enough in my opinion but i choose the least worst
So i thought about this - and decided that if there is no israel - there wont be no animal rights anyway so i decided to choose the extreme right party - so in my view i choose from the least worst even though the party was not enough animal rights oriented in my opinion -
but after i decided i checked and saw that actually the right wing party has done a lot for animal rights much more then the left party - still its not enough in my opinion but i choose the least worst