Monday, August 20, 2007

Legislating Reincarnation

...China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What is the motive behind this? The article says this allows China to choose the next Dalai Lama. What do you think?
-Can a government regulate after-life events and really expect you to abide by them?
What are your thoughts on reincarnation?

1 comment:

B Nettles said...

It's just a governmental attempt to regulate religion. They can't actually regulate what happens to a soul after death, but they sure can regulate the announcement of a reincarnation. So, this will throw a little cold water on the Buddhists announcing a new leader.

I don't believe that the Bible supports belief in reincarnation. "It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgement." (italics mine)