"Guard Bhutan: A Divination"

OPINION in defense of Bhutan mirrored from Digital Tibetan Buddhist Altar
[White Christian missionaries converting Bhutanese locals in "underground" church. Exaggerated claims of local interest and attendance are made by Christian news outlets like Compass Direct News.]

"Muslims and Christians are not simply invaders and conquerors of the past, they are fixed in eternal postures of aggression which, today, translates as insidious and covert gestures of hidden expansionism and conquest, carried on through conversion and terrorism." -- Tanika Sarkar

(Tibetan Altar Blog) Bhutan is one of the few places left in the world where Buddhism has been permitted to thrive, unmolested, and indeed supported by the government. Nevertheless, at a time in history when overtly Buddhist nations may be counted on the fingers of one hand, this ancient refuge -- blessed and pacified by Padmasambhava himself -- is quite clearly in serious trouble.

As reported earlier ("Big Trouble in Bhutan," Oct. 2009), there have been devastating earthquakes, unusual weather anomalies, insidious acts by troublemakers, epidemic illness, and now, from Pemagatshel, comes word of a plague of grasshoppers.

Because I care very deeply for this place -- very deeply -- I decided to do a divination. In some ways, I wish that I had not, because what I saw is not going to make anybody happy.

It came to me that the cause of the misfortunes is the Western fundamentalist Christian missionaries who have been allowed to visit Bhutan and set up shop. These missionaries have caused a number of people to break samaya, and to forsake the Dharma. This breakage and outrageous abandonment of all sentient beings has caused the oath-bound protectors to rise up in anger. Numerous other things came to me, but this is the essential point.

So this is a message to the people of Bhutan from someone who honestly cares for your country: Strongly and relentlessly guard Bhutan against the influence of anything that undermines the vows you have taken, and your forefathers have taken. If you have to close the doors and close them tight, denying entry to those who slyly subvert your nation's spiritual security in order to line their own pockets with gold, then do so. You not only have a responsibility to yourselves, but you have a sacred obligation to Buddhists everywhere else in the world to keep Bhutan pure and free of obnoxious foreign influences.

Those religious leaders who propose otherwise on the grounds of interfaith tolerance have absolutely no idea of the damage that will follow any decision to permit barbarians [like bhutan4christ] to enter the gates. Those leaders have never had to live with oppression of Buddhism under Christianity. Let the samaya saboteurs scream "persecution" all they want and covertly employ their secret friends in the press to cause problems where none exist. You must identify them, interdict them, and isolate them before they do any more damage.

Article 3 of the constitution declares Buddhism as the spiritual heritage of Bhutan. If people want to engage in cult worship in their own homes, that is one thing, and they will individually earn karmic results accordingly. But in the process of serving individual freedom, please do not forget the duties under Article 7(4): “No person shall be compelled to belong to another faith by means of coercion or inducement.” Do not forget the duties under Article 7(22). Vigorously and strictly enforcing the provisions of the Religious Organizations Act of Bhutan is essential -- because failure to do so will earn collective karmic results.

This has come very clearly, very purely, and very directly, and although it will cause me many problems to openly say these things, I simply do not care. Source

• TibetanAltar.blogspot.com