TEXT – Chinese government response: The Dalai Lama’s ‘religious tyranny’ Source: Reuters – Mon, 21 Dec 2015 15:26 GMT Author: Reuters (This is the text of the full Chinese Government Response to the Reuters Special Report: China co-opts Buddhist sect in drive to discredit Dalai Lama) BEIJING, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Editor’s note: The following is the text of the full Chinese government response to the Reuters Special Report headlined “China co-opts Buddhist sect in drive to discredit Dalai Lama.” From the Chinese Foreign Ministry: China’s constitution stipulates that citizens have freedom of belief. The central government and government of the Tibet Autonomous Region fully respect the rights of citizens to freedom of belief. In Tibet, all religions and sects receive equal respect and protection, and normal religious activities and religious belief is protected by the law. After democratic reform, Tibet abolished the theocratic system and did away with things tarnished by the feudal system, restoring the true features of religious freedom, achieving real religious freedom of belief and religious tolerance between different religions and sects. ‘Dorje Shugden’ is a protecting deity who has been worshipped throughout history by several schools in Tibetan Buddhism, with special religious practices, forms of […]