(Untitled)

[firebirdrequiem]

And now, it's time for the funniest story I've heard in a while:

China tells Tibet's living Buddhas to apply for reincarnation

Comments

[waxcherries]

"Chinese authorities detained the Dalai Lama's choice as the Panchen Lama in 1995 when the boy was six years old, and he has not been seen in public since.

The Chinese government's choice as the Panchen Lama has meanwhile been paraded around the country in recent years to promote China's rule over his homeland."

This isn't funny. This is a shrewd and hostile takeover of genuine religious beliefs towards a political end, with the idea of cementing even further control over the populace. It's like if some very powerful government emerged which hand-picked the new Pope and held all his strings.

[waxcherries]

as for the original Panchen Lama, I'd say odds are good he's dead. And has been for a while.

[firebirdrequiem]

It's not funny ha-ha, it's funny-I-can't-believe-they-think-they-can-control-reincarnation.