Neil Elliotts status may not have been visible to everyone, due to privacy settings. For this reason, I am pasting his comments in their entirety below. This is one of the simplest, yet most cogent, explanations for the protests of the Dalai Lama I have read: Breaking the spell I was asked yesterday why the ISC use a cartoon of an angry looking Dalai Lama trampling on his downtrodden subjects who are blinded by unquestioning but clearly misguided faith. The long answer is just that - long! But perhaps I can make a few observations that might help to clarify things. Traditionally, cartoons have been used as a legitimate form of social commentary and protest. They enable us to get a true message across quickly and effectively when other methods might be blocked by political spin or flat out denial. One reason they are effective is that by using caricature they strip away pretence, rub off celebrity sheen, and empower people to think the unthinkable: Perhaps this celebrity is not what he appears to be! Maybe this so-called saint is actually a sinner! In the case of the Dalai Lama such an approach is necessary. We do not want to protest publicly and we do not want to insult him, we simply want a dialogue so we can explain to him the harm his actions are causing and request him to lift the ban he arbitrarily imposed on a sacred spiritual practice. Thats all - a dialogue! But for over 20 years he has chosen not even to reply to any request, never mind engage in a dialogue. How is he able to do this? Because he can hide behind a seemingly impenetrable wall of celebrity adulation, phoney respectability, and a carefully crafted air of infallibility. In truth he is not respectable - he is a liar and a tyrant. And he is not infallible - he is manifestly under the influence of delusions such as anger, attachment and pride and, by his own admission, unable tell the difference between a Buddha and an evil spirit. But he is a celebrity. And he is certainly famous. But for what? Well, for being famous it seems. Here is a man whose pronouncements are taken as reliable and truthful because of his celebrity status, not one who is accorded celebrity status because his pronouncements are reliable and truthful. To date no amount of reasonable argument from those he is persecuting has been heeded. Even in the public domain, no major politician, media outlet, academic or celebrity has given the case against the Dalai Lama serious consideration. Instead they slavishly repeat the insults that the Dalai Lama directs at Shugden practitioners - that we are an evil cult of crazed spirit worshippers who should be expelled from the international Buddhist community. And the fact that there is not a shred of evidence to support the Dalai Lamas outrageous claims is entirely disregarded. Are we to believe that none of these people has doubts about the Dalai Lamas integrity? That those who live in a cynical world of spin and media manipulation truly believe he is as saintly as he is made out to be? Of course not. But they circle their wagons and protect his reputation with editorial censorship, political spin, and an irrepressible wish for a photo opportunity with a Nobel Peace Laureate - because it suits their own agendas to do so. Editors and politicians are frightened to break ranks and come out from under their stones for fear of losing readers or votes. So in such an atmosphere of denial, Shugden practitioners have no choice but to take their case to the public through demonstrating wherever the Dalai Lama appears. And this is why we need cartoons - to break the spell and empower people to think the unthinkable - The emperor has no clothes! Then perhaps there can be an open-minded atmosphere in which the position of the Shugden practitioners can be given a fair hearing. Footnote By all accounts, the Dalai Lama had the gall on Saturday to preach on religious tolerance and harmony - and especially on the importance of dialogue with those who hold different views. See what we are up against?
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 00:07:29 +0000
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