I just read this article (http://snipr.com/2342e) in the People's Daily and it is fairly obvious that it is a propaganda piece as it a blatant finger pointing. If you are used to reading the Chinese press though you get over that indignation fairly quickly and move on to see what you can actually extract from any news article. What I would love to read is someone from the Western media (not CNN I imagine) to verify those facts and then put their name on it!
In this article though won't comment on who I think is right or wrong (as in my previous piece it is obvious that I do not know right from wrong). I simple want to raise a very important question. What is the corporate structure of the Dalai Lama's organisation?
In most religions there is some sort of hierarchy. Growing up in a Catholic primary school and then a Anglican high school I got a glimpse of how these Christian organisations worked. In primary school I recall that the Parish Priest was just that. He was the priest. That was his job and thats all that he did. In high school the Anglican Reverend (who was married) was also a teacher, also coached a football team. So in my mind Catholic's are like full-time public servants and Anglicans are like part-time entrepreneurs.
I know that there is a heirarchy in the Islamic faith as well as the Jewish ones, but when it comes to Buddhism and particularly Tibetan Monks, I am at a bit of a loss. The reason is simply that Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Hindu's are exclusionary faiths. You can't really be a Christian Jew, or a Muslim Christian. You are one or the other but the way I understood Buddhism (and I am really illustrating my ignorance now) was a personal search of enlightenment. It it not a faith based on meditation and being "one with everything" (I will dispense with the hotdog joke). Also in Islamic Government's the head of state is normally not the spiritual leader. (aside from the pope who's landmass is somewhat limited anyway). But as far as the media has presented, the Dalai Lama is the head of state as well as the spiritual leader. How does this work?
Based on the article I mentioned before he has a Dalai Clique. Is this an inner circle type of Clique or is it the cool monks who used to smoke behind the tool shed at the monastery. Does this "clique" report to the Dalai Lama himself or are they like Oliver North and Ronald Reagan. Do they have their own power and make things happen without the Dalai Lama's expressed knowledge but he recognises their existance? Or are they like the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) that are disavowed if they get caught by the enemy.
Then there is the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). This name is also quite misleading in that it sounds like the cross between a community social club and the Hitler Youth. From what I understand from the article they are organising guerrilla attacks. So obviously they are not Monks because guerrilla warfare would be quite useless if you are wearing orange robes. I know that there are non-priests working in the Vatican. The Swiss Guard for example are not even from Rome. I did however assume that those working within the Catholic organisation, even if they were not priests or nuns, they were at least Catholics themselves. So are the TYC a Buddhist organisation? Do they also seek enlightenment?
The article says there are also some other key players in this thing. Organisations that I have not heard of before nor have I read in the Western media. (Which I am not surprised because I really never read about Sunni's and Shiite's until after Sadam was caught and troops kept on dying.) These organisations include the "Tibetan Woman's Association" (TWA), "Students for a Free Tibet" (SFT) the /'National Democratic Party of Tibet" (NDPT) and the "Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet" (GCSMT). A name that I am ashamed not to have come across before as well is Samdhong the "Prime Minister" of the "Tibetian Government-in-exile". So hierarchically speaking, does that make the Dalai Lama like Tibet's Monarchy?
Now I am not sure if the same imagery is being conjured in your mind but I am seeing a Monty Python sketch in the "Life of Brian" film.
I'm confused! Can someone draw me an organisational chart please.
P.S. I wonder if the Shaolin Monks would have better luck at gaining independence. At least they are trained to fight.
I guess Hollywood got it wrong. Monk's are not bulletproof. (I know, I know, it's in bad taste to write about something like this when people are being oppressed. It would be like writing "if you don't want to be run over by a tank...don't stand in front of them". Doctor, Doctor my arm hurts when I raise it. What can I do? Don't raise it!)
So first Myanmar, now Tibet. It seems that Buddhists have caught the "putting themselves in harms way" bug. Honestly though I can't blame them. Buddhists for centuries have been the Steve Wozniak of religions. The Hindu culture was thought to be linked to Buddhist origins, There is speculation that Jesus even spent time with Buddhists during his biblically absent years. (Turning water to wine -----Absent----- trashing the synagogue). But where is Buddhism today?
Gold - Christianity
Silver - Islam
Bronze - Hindu
And the wooden spoon goes to....
The pope has his own piece of land in Rome. Gets to go through the diplomatic lane at the airport, and he's a religious leader. Why can't the Dalai Llama get a passport with his own logo on it?
The fact of the matter is, in this day and age, there is no separation of powers. This seems to be the trend. Gone are the days when God, Queen & State were separate. Henry the VIII would be rolling in his grave now. You can't teach religion in US schools but the US banknote has "In God We Trust" written on it. (Really it should be "In <<insert your deity here>> We Trust"). Anglican is just another way of saying "Church of England". Islamic moral ethics are law on Islamic states in Saudi, Iran, Afghanistan and even Malaysia. So why not a Buddhist Independent State. Why should Buddhism be the only non-hypocritical religion?
I am sure that if this violence keeps up, the number of Buddhists around the world will increase to the point where Hindu's will be knocked out of third place in the Religious triathlon. (Individual events being self mutilation, waging war and oppressing sexuality.) Because we all know what all religion is about. REAL ESTATE.
And let me say to all the Hindu's out there today... You only have Gandhi to blame. (Yah yah, I know Gandhi is not strictly Hindu but I am writing to the ignorant. Gimme some poetic license here.)
P.S. Whoops forgot the Jews. But that's an article for another day. "God and Network-centric warfare"
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