Requiem In Pace

Pope John Paul II has passed onto the greatest reward and has left the world a better place. Regardless of religious affiliation, one can not undervalue his influence on the event of the last quarter decade. Leaders and workers, rich and poor alike were touched by his spirit. It truely is a time of mourning.

In China, the Catholic church remains divided. There is the Chinese Catholic Church and the underground Catholic Church. The difference? The Chinese Catholic Church, like the Buddist faith* in China, owes it's first allegiance to the People's Government and then to God. They realize the influence of the Pope, but do not follow him. The underground church listens to the Pope, not Beijing and they are actively persecuted for it. So, freedom of religion in China means that you can believe in any faith you like... as long as Beijing is not threatened by it.

As the world greives over the loss of Pope John Paul II, the Chinese Catholic church use his passing as a soapbox for political rhetoric. This article in the China Daily shows the foreign minister's spokesman expressing breif condolences but then setting aim on an agenda to "create favorable conditions for the development of relations" with the new Pope. The spokesman layed out two principles: 1) don't have relations with Taiwan. 2) Stay out of our internal affairs (i.e. don't have relations with Taiwan).

During a time like this, the rhetoric should be set aside in favor of the greiving believers around the world.

*After exiling the Dali Lama to India, Beijing nominated a monk to the post of Panchen Lama. The Panchen Lama is the 'Official' head of the Tibetan Buddist religion and he takes his cues from Beijing.