Communist China Bans Tibetan Buddhist Monks from Reincarnating Without Government Permission

In a bizarre attempt to control who will be named the next Dalai Lama, the government of the communist and atheist People's Republic of China has issued an edict, prohibiting Buddhist monks from reincarnating in Tibet withhout government permission. As reported in The Times Online, the order, which goes into effect on September 1, 2007, reads in part “The so-called reincarnated living Buddha without government approval is illegal and invalid.”

The Communist Chinese authorities have not clarified how they propose to enforce this edict against reincarnation without a permit, but presumably any Tibetan who claims to be a reincarnated Buddhist monk could be prosecuted. Only a Communist kangaroo court would be able to get a conviction on such a charge. In any court requiring due process and proof of the alleged crime, the prosecution would stumble over the fact that Communist doctrine dismisses the existence of an immortal soul, an afterlife and reincarnation. Logically, proof by the government of its case--that the defendant actually is guilty of reincarnation, as opposed to have only claimed reincarnation--would logically equally be proof of the falsehood of tenets of Communist orthodoxy. However, since truth and logical consistency have never been hallmarks of Red Chinese justice, the authorities may well be able to obtain a criminal conviction on the charge of unlawful reincarnation.

The apparent purpose of the new law is the very worldly objective of controlling who will succeed the present Dalai Lama (pictured above). In exile, the Dalai Lama, who like other reincarnated lamas is considered by Tibetan Buddhists to be a living Buddha, is a living symbol of resistance against the conquest and occupation of Tibet by Communist China. The present Dalai Lama has indicated that he will not reincarnate in Tibet while it is occupied by China. The rules instituted by China regarding reincarnation also forbid Buddhist monks from reincarnating outside of China (Tibet, in view of the Communist leasders, being part of China).

Apparently, following the death of the present Dalai Lama, the Communist Chinese leaders plan to name their own successor, a "Manchurian candidate" who will be strictly under the thumb of the Peking regime. Should a monk residing outside of China and Tibet claim to be the reincarnated Dalai Lama, the Communists will respond that they do not recognize that rival Dalai Lama, because by being born outside of China, he has violated Chinese law. As Newsweek notes, this is one of the most bizarre actions in the history of totalitarian government.

They occupy Tibet illegally. They imprison hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of political prisoners. They manufacture goods using convict slave labor. They sell us food adulterated with poison and toys coated with lead-based paint that poison our children. They tolerate, if not encourage, the piracy of our software, music and films. Why are the Olympics being held in Peking? Why is the U.S. participating?