Democracy vs. Reincarnation

In a startling break from century-old tradition, the Dalai Lama proposed that Tibetan Buddhists vote for his successor, instead of seeking his next incarnation after he is dead.



Ironically, China's atheist communist government, which has moved to stifle Tibetan independence since its takeover in 1951, objects that the Dalai Lama's new referendum is "a blatant violation of religious practice and historical procedure." However, Tibetans fear that the Chinese government will take control over the search for the new Dalai Lama, and the current Dalai Lama suggests that this may be a way of granting Tibetans "real autonomy." This raises the question of if or when an ancient ritual practice stops functioning in the way it should in the modern world, just what is the best method of continuing to live in a traditional manner?


And in other news, The Vatican issued a music video starring the late Pope John Paul II, in order to encourage people to vote him into sainthood.