Reddit bans all entries related to NKT

[DharmaSpace]

DHARAMSHALA, January 11: The California based social networking and news website, Reddit, has decided to ban all contents relating to the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), a London based group known for organizing anti Dalai Lama protests around the world, after “re-examining their posting rules and guidelines.”

The decision comes after users complained about the quality of the Buddhism section of the site. “Following recent news confirming conspiracy theories and speculation for years that the NKT is financially backed by the Chinese Communist Party, we are making an executive decision,” the site’s Buddhism section read.

“While we understand that many who participate in NKT-led events are largely unaware of the political drama, we cannot comfortably ignore the substantial amount of evidence uncovered by international journalism that the CCP is not only financially backing the NKT, but actively using the controversy to sow dissent and employing espionage tactics in the Buddhist community,” the notification on the site says.

The website which houses a collection of entries submitted by its registered users, also highlighted that any content ‘directly related to and in support of the NKT’ will be considered as a political propaganda for the CCP and that it will be ‘swiftly removed’.

“Our position is the Buddhist religion has an ancient history, and we cannot permit a totalitarian regime to interfere with our legacy, sabotage our traditions, and destroy our institutions,” the notification says.

The website, however, welcomes participants of the NKT to engage in discussions, but asked the participants to refrain form making any ill comments on the Dalai Lama or Dorje Shugden.

Reuters report last month revealed ties between Beijing and the followers of the controversial deity who accuse the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of banning Shugden worship.

Leaked Communist Party document issued to party officials in 2014 showed Beijing’s instructions calling the Shugden issue ‘an important front in our struggle with the Dalai clique’.

However, the Tibetan leader has always maintained that the Shugden followers are free to worship anyone and that it was his responsibility as a spiritual leader to show them the proper way. “There is no ban on their practice. If you go to South India you’ll find people who propitiate this spirit Dolgyal or Shugden have their own monastery beside the larger Tibetan monasteries. This matter has been controversial for almost four centuries. Over the last 80 years since the passing away of the 13th Dalai Lama it has flared up and is strongly associated with sectarianism,” the Tibetan leader told a gathering in England in June last year.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=36986

Reddit is currently ranked 32 worldwide and 9th in the US. So it is a service that has a lot of users and people who discuss and talk, a bit more modern than traditional forum platforms. Reddit is quite significant in terms of the traffic going there. 

Does that mean they would not ban content submitted by monks and Lamas from Shar Gaden and Serpom, somehow I think anything related to Dorje Shugden they will probably ban it.

They are basing their decision on the Reuters report? i mean how do they read the Reuters report? Reuter had said they don't have evidence to proof that CCCP is giving money to all Dorje Shugden related people and organizations. Chinese people are very careful with their money and won't just spend it just like that.

[kris]

I am rather shocked that Reddit banned NKT related posts, just because of these lame excuses. First, they can't proof NKT is funded by CCP, but even if they can proof it, what does it say? Well, CTA is funded by the western countries, should they be banned too? Why ban if it is funded by CCP, but not banned if it is funded by the west?

I think Reddit needs to rethink their position.

[Shugdener]

I am kinda shocked that even a social networking side has taken sides to ban NKT related posts on its site.

What is worse is the excuses they gave, which were baseless and shallow.

I really cannot believe that they used a baseless report by Reuters to ban NKT related posts on it's site.

It is clearly stated in the report there was no proof that the CCCP is paying Dorje Shugden practitioners to go against  the Dalai Lama and to worship Dorje Shugden.

This undermines the credibility of Reddit as a reputable social networking site simply by the fact that they made a decision towards a certain group of users based on a report with no evidence.

[grandmapele]

I'm really surprised to read this. So, Reddit is not as pro-active and neutral as they would like to make themselves out to be? That's being discriminatory.

[SabS]

Hmmm such biased decision by Reddit to ban all entries related to NKT. Does it matter who funds NKT? Is a Buddhist institute to vet through all its donation to check if it had received funding from China just to be legit? Does that mean China can't have any Buddhist practitioners that sees the merits of that Buddhist Institute and it's Guru? How weird that Reddit can illogically make it's decision based on shallow thoughts.

On the reverse, does the media agencies in China ban Buddhist Institutes being funded by the West? Simply not logical.

Besides, it was the Dalai Lama and CTA who had created the controversy with the ban on Dorje Shugden's practise which lead to sectarianism when there was none before. This controversy which was not started nor created by China just happen to fall into China's favour against the Dalai Lama. I am pretty sure that China has nothing against the Dalai Lama other than fear of him creating problems and destabilising the harmony of her people, which he is proving to be with his unreasonable ban. The simplest and biggest upset that the Dalai Lama and CTA could heap on China would be to lift the Shugden ban and reunite the Tibetan people. Now wouldn't that be interesting!

[vajratruth]

The Dorje Shugden issue is in truth not an authentic spiritual conflict, but a political quarrel. For Reddit to ban all entries related to NKT means that it has taken the position that to oppose the illegal and unconstitutional actions of the Dalai Lama is wrong in their estimation.

The ISC which included individual members of NKT as it did Shugden believers from around the world were protesting the wrongful infringement of their rights. In addition it has to be pointed that the NKT as an institution cannot be held responsible for the anti-Dalai Lama protests. That role has been clearly assumed by the International Shugden Community (ISC). Moreover, all the ISC protests were legal and approved by the various authorities of the land. So why punish the NKT when some of its members were only creating awareness of the Dalai Lama and CTA's breaches.

IF and this is a big 'IF' the NKT is being funded by China as alleged without evidence, what does it matter? Who funds a protest does not change the fact that the Dalai Lama has abused his position and popularity to oppress a group of Buddhists.

Why doesn't Reddit ban all entries from people living in countries that have active trade agreements with China?

[grandmapele]

Reddit is by all accounts a business entity and needs to be politically correct. They are not too concern with the truth as is. It is like asking a politician to be really squeaky clean and a goody two shoes.

That is why wisdom and not pure knowledge is important in Dharma. The ability to discern the truth is sorely lacking nowadays in this time and age which makes the contribution of ISC very much appreciated. To me, I very much agree that creating awareness is important but we, as Buddhist must be more mindful and aware.

[DharmaSpace]

I agree with all the views that people have shared on this issue.

Reddit, has been infiltrated by people and moderators who are anti Dorje Shugden.

So we do need to be active on Social Media to bring awareness about the Dorje Shugden issue all over the world.

[Tenzin Malgyur]

It is such a pity for a well known social media and discussion website such as Reddit to make this decision based on hearsay. The NKT members protesting at all the locations of the Dalai Lama talks are the voice of the people who are affected by the Dorje Shugden ban.

The excuse given by Reddit for banning NKT related entries are very lame. It does not matter who is funding an organization who is highlighting to the whole world on the plight of the people who have been robbed of their religious freedom. It is very clear that Reddit is taking sides and we should also move our discussions to a neutral website.