No reincarnating without permission

[xoxoxoBruce]

In one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation."

But beyond the irony lies China's true motive: to cut off the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual and political leader, and to quell the region's Buddhist religious establishment more than 50 years after China invaded the small Himalayan country. By barring any Buddhist monk living outside China from seeking reincarnation, the law effectively gives Chinese authorities the power to choose the next Dalai Lama, whose soul, by tradition, is reborn as a new human to continue the work of relieving suffering.

This sort of shit happens all around the world, where they have no separation of church and state.

[Shawnee123]

Yikes. Sounds like an Onion article.

[Cicero]

Maybe they should start making them pay for licensing instead. They could also make them pay for renewals and tax them on it too. Oh sorry- that's the American way.

I would be more than willing to go get a Boddhisatva license and whip it out.

No one even gets the mans law vs natural law arguements that I try to spin around here.........but that is exactly why that is so absurd.

[queequeger]

What is your 'Man's Law vs Natural Law' argument? Is one higher? or shall never the twain meet?

[Spexxvet]

I'm going to buck the system.

[wolf]

Is there a Tibetan Buddhist equivalent to "render unto Caesar?"

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by Cicero

I would be more than willing to go get a Boddhisatva license and whip it out.

Bodhisattva
Would you take me by the hand
Bodhisattva
Would you take me by the hand
Can you show me
The shine of your Japan
The sparkle of your china
Can you show me
Bodhisattva

--Steely Dan

[BrianR]

Who was that? Doobies? Chicago? someone like that. Now I'll ponder those lyrics all night!

[yesman065]

I believe it to be Steely Dan.

[Shawnee123]

ding ding ding

Only the greatest band EVER (with the exceptions of all the musician's bands here at the Cellar!)

That song makes me wanna happy dance.

[Cicero]

Originally Posted by queequeger

What is your 'Man's Law vs Natural Law' argument? Is one higher? or shall never the twain meet?

Neither. Trying to manipulate natural law through man's law. It's more simple and basic than that.

A good example of Man's Law vs. Natural Law would be- licensing people for the use of gravity.

It's the ridiculousness of watching people try and control natural law through man's law. You can make a law that states that the world is flat all day and that was done- but that doesn't make the world flat.

Creationism being adopted in schools by man's law is another good example. You cannot negate science and natural law by making a law.

You cannot negate the existence of something or make it come into being- simply by making a law about it.

Using man's law to try and control something that is not within man's power is just silly. Is it not?


I believe these two things can and do meet with proper forethought- like supplying and controlling the flow of water to supply dry regions. But the fact that it becomes a vs. is the ridiculous part.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Yeah, that's what the Communist Party looks like when it's committing legislative masturbation.

Mallard Fillmore rather summed it up the other day.

[Terminator_484]

All the more reason why China needs to get the hell out of Tibet and leave the Dali Lama alone. It's not like he did anything beyond politely telling the Chinese "no" when they asked if they could annex Tibet.

Rotten Chinese...