Freedom From Religion

Interestingly, I read an article about Tibet and the Chinese persecution of Buddhists the other day. It was an old article - a year old magazine at work. It talked about how the Chinese government hopes to break the spiritual hold that Buddhism has on Tibet by eventually selecting the next Dalai Lama (when the presently 72 year old Dalai Lama dies).

According to Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is reincarnated as a child shortly after he dies. The Buddhist community therefore spends the next few years or so identifying/finding this child. I believe this tradition goes back 600 years or so.

Anyway, in a move that should be frightening to anyone with an innate sense of religious freedom, China is about to enact a very strange law...

This MSNBC article points out that China is now regulating where a person can be reincarnated! Under the new law, you cannot be reincarnated within China (which technically includes Tibet) without government pre-approval. I know this sounds comic ... and sad. But on another level it's just the natural extension of a regime that wants its people to have freedom from religion.

If given the chance, don't you think the ACLU (and plenty of others) would do the same sort of thing here in America?

Anyway, pray for Tibet and China. Talk about a spiritually dark and blind country! Our church family supports missionaries in China (though not Tibet), and they've recently come home for a brief stay. They tell strong stories about the power of the Evil One over there. We must be diligent to pray that the love of Christ might grip hearts and the power of the Spirit might give needed grace that these people might become followers of Jesus. Nothing short of God's name/glory is at stake.

And on a human suffering level, this new law is potentially cataclysmic. When the current Dalai Lama dies, the Chinese government will undoubtedly set up their own puppet Dalai. But the traditional Buddhists will also undoubtedly select their own Dalai. This, in the opinion of many experts, may well lead to massive revolts and vast human suffering.

Who knows?, perhaps all of that is somehow in the LORD's plans for His glory, so certainly I pray that His will be done. But if there's any way to avert this potential catastrophe, we should all be praying for peace.

Hatushili