Monday, August 06, 2007

No reincarnation without government permission

No, this article is not from The Onion. The first line may be the funniest sentence in serious journalism that I've read in a long time: "Tibet’s living Buddhas have been banned from reincarnation without permission from China’s atheist leaders."

Will there be a form to fill out? A reincarnation license? Will there be an army of bureaucrats to oversee the Party's administration of legalized reincarnation? Can someone potentially be jailed for reincarnation without proper licensure and authorization?

And (I just have to ask) what happens if illegal reincarnation is punishable by the death penalty?

The mind simply boggles.

In related news, Chairman Mao apparently has been reincarnated as Mickey Mao. No word yet if the Little Red Book is going to be reissued as an animated musical. What Would Mulan(tm) Do?

2 comments:

Lawrence said...

How is this any different that here in the U.S. where I'm instructed by the polliticaly correct that it is okay for me to be an orthodox Christian as long as I practice my religion only in private?

Jay Watson said...

The only thing Mao (who made Hitler look like a Sunday School teacher) can ever possibly be re-incarnated as is another coal/ember to keep the fires of Hades burning his damned body.
And I pray for the conversion of all China to the Catholic faith.
Deo Vindice,
Fr Watson SSP