Here is an odd one for you. Not really a conspiracy as it is fairly plain what is happening over in China, but does provide an chance to discuss the belief of reincarnation.

Here is the story

Now what is everyone's thoughts?

I really have not given reincarnation a lot of thought.

Correction, I have not given it any thought.

Yeah, that crap's not gonna fly. The Buddhists aren't going to just stop the belief, and there's no way the government can control reincarnation.

concrete_Angel wrote:Yeah, that crap's not gonna fly. The Buddhists aren't going to just stop the belief, and there's no way the government can control reincarnation.

Let’s hope not, anyway. If the Chinese government could find a way . . . .

They are not controling reincarnation.
They are controling something else. Which they can, to some degree, which is primarily determined by how far they want to take it.

Let’s hope not, anyway. If the Chinese government could find a way . . . .

Well, there are a few ways...

Let's hear it.

The article openly says the government isn't seeking to legislate reincarnation itself... It's more like a power play, so the atheistic government can put into control whoever they want in control of all the Buddhist religions in China.

This from the government who views all animes as "children's shows" and bans violent ones as "barbaric influences on the young"... (The Japanese don't have an extreme level of finances for their entertainment industry as we do, and anime is a cheap method of achieving "special effects" that don't look cheesy as hell, so more often than not, anime is as much for adults as children.) This from the government who forced the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie to be very heavily censored because it "portrayed the Chinese in a negative light"... (Nevermind the fact that it portrayed pretty much all pirates of all nationalities in a somewhat negative light, God forbid the movie portray any Chinese negatively.)

And those are the minor infractions the Chinese government is guilty of... Needless to say, I love the country, but am far less fond of the people who run it, just like another country I could mention...

Hey, love it or leave it, pal!
Wait, you don't live in China. Never mind!

Seriously, though, what are the people supposed to do when their government is trying to control their beliefs? That's obviously what they want to happen, so there HAS to be a way to prevent it, right?

"Love it or leave it" can be applied both ways... If you don't like my freedom to criticize the government, you're welcome to leave, too, someplace where they don't have that freedom. =P

As for China... They're not like us. They don't have the same freedoms we do. In a country that big, with a people ruled that absolutely, one wonders if they want it, or if that many people just let it happen because they're happy that way. I dunno... There's nothing I can do about it, so I try to ignore it. If ever there's anything I can do...well, if that day comes, I'll do it, but in the meantime, I have my own life to juggle.

A country that large cannot rule everyone absolutely. Even small countries struggle with that.

You would be surprised the number of violent clashes that go unnoticed.

I am pretty sure hopeless is more accurate than happy.

Well, here comes another one, then.

Another what?

Violent clash.

Here? Nah.

Another. Violent. Clash. In. China. Just. Like. You. Said. In. Your. Earlier. Post.

Duh. Sorry.

concrete_Angel wrote:Seriously, though, what are the people supposed to do when their government is trying to control their beliefs?

The word you are looking for is revolution.

Given China's precarious economic condition and the CCP just trying to hold on, you never know, especially if the opposition can organise.

A lot happened in 1991.

KonThaak wrote:The article openly says the government isn't seeking to legislate reincarnation itself... It's more like a power play, so the atheistic government can put into control whoever they want in control of all the Buddhist religions in China.

Precisely. They are trying to put a cap on what they see as a possible threat to their power. Whether one believes in reincarnation or not, if the government controls religion . . . it goes back to “Rule by Divine Right.” And that can become a terrible thing.

The interesting thing is that Buddhism is hardly a threat to CCP's power.
Fa lun gong is probably more of a threat. Even that is not a lot.

Xinjiang province (Eastern Turkistan) is a bigger threat than Tibet.

Kolya wrote:The interesting thing is that Buddhism is hardly a threat to CCP's power.
Fa lun gong is probably more of a threat. Even that is not a lot.

Xinjiang province (Eastern Turkistan) is a bigger threat than Tibet.

Britain thought the same thing of Mahatmas Gandhi, I believe? It’s surprising what forms “threats” can take. Not all of them take violence into account . . . I just hope this doesn’t harm the civilians.

I think there is a significant difference between the two men. The Dalai Lama would accept more autonomy. Gandi wouldn't settle for anything less than indepedence.

Gandhi's movement also coincided with World War II, which quickly unravelled the empire on which the sun never sat.

Kolya wrote:A lot happened in 1991.

Especially in your country.

I have photographs of the tanks shelling the White House.

What an eerie day.