Is President Obama serious about fighting for Religious freedom?

[Q]

When I first read the news that Obama was going to pay more attention to religious freedom around the world, I was excited about it! I thought, finally, someone influential will step up and unite all difference in religious beliefs and practices... but then, it appears that Obama and Dalai Lama also shares a close relationship with each other. What worries me is... is Obama's sense of religious freedom a mirror of the Dalai Lama's? Will American Shugdenpas have a difficult time if that is true?

I hope that the President lives up to what he says and not let his words of power turn into meaningless words.

http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-religious-freedom-delusion/

[vajrastorm]

President Obama, as the leader of the most powerful nation, will have a great deal of clout to influence others. If he could follow through his own words , there would be less threat to religious freedom in any form. As he says here,"Religion is being used here by people to justify hatred and persecution of other people just because of what they are and how they pray or who they love".



The more delusions a mind has, the more justification it seeks for perpetrating hatred and violence, using the name of religion. Currently, we are seeing violence flaring up in countries in South and South- East Asia.Also, freedom of worship has been withdrawn from a group - the Shugden practitioners, causing much pain and agony.


 
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[samayakeeper]

I am very sure President Obama would have been updated on the background of any leader he was going to meet, including current world affairs updates. We are talking here of the President of the United States and not the president of some small island. He has some of the best trained personnel in the world, not to mention one of the best security details on earth, who have access to world affairs of the four corners of the globe. However, after the closed door meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama, I heard of intensified death threats by the anti Dorje Shugden camp against pro Dorje Shugden advocates like Adar Tsering – I wonder why.  Also there were top brass meetings in Dharamsala in which one of the topics discussed was of Dorje Shugden issue.  See

http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=4826.0

[gbds3jewels]

Like any other leaders of the world, President Obama advocates religious freedom for sure, he almost has to in his political position but also like any other political world leaders he WILL NOT really get involve in religious matters.

We can rightly and almost confidently assume President Obama knows about the DS ban. Let's assume that in one of President Obama close door meetings with HHTDL, this issue was brought up. No doubt, HHTDL would have gave President Obama an explanation he can neither dispute, argue or reveal. This is the emanation of Buddha Chenrezig we are talking about here and we have to know that the wisdom HHTDL holds, he can easily handle President Obama in this matter. Having said that, as the President of the United States, it would not be politically advisable for him to get too involved in any religious matters anyway let alone Tibetan Buddhism.

What I'm saying is world leaders advocating religious freedom is one thing but let's not get our hopes too high that they will be of any real help to lift the ban. It's up to the DS practitioners and pro religious freedom groups, etc...but not world leaders.

[psylotripitaka]

Gbds3jewels, protests alone are insufficient to force a change. People with worldly power are precisely the people we need to influence and demand the DL & CTA stop abusing human rights. The emphasis therefore must be more on human rights abuse. The DL doesn't even regard our practice as Religious so asking him to give religious freedom seems pointless.

[kris]

from the recent Obama's visit to Asian countries, it seems to me that Obama is more political correct than standing up for religious freedom, therefore I don't think Obama (and his administration) will do much about religious freedom. A lot of what Obama is doing is to make sure the policies will benefit his country, i.e. America. It is more economically driven than anything else.

I felt it is a better strategy to have awareness through human rights group to give pressure to the US government than to expect much from Obama himself.

[fruven]

If words carry weight especially a leader of a country then he should follow through. Otherwise this would become empty words used to further own's country agenda. Of course some people would be cautioned to what leaders said but if a leader follow through with his words then as a whole individuals and countries will have harmony. Why? If you say this and that to promote harmonies and you do the opposite, of course, the opposite effect will come through which is disharmony and unpeace. Using nice soundings words and the message of harmony to increase one's gain will never bring harmony among human beings. It projects to others that self gain is the rule of the game. Well it doesn't have to be this way because this a form of short-sightedness and whatever 'success' is short term.

[DharmaSpace]

I do respect President Obama during his tour in Asia the last couple of weeks, he spoke out with directness, clarity and authority about the issues that are being faced by certain countries in Asia. So he can do the same if he is given the right information. So I do hope the ISC will send some representatives to hand a letter to the White House about this issue of Dorje Shugden.

Dorje Shugden ban is not just affecting a couple of hundred Dorje Shugden practitioner in Southern India, it is a global issue that injustice and discrimination is happening, not only offline but online as well. Racism is something that coloured people have faced in all part of the world especially this phenomena was prevalent in many parts of the America. President Obama is familiar which such kinds of discrimination and knows the pain  of such a discrimination of minorities in the US, so we do hope President Obama will stand up and speak for Dorje Shudgen practitioners who are a minority within the Buddhist world.

 

[lotus1]

I always believe that we should not believe 100% on politicians’ speech. They will always be “politically right” especially when they are in that position.
When I first know about HH Dalai Lama, he is a Nobel Peace Prize winner. I would not also believe that there is a ban on Dorje Shugden until I went to India and personally visited Shar Gaden and met with people and monks who go through the pains due to the ban.
So, check out the true facts from his/her actions and not just merely believe what a politician says.

[dondrup]

If President Obama is truly sincere and genuine with what he had spoken about religious freedom, then there is hope for those who are suppressed and discriminated for their religious beliefs such as the practice of Dorje Shugden.  President Obama is currently the most influential person on Earth. What he says does impact the world. Unless President Obama walk the talk, then he is no different from His Holiness Dalai Lama who did the opposite of what he preached about. Instead of equanimity, peace, love and compassion, we experienced discrimination, disharmony, hatred and lack of compassion. A distinct example of these anomalies is His Holiness Dalai Lama's treatment of Dorje Shugden followers. As long as the ban on Dorje Shugden practice is not lifted, Mr President Obama, there is no religious freedom! Please Mr President, help bring justice and religious freedom to those who are being unfairly suppressed and discriminated upon!

[Galen]

I agree with Dondrup. Until something is done, it is just talk. But a talk where it will put pressure to the CTA and the Dalai Lama to relook into their discriminatory ban on Dorje Shugden practitioners. No doubt it ill bring more international headlines on what the most powerful man is behind. Let's hope that the close door meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama does include discussions on the lifting of the ban.

[icy]

China is clearly the world emerging power in economy and military force and United States has every reason to fear this formidable and fast growing force. Tibet is her chess game to check and irk China. President Obama is no fool on the Dorje Shugden controversy and conflict staged on a world platform. It certainly cannot escape President Obama and his men. So what if President Obama is fully aware of the human rights atrocities committed by the Dalai Lama in his exiled community, is he willing to sacrifice the pawn in his hand?

President Obama’s well-thought-out speeches about religious freedom will always remain a glimmer of hope in far away land for Shugden practitioners.

[Gabby Potter]

I really hope that President Obama really means what he said and take actions on the discrimination and segregation that have been happening around the world. Someone has to put this to an end, we all share the same food, same water, we breathe in the same air and we share the earth together, it is important that we live together harmoniously. People all over the world should be treated with equality and love.

[kelly]

I fully agree with what Gabby Potter said we have to treat each others with equality and love I think the people at this era now has very little concern about others that is the reason why the world now is so havoc, war is everywhere, discrimination among human kind is happen so if President Obama can help to fight for religion freedom that will be very good because such a powerful leader his words will be very influential .

[Dondrup Shugden]

President Obama is the leader of the most democratic country in the World.  I am sure he will stand for freedom in any form that will not include interfering with internal issues.

The ban and discrimination against Shugdenpas may be considered internal affairs and as such even if President Obama is to advocate religious freedom, it would be more like a religious doctrine standing alone, such as Islam, Christianity, Mormons etc.

What is going on between CTA and Shugdenpas may not be within the international scope for President Obama's jurisdiction.

However, with the press now giving attention to the cause of the Ban and the close relationship between Dalai Lama and the President, we can only hope for construction opinion to lift the Ban.