A. and I were surprised and saddened this morning to hear about what is happening this week in China, a country very close to our hearts: there has been a fresh round of brutally suppressed protests in Tibet over the past several days.  Despite the government’s best efforts to keep it quiet and, after that failed, to twist the story, news has gotten out about peaceful protesters being shot dead by police, and even about young Buddhist monks and nuns burning themselves alive to draw attention to the oppression of their people.  

Although our worldview does not condone suicide, it is inspiring to see people so committed to seeking justice and promoting truth that they are willing to do whatever it takes– even accepting horrible suffering and violent death– to pursue what’s right.  As disciples of Love Himself, we are challenged by this kind of spiritual commitment– how much more reason do we have to sacrifice, since we hold the promise that if we lose our lives we will find Life?  We are also moved to pray for all those whose lives are being destroyed in the violence and for those in China who have become active and passive participants in the unfolding terror through their ignorance and hatred.  Please join us in our prayers.   

You can read about the current event in Tibet here on CNN or here in the New York Times.  If you want to get a better understanding of the history of the Chinese occupation of Tibet stretching back to the original invasion in 1950, Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion is a very engaging and informative documentary with a lot of great footage and interviews with Tibetan monks, nuns, and foreign observers who have experienced the brutality of the Chinese regime firsthand.  You can watch that documentary here for free.