China's religious groups refute US report on religious freedom

[WisdomBeing]

Recently, I have been looking at some of the news from China regarding religion and while I guess much of it is public relational material, I do hope that China is moving in the right direction towards achieving total religious freedom for its citizens. Today I came across this article which says that China is criticising the US of western imperialism by adopting religious freedom as their concept when it is a universal quality and is  being practised in China.

Whether there really is religious freedom in China, I cannot tell, but as far as Dorje Shugden practice is concerned, people can practise it freely in China and that IS religious freedom for me.


China's religious groups refute US report on religious freedom
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90780/7773269.html
By Hua Chunyu (People's Daily)
14:46, March 29, 2012   

Edited and translated by People's Daily Online

China's religious groups recently issued a joint statement refuting the 2012 annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and warning the commission not to "kidnap" religious freedom.

According to the statement, the USCIRF continued to act as "international religious police" and groundlessly criticized China's religious situation and policies in its 2012 annual report, for the purpose of tarnishing China's image.

As one of the basic rights for Chinese citizens, religious freedom is fully protected by the Constitution and law in China. A Chinese citizen can choose to believe in any particular legitimate religion or simply be a nonbeliever without interference from any government agency or social organization. The Chinese government treats all religions equally, and different religious groups coexist in harmony in China, forming a contrast to the strained relations among religious groups in the United States. The actual situation on China's religious freedom will not be distorted by a few groundless reports, and the actual feeling of Chinese religious people should be the best proof, the statement said.

It added that religious people in China enjoy religious freedom and all rights granted to Chinese citizens. Chinese religious groups have carried on the fine tradition of serving the society and helping people in need, and have actively performed charity work. Religious believers work hard in their fields, and practice their beliefs through good deeds, which have earned them wide praise and respect.

All legitimate religions hold that believers should be good citizens, and all countries ask religious believers to abide by the law. The United States is no exception. People who commit crime under the cloak of religion should be punished according to the law. However, the USCIRF distorted the legal action of the Chinese government as "religious persecution." The United States has also adopted double standards in many other fields, leading to a worldwide decline in trust in the country's practice.

The statement noted that religious freedom is a common value pursued by all human beings, but not the patent of any country. It should not be "kidnapped" or taken as a political tool to pursue self-interest. The Chinese religious community advised the USCIRF to re-examine its acts and abandon wrong practices.

Read the Chinese version at http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2012-03/28/nw.D110000renmrb_20120328_6-11.htm

[kris]

From the very bad experience with Falun Gong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong) in 1999, China government has been extremely careful with this thing called "religious freedom".

I think it is hard to dispute that religion is one of the easiest way to "control" how the people think. In the history, there are so many people goes to "holy war" because of religion.

China people has been following the monarchy system for a few thousand years, and democracy is something relatively new. There is a valid reason why the Chinese government is very worried about the term "freedom".

It is said that China government has even considered creating their own religion so that the people can be easily "controlled"

[Klein]

I agree with Kris. China had a bad experience with Falun Gong. The "religious" group had a political agenda against the Chinese Government.

It's true that people in China have the freedom to practise whatever religion they choose. However, congregating of more than a certain number of people is not allowed. The Government is also very watchful of spiritual leaders just in case they become political. Thereforee, the restriction is to prevent social unrest and not spiritual practice.

In Tibet, many DS monasteries are restored by the Chinese Government. It's a good sign because it shows that the Chinese Government is promoting the practice.

[Ensapa]

Given that the Tibet issue and the falun gong issue is actually a combination of politics and religion, i find it fair that China places restrictions on them so that it would not destabilize the country. In fact, any government would do what china did to these two groups. Accusing China of having no religious freedom just because they dont allow people to worship the Dalai Lama (who is also the secular head of Tibet) to me, is justified.

[prodorjeshugden]

To me it seems more like the CTA is really kidnapping other people's religious freedom. Once upon a time everyone was united whether they practiced Dorje Shugden or not, but now those who practice Dorje Shugden and those who don't are segregated, on one side were the people who chose to stick to practicing Dorje Shugden and on another side were those who chose to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden. For those who chose to continue practicing Dorje Shugden were given all sorts of harsh treatments which sometimes include: Persecution and ostracization.

On the other hand I haven't heard of any Chinese people getting mistreated and persecuted, and the most important thing is that the people in China can practice Dorje Shugden without any interference from anyone. To me that seems like enough freedom...

[SabS]

I find it understandable that China with it massive population, land mass and different religions, her government will be careful with stricter policies as a means of control for public harmony. Having said that, her people are allowed to choose their own religion and all religious activities requires approval, just as in any other countries.With the potential of rebellion by the Uighurs in Xin Jiang and the Dalai Lama's followers in Tibet, I could see reason that the Chinese government wishes to keep tight crowd control. The current government has spent much on the preservation and restoration of historical holy places and decree that no religious discrimination are allowed. And not only written in law, they actually enforced it when the Anti-Shudgen person who incited actions against Shugden practitioners was jailed. For the conditions in Tibet, China had pumped a lot into elevating the living conditions of the people there, a stark difference from the feudal system whence they lived as serfs. They had approved the Panchen Lama's 4 days Kalachakra initiation event which recorded over 420,000 high incarnated Lamas, Sangha and lay people attending.

In contrast, the American government is supporting the Dalai Lama and the CTA who created sectarianism where segregation and discrimination against the Shugden practitioners was enacting into law. If America practices religious freedom as she claims, then she should not support any so called government (CTA doesn't even have a country to warrant them remaining as a government) that does not. USCIRF should look in the mirror before accusing others.

[grandmapele]

Though China's stance may seem harsh to the Americans or western nations, they have to be careful not to apply their standards and rules to an Asian nation. The culture is different and the mind set of the people is different.

China has had bad experiences with religious groups meddling in politics. But also they have progressed form the CUltural revolution days. So, we should view China's slow progress as being cautious. it is easier to move slowly but cautiously forward than to try to do much and fail.

[Shugdener]

What China did to these 2 groups of people is justified and it is wrong to accuse the Chinese government for restricting religious freedom after what had happened in the past.China has the task of managing a massive population of people and ensuring that all these people are all at peace for the greater thought of public harmony and unity.

Though this stance and tighter control may outrage the Western world and the US, I believe that this path that the Chinese government is taking is the right path. How is China restricting religious freedom when they have put so much money and efforts into helping increasing the living standards in Tibet, allocated money to restore and preserve historical and holy sites.

[grandmapele]

The west expects everything to be done at the drop of a hat including running such a very culturally diverse country like China. The people may look Asian but they are very different. The west are not going to see that.

To give total freedom is a very big step to be taken when the people are more matured. After all China just came out of communism with the Cultural Revolution fresh in their mind. You wouldn't let your kids loose in a toys store. You wouldn't simply introduce someone to tantra. So, give them time to mature.

China is taking the right steps. They are slowly giving religion back to the citizens without them but not allowing them to get involved in politics. Church and state should never mix.

[ShugdenProtector]

IF anything... I'd say there is more RELIGIOUS FREEDOM in CHINA now then in Dharamsala...there is better progress in China these days in regards to religious freedom and Dorje Shugden.

Read this document, entitled “Some opinions on dealing correctly with the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue”, it s issued by the Communist Party Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region on February 20, 2014. The document clearly state that it is aimed at guiding understanding of the issue in order to convey this to the ‘masses’. A copy was received by International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and is translated into English below. published on this Tibetan site https://www.savetibet.org/the-official-line-on-shugden-translation/

Some opinions on dealing correctly with the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue
Issued by Tibet Autonomous Region Party Committee Office, February 20, 2014

The ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue is an important front in our struggle with the Dalai Clique, and since it is presently an important issue affecting the normal regulation of Tibetan Buddhism and stability in our region, the nature of the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue must be correctly recognized, the principles and methods for dealing with the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue must be mastered, so that we take a firm stand, clearly display the banners, use skillful methods and are able to act unprompted, stand up to the fight without dithering, and find appropriate solutions, all of utmost importance for social harmony and stability[1] in our region. With the publication and distribution of these opinions on our regional Party Committee’s handling of the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue, you should study and master them in your own work, as well as educate and guide the masses.

1. The ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue should be given a high degree of importance, and be clearly recognized as a deceitful ploy by the 14th Dalai’s Clique to split the country.[2] ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ is one of the important protector deities worshipped by the Geluk and Sakya schools of Tibetan Buddhism.[3] Since the time of the 5th Dalai, successive Dalai and Panchen, ordinary monks of Geluk and Sakya monasteries, and even the 14th Dalai himself have all had faith in and propitiated “Gyalchen Shugden.” However, since the 14th Dalai Clique fled the country, in opposition to the Motherland, to [their own] nationality and to religion, undertook various activities to split the Motherland. After these ended in defeat, and internal dissension increased, they banned[4] the propitiation of ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ in order to blame others for what are their responsibilities and transforming the contradictions, in an evil scheme to destroy the unity of the Motherland and destroy the social stability in Tibet.

In particular, as the 14th Dalai’s Clique’s attempts to fabricate extreme incidents such as self-immolation in the aftermath of the “3/14 incident”[5] repeatedly met with no success, and as there was no way to fulfill their evil deeds, in their anguish in not being able to bear the defeat, they immediately launched a new evil action by reviving the dispute over the propitiation or non-propitiation of ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ by relying on opposition to it, with the evil hope to promote discord among believers within our borders. On one hand, they blamed their defeat on the harm caused by ‘Gyalchen Shugden,’using religion to continue misleading the masses, and on the other, they used the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue as a pretext for stirring up discord among ordinary believers, creating disagreements and incidents, with intent to breed chaos in Tibet and other Tibetan areas, in order to realize their goal of splitting the Motherland and destroying the stability in Tibet.

We must clearly recognize and give high significance to the long-term nature and acute nature of our struggle with the 14th Dalai Clique, and clearly recognize the complex, pervasive and deceptive nature of the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue, taking the correct handling of this issue as an important front in our struggle with the Dalai Clique, and with clear awareness, firm mindedness and full conviction, exercising surveillance and challenging them on one’s own initiative, we must decisively grind into dust the Dalai Clique’s deceitful plot to split the Motherland and destroy the stability of Tibet on the pretext of the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue.

2. We must unflinchingly and thoroughly remain committed to the Party’s religion policy in order to promote mutual adaptation between Tibetan Buddhism and the socialist society.

The basic principle of our Party’s policy on religion is to respect and protect the public’s freedom of religious belief.[6] Freedom of religious belief is an important policy in Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas, and it is not only an important policy for each individual member of the masses of ordinary believers, but is also an important policy for dealing with the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue. With respect to the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue, believing or not-believing is up to each individual member of the masses of believers. For instance, whether the believing community keeps a statue of Buddha Sakyamuni in their homes, or a statue of Avalokitesvara,[7] is the public’s freedom; the Party and government need not interfere, and neither should Party members or officials. Our only standard and position, which complements our basic issue, is that they uphold the leadership of the Communist Party, respect socialism with Chinese characteristics, preserve the unity of the Motherland, and respect laws and regulations. With those preconditions in place, the Party’s religious freedom policy must be firmly implemented, respecting, as best as possible, the wishes of the believing masses.

We should not publicize the issue of belief in ‘Gyalchen Shugden,’not interfere, not politicize, not see belief or nonbelief in black and white terms, and not make belief or nonbelief in ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ as the basis for drawing a clear line with the Dalai Clique. Rather, it is those who love the country and love religion, respect regulations and abide by laws, preserve the unity of the Motherland , maintain stability in Tibet, and contribute to Tibet’s development and stability who are good citizens, good members of the public, and good monks/nuns.

No one may create contradictions or disputes among monastic communities or masses of believers over the issue of religious devotion. We should win over the hearts of the masses to our side, and not fall for the deceptions of the 14th Dalai Clique.

With regard to basic management of monasteries and other centers of religious activity, the approach should be that there should be regard for history, maintenance of the present situation, no new strategy, and no creation of complications.

3. Those who, following the 14th Dalai Clique, create disturbances or incidents, or form organizations using the pretext of the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue, must be punished strictly according to law and with firm determination, and should not be tolerated at all cost. We must continue to maintain a clear attitude and be clear minded on this issue, not change the present situation, not get into disputes or allow incidents to occur. Thus, first, we must respect the public’s religious freedom and allow the masses to choose for themselves. Secondly, those who, with the confidence of having truth, and wearing the armor of legality, and under the pretext of the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue, instigate deception and cause public gatherings and disturbances, irrespective of whether they represent the believers or non-believers or what banners they carry, should be strictly punished according to law as and when the incidents occur. If there is involvement by Party members or officials, they must be strictly dealt with on the basis of disciplinary regulations, so that enemy forces do not get so much as a sesame seed’s chance of an opportunity.

4. Reinforce the education of the monks, nuns, and the believing community by expressing, as best as possible, the strengths of representatives from the religious community who love the country and love religion. By deepening the conduct of service activities for religious persons at the lower levels, we should organize visits, by respected religious figures in favor of love the country, love religion, to monasteries and villages to strengthen the publicity on freedom of religious belief policy and the good traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, so as to expose and challenge the politically reactionary, religiously misleading, and methodologically deceptive nature of the 14th Dalai’s Clique, and to expose and denounce the 14th Dalai’s Clique’s ban on ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ propitiation as an unwarranted grudge and a plot that is ruinous for Tibet and divisive for religion. Instead, monks, nuns and the believing community should be shown that all citizens of new Socialist Tibet have freedom of religious belief. Everyone has the freedom to believe in any religion and sect.

The believing masses are equal; they should not interfere in each other’s matters; nobody should coerce anyone or show condescension. They should be made known that anything against this would be considered damaging to human rights and action that violates the rules and regulations.

To the broad mass of monks and nuns and believing community, differentiation should be made between Tibetan Buddhism and the 14th Dalai and between the 14th Dalai and the Dalai title; through self-awareness make a clear differentiation with the 14th Dalai and thus not fall under the deception, incitement, and enticement of the 14th Dalai clique. They should be given education and training so that they can contribute to the best of their ability to the development and stability of Tibet through self-awareness, loving the country and loving religion; respecting the regulations and obeying the laws; eschewing sins and accumulating positive merits; and honoring peace and harmony.

5. All levels of Party and government institutions; the work units based in the village; the Democratic Management committees in the monasteries; the departments of “Shuang Lian Hu” [unit consisting of the joining of a village with households] etc., should through in-depth consideration, perform the political tasks well and together preserve and maintain periods of peace, harmony and stability in Tibet by assuming their own responsibilities and wholly fulfilling their obligations.

With continuation of the religious freedom policy as the basis, begin controlling ahead, controlling when small; quick control and good control. Beginning with understanding the issue, removing contradictions and deciding on issues, all necessary precautionary steps should be taken. Through in-depth performance of tasks relating to the monks, nuns and the believing community and with clear display of banners, explain clearly the religious freedom policy of the Party and the government; by explaining clearly that it is the public’s freedom whether to believe or not to believe, and not make a black and white differentiation between belief and non-belief. It should be clearly explained that among the believing community and among the sects, there should be mutual respect, mutual understanding, friendly co-existence and peaceful and harmonious togetherness.

Through calm and stable attitude, and through new methods of vanquishing the other side, on issues relating to ‘Gyalchen Shugden,’‘Gyalchen Shugden,’when there are early indications of expulsion, condescension, assembly and disputes, close attention should be paid and these should be automatically confronted, quickly and appropriately decided so that the bad causes are removed from source.

Deciding clearly on the ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ issue is of great importance. Under the firm leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the General Secretary, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of “Three Represents”[8] and the Scientific Outlook on Development as guide to action.

Bearing in mind the successive important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping, in particular his important strategic thought: “To govern the country well, the prerequisite is to govern the frontiers well; to govern the frontiers well, maintaining stability in Tibet is a prerequisite” as well as “To make efforts to realize Tibet’s continued stability, long term stability and comprehensive stability; to guarantee lasting happiness in Tibet, to guarantee peace and stability in the frontier region” and to implement these important guidelines.

By resolutely implementing Chairman Yu Zhengsheng’s[9] advice: “Rule Tibet as per law, develop Tibet for the long term, win the hearts of the people, and strengthen the foundations.” Thereby, in order to decide well on the issue of ‘Gyalchen Shugden’ there should be united thoughts, united pace, and united action. As per the guidelines issued by the [Tibet] Autonomous Region’s Party Committee and government, implement all measures and perform all tasks well, thus giving new and unceasing victory to the struggle against separatism. Resolutely strengthen the good circumstances of progress, peace and harmony and spare no effort to promote Tibet’s leap-frog development[10] and long term peace and stability.

Honestly if I was a Shugden practitioner I would feel safer practising in China Tibet now then in Dharamsala India. The laws are protecting us and encouraging peace and harmony... sounds to me they are WAY BETTER THAN CTA!!!

[pgdharma]

No doubt China has to be strict and has to adhere to policies in order to safeguard harmony and peace in the country. They have progressed much since the Cultural Revolution days. Anyway, it is good to know that religious freedom is fully protected by the Constitution and law in China and that Chinese citizen can choose to believe in any particular legitimate religion or simply be a nonbeliever without interference from any government agency or social organization. This shows that China is actually encouraging religious freedom. Buddhism is surging in China and China has declared its commitment to support international initiatives to protect Buddhism and Buddhist culture.

With such good support, the Chinese citizen can practice Buddhism/Dorje Shugden without fear of being persecuted, abused or harmed. And yes, definitely it is safer for Dorje Shugden practitioner to practice in China Tibet than in Dharamsala India .