Is there no limit ...

to government power? I ask because of this bit of news that the Chinese government has outlawed reincarnation. Actually that's not true; they've outlawed reincarnation WITHOUT PERMISSION! Okay, that's MUCH different.

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."

While that statement sort of speaks for itself, I can't help but offer a few comments of my own. Like, "Seriously, what are they thinking?" Actually it appears that "what they're thinking" is pretty simple. The Chinese government appears to want to pick the next Dalai Lama. Since the current DL is 72 and has lived in India for the past 25+ years, this "law" (which somehow seems to apply excusively(?) to monks living OUTSIDE China) seems pretty squarely aimed at preventing him from reincarnating himself and retaining his leadership. See, the DL refuses to be reborn in Tibet so long as it's under Chinese control. Evidently he has a choice.

Yeah it's easy to poke fun at the story, but the episode does raise a larger question. Is China really serious about "joining up" with the rest of the world (and by rest of the world I do mean The West)? Can they continue to open their economy and form international partnerships while maintaining this stranglehold at home? Is someone somewhere finally going to say NO? I realize China has huge economic clout right now and they cannot be ignored, but do they have to be coddled? Is there no one* who will point out China's nakedness or do we all pretend she's all gussied up and just ignore stupid crap like this? I mean c'mon, the country is freaking outlawing reincarnation (without government permission) in a blatant attempt to wrest control from someone they consider an enemy of the state!!! Sorry for the rant, but stuff like this pisses me off.

*I'm talking about someone other than "activists". I'm talking about a head of state or the CEO of the next company China wants to work with. You know, someone with power.