Booker Rising on China, USA, & The Dalai Lama

So China is upset that Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal - which is America's highest civilian honor - to the Dalai Lama. It was the first time that sitting U.S. president had appeared in public with the Dalai Lama, whom China accuses of being a dangerous figure agitating for Tibetan independence. Thinking this was the Freedom Medal, yesterday I thought while watching the news, "Hell, at least this award makes sense and ties into the award's purpose - unlike the recent Nobel Peace Prize award to former Vice President Al Gore."

"They will find this good man to be a man of peace and reconciliation," President Bush said of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner. "Americans cannot look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close our eyes or turn away." China talks about us not lecturing them about Tibet, but lectures to us about how we should treat the Dalai Lama. Puhleeze.

My uncle disagreed me though. He argued that President Bush should not have given the award to the Dalai Lama. Not because of worries about the Chinese, but because he believes that the Dalai Lama is part of "a cult" (which is how he views Buddhism). My uncle argues that being an evangelical Christian, President Bush should not have given this award to the Dalai Lama. Since I believe the humanity created God in their image - i.e., culture - rather than God created humanity in Its image, I disagreed with my uncle (and my grandma, who has been visiting from out of town, and who said Buddhism is full of idols) in characterizing Buddhism as a cult.

However, after researching the purpose of the Congressional Gold Medal - which is not the Freedom Medal - I now join my uncle's side...but for a different reason. Wikipedia states: "The decoration is awarded to any individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States. The honoree need not be an American citizen." I don't see how the Dalai Lama qualifies here.