Chinese Government Rages: Dalai Lama MUST Reincarnate! We will make it happen!

Alessandra Kelley · Mar 12, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/w...dalai-lama-spill-into-the-afterlife.html?_r=0

The current Dalai Lama has announced that he might not reincarnate into a new life.

This has infuriated the Communist government of China, which has stated that the Dalai Lama has no say in his reincarnation and that they will make sure he reincarnates regardless.

“Decision-making power over the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, and over the end or survival of this lineage, resides in the central government of China,” said Mr. Zhu, formerly a deputy head of the United Front Department of the Communist Party, which oversees dealings with religious and other nonparty groups. He now leads the ethnic and religious affairs committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body that meets at the same time as the Legislature, or National People’s Congress.

Mr. Zhu accused the Dalai Lama of trampling on sacred traditions.

The Communist government of China has manipulated and meddled in the religion of Tibet for decades as part of its justification for seizing the country in 1950.

Controlling the Dalai Lama would give China an appearance of legitimacy, or at least a lever to blackmail ordinary Tibetans with.

In 1995 the Dalai Lama identified a six-year-old child as the latest incarnation of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest-ranking lama in Tibet.

China promptly started a smear campaign against the child.

The Communist Chinese then presented their own candidate for the Panchen Lama, who they trot out on occasion and have made sure to educate in Beijing.

The original child identified as the Panchen Lama by the Dalai Lama has not been seen since, nor has his family, nor have the people the Dalai Lama sent to search for the child.

CassandraW · Mar 12, 2015

I don't know how the Dalai Lama feels, but no government jackboot thug is going to force me to reincarnate. When I'm done, I'm done.

Kaiser-Kun · Mar 12, 2015

Mr. Zhu accused the Dalai Lama of trampling on sacred traditions.

Someone pick up his bitten tongue from the floor.

Michael Wolfe · Mar 12, 2015

This is so bizarre. Did the Onion change its name to the New York Times?

lilyWhite · Mar 12, 2015

The concept of this could make for an interesting fantasy story...

Rufus Coppertop · Mar 12, 2015

Atheists demanding a Buddhist leader reincarnate and alleging that his statement that he may not constitutes blasphemy?

That's a pretty serious lack of simple fucking insight there.

Zoombie · Mar 12, 2015

lilyWhite said:
The concept of this could make for an interesting fantasy story...

Or the plot of the next Avatar series!

dfwtinman · Mar 12, 2015

“A truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively or hurt you.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

maxmordon · Mar 12, 2015

Zoombie said:
Or the plot of the next Avatar series!

I'm calling it. Cyberpunk Avatar.

Brightdreamer · Mar 12, 2015

In Kung Fu Panda, Master Oogway mentions the (apparently French) proverb about how one often meets one's destiny on the road one takes to avoid it.

These efforts to control the Dalai Lama's reincarnation - a process over which they inherently could have no control, and which is ridiculous in light of the Chinese government's purportedly atheist leanings, as has been mentioned - could very well backfire horribly...

Or am I the only one who thinks we'll have AI war machines coming online round about the time this Dalai Lama shuffles off his mortal coil? "I've done the peace thing long enough - time for a change..."

Magdalen · Mar 12, 2015

I am not a Buddhist, but I admire its structure & tenets a great deal. My personal efforts to peacefully co-exist within the parameters of modern culture are renewed daily as I strive to find meaning in a beautiful, horrible, complex and chaotic universe of vast possibilities and outcomes; a moment of contemplation on a wise, old man's musing seems prudent here, at the coney stand of life where I am seldom brave enough to order one with everything- despite my deepest desires for quantifiable human progress. And so it goes. . . KV

lilyWhite · Mar 12, 2015

Brightdreamer said:
These efforts to control the Dalai Lama's reincarnation - a process over which they inherently could have no control, and which is ridiculous in light of the Chinese government's purportedly atheist leanings, as has been mentioned - could very well backfire horribly...

Or am I the only one who thinks we'll have AI war machines coming online round about the time this Dalai Lama shuffles off his mortal coil? "I've done the peace thing long enough - time for a change..."

Now I'm just imagining the Dalai Lama being reincarnated as the artificial intelligence of a massive warmech.

(And there's an idea for a sci-fi story!)

benbradley · Mar 12, 2015

Alessandra Kelley said:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/w...dalai-lama-spill-into-the-afterlife.html?_r=0

The current Dalai Lama has announced that he might not reincarnate into a new life.

Christians worldwide cheer as the Dali Lama accepts Jesus into his life so he can go to Heaven.

Zoombie · Mar 12, 2015

maxmordon said:
I'm calling it. Cyberpunk Avatar.

Hmm...

Airbender was the late 1850s.

Korra was the 1920s.

So, the next one would, logically, be a Earth-bender (it goes Fire, Air, Water, Earth) in the 90s.

And since the Earth Kingdom is based off China...

Wow, this really is the plot to the next Avatar series.

maxmordon · Mar 12, 2015

Zoombie said:
Hmm...

Airbender was the late 1850s.

Korra was the 1920s.

So, the next one would, logically, be a Earth-bender (it goes Fire, Air, Water, Earth) in the 90s.

And since the Earth Kingdom is based off China...

Wow, this really is the plot to the next Avatar series.

If the original had elements of Steampunk the LoK had Dieselpunk, how shall we name the 90's version of this? Beeperpunk?

Zoombie · Mar 12, 2015

Well, since Avatar's tech-level is at least a few decades ahead of ours in some areas, I see no reason why it WOULDN'T be cyberpunk.

EDIT: And this derail is a little silly...just as silly as the Chinese government's announcement!

blacbird · Mar 12, 2015

I just . . . I can't . . . I . . .

Just when I begin to think I've seen the silliest statements possible for a human being to utter, I . . . . . .

I . . . just . . . . . . . .

caw

Rufus Coppertop · Mar 12, 2015

Yep.

And ditto the caw.

J.S.F. · Mar 13, 2015

lilyWhite said:
Now I'm just imagining the Dalai Lama being reincarnated as the artificial intelligence of a massive warmech.

(And there's an idea for a sci-fi story!)

---

Sounds like Landru meets the Borg.

"You shall be...absorbed.

Or I may just decide to obliterate you."

mccardey · Mar 13, 2015

I would be happy if Terry Pratchett reincarnated. As Terry Pratchett.

Teinz · Mar 13, 2015

blacbird said:
I just . . . I can't . . . I . . .

Just when I begin to think I've seen the silliest statements possible for a human being to utter, I . . . . . .

I . . . just . . . . . . . .

caw

It's 2+2=5 all over again.

milkweed · Mar 13, 2015

Teinz said:
It's 2+2=5 all over again.

Everyone knows that 2+2=orange!!! get with the program already :evil

I don't blame the dali lama one iota with not wanting to reincarnate!

Chinese Government Rages: Dalai Lama MUST Reincarnate! We will make it happen!

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

CassandraW

Kaiser-Kun

!

Michael Wolfe

Jambo Bwana

lilyWhite

Love and Excitement

Rufus Coppertop

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

dfwtinman

Cubic Zirconia in the rough

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Magdalen

Petulantly Penitent

lilyWhite

Love and Excitement

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

blacbird

Rufus Coppertop

J.S.F.

Red fish, blue fish...

mccardey

Teinz

Back at it again.

milkweed

Abuses commas at will.