China Requires the Dalai Lama to Reincarnate

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_642468.html

For the first time in Tibet’s history the Dalai Lama has expressed a desire to choose the next Dalai Lama through a selection process, one that might include “democratic elections.” While most of the modern world might rejoice in this progressive suggestion, the Chinese government has made it very clear that the Dalai Lama’s successor must be his reincarnation, and on top of that officials reserve the right to approve or reject all reincarnations of “living Buddhas.” I find it extremely difficult to take the PRC seriously when it starts claiming control over intangible, religious traditions. The only reasonable explanation (if there can be anything reasonable said about this novelty) is that the Chinese are resorting to dictating a world that is most likely laughing from above because they can no longer maintain any legitimate political power in their Earthly kingdom. Talk about desperate... The Communist Party lost its mandate of Heaven a while ago, and it’s about time they accept that fact rather than attempt to infringe on the sovereignty of the spirit world.