Sir Paul McCartney revealed this week in Prospect magazine that he once wrote to the Dalai Lama to criticize him for eating meat. The letter came after the Dalai Lama said: “As Buddhists we believe in not causing any suffering to any sentient beings.”

Sir Paul said: “Then I found out he was not a vegetarian, so I wrote to him saying, ‘Forgive me for pointing this out, but if you eat animals then there is some suffering somewhere along the line’.

“He replied saying that his doctors had told him he needed it, so I wrote back saying they were wrong.”

Now we’ve had this discussion here on the Razz many times before. It seems to be (especially in the States) that doctors have a  general lack of knowledge when it comes to preventive medicine (ie. a healthy diet. ie. vegetarianism. ie. duh), but still I was shocked to hear the Dalai Lama was a meat-eater based on his doctor’s request. I mean come on, Buddha was a like an original vegetarian superstar!!

Do you think the Dalai Lama should investigate more about a healthy vegetarian diet or should he continue to follow “doctor’s orders?” Chime in and share your thoughts!!

via: timesonline.co.uk

Several famous voices are sounding out for a new project simply entitled “Songs for Tibet”.

Moby, John Mayer, Sting, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews, and Suzanne Vega all lend their talent to the album which is due for global release on iTunes on August 5. That is a mere three days before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

“This album will focus people’s attention on the importance of Tibet, the gifts of its culture, and the crisis the Tibetan people are facing today,” said one of the album’s organizers and member of The Art of Peace Foundation, Michael Wohl.

Many in Tibet, as well as the Dalai Lama who fled his homeland, say its people have suffered widespread political, cultural and religious repression under the forced Chinese rule since 1951. Protests in Tibet against Chinese rule erupted in March, and China was condemned internationally for its ensuing security crackdown that Tibetan exiles said left more than 200 people dead.

It isn’t only the people that are affected by the current status of Tibet either. According to savetibet.org: “The high plains, forests and mountains of Tibet are home to rare and endangered wildlife such as the snow leopard, blue sheep and Tibetan antelope (chiru). Due to extensive resource extraction, poaching and unsustainable development, these ecosystems and many of their species are now endangered.”

“The forced settlement of nomads is wiping out a unique way of life, increasing poverty and contributing to grassland degradation.”

via AFP