I've been saving these news links up for a while now. The progression fascinates me in much the same way the glowing light of a bug zapper fascinates a moth. Or so I assume since I have never been a moth. And it only bears a slight resemblance since the likely-hood of my fascination ending in a horrible and unexpected electrocution is slim. It still smells funny.
This news journey starts when the Dalai Lama threatened to resign.
The Dalai Lama on Tuesday invited international observers, including Chinese officials, to scour his offices here and investigate whether he had any role in inciting the latest anti-Chinese violence in Tibet. He also threatened to resign as leader of Tibet’s government-in-exile in the event of spiraling bloodshed in his homeland.Why do so many people love the Dalai Lama? It might have to be the sense that the guy is open and honest to a degree most people can only hope to approximate. I might be wrong. If so, then the Dalai Lama can still have the title of world's best con man. Most outspoken religious leaders are as far from perfect as Ellen Degeneres is from dick.
The article goes on with:
He acknowledged there was growing frustration and a feeling that his "Middle Way" approach — no independence for Tibet but a large degree of autonomy — had achieved no concrete gains. But dismissed talk of any other path as impractical.In many ways I have similar wishes for my relationship with the United States. I don't really need independence from the Union. What I want is a large degree of autonomy. Give me that and I will gladly call myself an American.
A while later we get to this:
China Calls for "Patriotic Education" for Tibet MonksWhich is what we actually get in the United States as well. Place your hand on your heart and recite the Pledge of Loyalty... I mean Oath of Allegiance... I mean... you know what I mean. Or do you need some American Patriotic Education? We live in the best damn country in the whole damn world! Now stand up and pledge your soul to the red, white and blue idol that Jello Biafra refers to as 'The Yankee Swastika'.
"His call for broader 'patriotic education' indicated the party would also move to exert greater control over religion in Tibet, requiring more Tibetans to accept the region as an inalienable part of China, denounce the Dalai Lama as a separatist and recognize the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama."
Then today we get to the really sad part in all of this.
India asks Dalai Lama to refrain from political activitiesWith that statement India has gone from being the home to the Tibetan government-in-exile to passively accepting that Tibet is a legal territory of China. All hopes the Dalai Lama may have harbored of ever returning to the land of his birth were dashed to pieces by that one statement. The United States has been doing the same with the Native Americans since the founding of this country. We tell them that they are sovereign nations within the United States but instead treat them like religions with large land holdings. Granted they can put on a bigger Bingo night than St. Mary's.
"Dalai Lama is a religious leader. India will render all the hospitality to him as he is a respectable guest, he will have full freedom to preach religion in India but he can’t conduct any political activity in this country that harms India-China ties," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in remarks broadcast on TV channels.
For centuries man has been controlled by governments and religions. Thanks largely to the efforts of governments, no person can be forced to subject themselves to the rules of religions. It's now a choice. We're half way there.
7 comments:
"Thanks largely to the efforts of governments, no person can be forced to subject themselves to the rules of religions."
I disagree. The way it appears to me is that the people, at least in this country, had to put specific language in the constitution to dissuade the government from forcing religion upon them, and we've had to fight to maintain that restriction ever since, with varying degrees of success.
Sorry, I glossed over that. What I meant was that government has usurped religion as an instrument of control and if religion wants to wield that power they must do so as a government entity. Even the Taleban, while adhering to religious doctrine, was a government. It needed to be since it is now quite difficult to get people to subject themselves directly to a church power even in regions with large fundamentalist populations, like Mississippi.
If you read Plato's Republic he espouses each democratic city state to invent their own gods so that when you need to motivate people to do something unpopular, like invading a neighbor, you simply say it the gods will to do so.
Humans can be such puppets. The goal is to cut the strings and stand like free men and women.
I feel bad for the Dali Lama. Their culture is very old and they are getting totally fucked. Alas, if only they had oil then they'd get all the help they need.
It is Bible prophecy that the governments will eventually turn on all false religion. The Bible is not specific about how this will happen but we know that it will since the Bible makes it clear this is God's will; it says he will put it into their hearts to carry out his one thought.
And Leviticus 14 is very specific about what God wants us to do with mildew, but everyone just grabs the Lysol without thinking twice about their immortal souls.
But I hope the Bible is right about governments turning on all false religions. Atheism is fun.
Quinn is right, the United Nations is on record stating they have a plan to dissolve secular religion
Also, atheism leaves you feeling unacountable to anyone. Unfortunately, we are all accountable to God.
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