Protests at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
Today, in Bethlehem, 325 Tibetan and western Buddhist monks, nuns and other practitioners gathered together once again as the Western Shugden Society to stage an impassioned peaceful protest against the Dalai Lama.
Demonstrators traveled to Lehigh University from 18 countries to tell the truth about the Dalai Lama’s persecution of thousands of Tibetan-exile citizens who maintain the centuries-old tradition of praying to dharma protector Dorje Shugden.
For hours, the demonstrators stood together in the sun, chanting from the depths of their hearts in both English and Tibetan: Dalai Lama, Stop Lying. Dalai Lama, Give Religious Freedom. Dalai Lama dzuin mah she. Dalai Lama choe deh ran-wang te.
Those attending the Lehigh lecture seemed shocked and saddened to learn about the forced ban that is causing so much harm to practitioners in India and now in the West. The Dalai Lama, they told us, had emphasized the importance of “mutual respect and understanding” between the world’s peoples and religious traditions in his first day of teachings. Now the presence of so many protesters and the written material they received told them a very different story ….
Could it be that the Dalai Lama, supposed champion of peace and harmony, is a hypocrite?
With our strong voices, our banners, and our heartfelt prayers, we as the WSS ask the press and public now this very important question – do the Dalai Lama’s actions follow his words?
And clearly, they do not.
Published: 13 Jul 2008