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I don't know what drugs they were on when they came up with this nonesense, but I want whatever they're smoking >.>

Here's the artical straight from Newsweek and MSNBC:

Aug. 20-27, 2007 issue - In one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation." But beyond the irony lies China's true motive: to cut off the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual and political leader, and to quell the region's Buddhist religious establishment more than 50 years after China invaded the small Himalayan country. By barring any Buddhist monk living outside China from seeking reincarnation, the law effectively gives Chinese authorities the power to choose the next Dalai Lama, whose soul, by tradition, is reborn as a new human to continue the work of relieving suffering.

At 72, the Dalai Lama, who has lived in India since 1959, is beginning to plan his succession, saying that he refuses to be reborn in Tibet so long as it's under Chinese control. Assuming he's able to master the feat of controlling his rebirth, as Dalai Lamas supposedly have for the last 600 years, the situation is shaping up in which there could be two Dalai Lamas: one picked by the Chinese government, the other by Buddhist monks. "It will be a very hot issue," says Paul Harrison, a Buddhism scholar at Stanford. "The Dalai Lama has been the prime symbol of unity and national identity in Tibet, and so it's quite likely the battle for his incarnation will be a lot more important than the others."

So where in the world will the next Dalai Lama be born? Harrison and other Buddhism scholars agree that it will likely be from within the 130,000 Tibetan exiles spread throughout India, Europe and North America. With an estimated 8,000 Tibetans living in the United States, could the next Dalai Lama be American-born? "You'll have to ask him," says Harrison. If so, he'll likely be welcomed into a culture that has increasingly embraced reincarnation over the years. According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 20 percent of all U.S. adults believe in reincarnation. Recent surveys by the Barna Group, a Christian research nonprofit, have found that a quarter of U.S. Christians, including 10 percent of all born-again Christians, embrace it as their favored end-of-life view. A non-Tibetan Dalai Lama, experts say, is probably out of the question.

ROFLMAO

illegal reincarnation...I daresay that's the funniest thing I've heard all year. I wonder what the 'proper procedures' (as if China invented it) for reincarnating are? *giggle*

well first of all.. the idea that the chinese govt thinks either it or those who die have *ANY* control over what happens after death is insane. it's the stupidest law I've ever heard of in my life.

I realize they want to isolate him, and I know that according to tradition the reincarnated dalai lama has to reincarnate in tibet.. but that tradition shouldve been broken once he had to flee. I mean, he's living in the usa right now I think.. what if he got reincarnated *here*?

history has shown that even the most ancient religious traditions and laws can change to keep up with the times, so why not?

just a stupid law all around.

"Burn the Book of the Dead!"

"Hold it, mister, you can't come back in here without a visa!"

"What? YOU again???"

Okay how is that even posssible? question "reincarnating without government permission." Who the heck thought of that? Even though I'm not Buddist, I think that is just stupid. I mean what human can control reincarnation by our standars(sp?)? And for the poll, I think they were on all of those plus some more.

we better not let the bush administration hear this or they think they have the power to controll religion also
i mean seriously saying that you cant reincarnate without their permision is just plainly idiotic.
what next china will provide its citizens with free unlimited drinks of their choice but force them to pay for using the restroom? oh wait i said that and now they may do it.

xD That made me laugh. That's one of the most idiotic things I've heard in a while. Except for Bush and his 'It wasn't always certain that the U.S. would be allies with America.' lol.

Sorry people, but I have to arrest you, you are all suspicious of illegal reincarnation. We had alot of such cases, by people trying to undermine the borders and the immigration laws by simply reincarnating in another country.