You WILL reincarnate ...
... which, it seems, is what the
Chinese Communist Party has told the Dalai Lama after he suggested he
might not. The irony is inescapable - this is a putatively atheist
outfit. Now
it's telling a religious leader how his faith tradition operates. Of
course, the CCP has been doing this for a while, and not just with the
Dalai Lama. They're running their own Catholic hierarchy, much to the
consternation of the Vatican.
Now, there are fundamental differences between Tibetan Buddhism and Christianity, including beliefs about reincarnation. However, one of the things the two traditions do share in common, along with other religions today and throughout history, is the spectacle of governments telling the faithful to follow the lead of their political overlords, even if it means ignoring, even contravening one's holy texts and fundamental beliefs. Even when these figures reject the idea of God, they find they like playing God. They like to act as if they are truly in charge and want everyone else to give obeisance to their conceit. For such actors, all that matters is power. The power to manipulate, the power to use, the power to exploit.
During Lent, it's worth reflecting on these extreme, pernicious examples and then thinking about the times when we may, in our own, discrete ways, seek to impose our will over that of God. None of us may want to warp the tenets of another religious tradition, nor oppress the practitioners of a long-suffering faith. But we do, inevitably, sooner or later, want to be in charge, to run things, even if only in our small corners of life. When that temptation arises, we should turn our attention to God, seeking his help and strength. By doing that, we can gain access to true power: that of the new life made known in and through Jesus.
Now, there are fundamental differences between Tibetan Buddhism and Christianity, including beliefs about reincarnation. However, one of the things the two traditions do share in common, along with other religions today and throughout history, is the spectacle of governments telling the faithful to follow the lead of their political overlords, even if it means ignoring, even contravening one's holy texts and fundamental beliefs. Even when these figures reject the idea of God, they find they like playing God. They like to act as if they are truly in charge and want everyone else to give obeisance to their conceit. For such actors, all that matters is power. The power to manipulate, the power to use, the power to exploit.
During Lent, it's worth reflecting on these extreme, pernicious examples and then thinking about the times when we may, in our own, discrete ways, seek to impose our will over that of God. None of us may want to warp the tenets of another religious tradition, nor oppress the practitioners of a long-suffering faith. But we do, inevitably, sooner or later, want to be in charge, to run things, even if only in our small corners of life. When that temptation arises, we should turn our attention to God, seeking his help and strength. By doing that, we can gain access to true power: that of the new life made known in and through Jesus.
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