ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Dalai Lama

The Last Dalai Lama? – A Life of Compassion

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“So long space remains
So long sentient beings remain
So long suffering remains
I will remain. In order to serve.
That is the real purpose of our life.”

Documentarian Mickey Lemle first made a film about the 14th Dalai Lama (Compassion in Exile) in 1991. Now that His Holiness is in his eighties, Lemle has revisited the subject in The Last Dalai Lama? The title comes from comments that the Dalai Lama has made about whether he will reincarnate again—or how. But that question is only addressed in about the last quarter of the film.

The Dalai Lama is a world-renown spiritual leader. He has also been in the political spotlight since he was a teenager, dealing with the Chinese Communists and their expansion into Tibet. The film serves as a chronicle of his life, with the main focus on his work of trying to use science as a validation of his teachings about emotions and compassion. We meet scientists who are working to quantify the benefits of his teachings. We go to a British Columbia school where teachers are using his teachings with young children. We hear former President George W. Bush tell of the blessing he felt being in the Dalai Lama’s presence.

Early in the film when it refers to the escape from China, it mentions one of those close to him who was not able to escape and was imprisoned. The Dalai Lama told of this monk telling him that it was a dangerous time in prison. The danger was that he was close to not having compassion on his captors. When asked if His Holiness is asked if he hates the Chinese, he responds by speaking of the why of compassion:

I think quite often people get this impression the practice of love and forgiveness is something good for others, not necessarily themselves. This is totally wrong.

This approach is certainly as fitting for Christian consideration as it is for Buddhism. There are many Christians who look to the Dalai Lama as someone who can help us understand how we should better live out our own faith.

The political side of His Holiness’s life is also shown. He is the symbol for Tibetan independence. As such, the Chinese government seeks to silence him or control him. They have announced their intent to be involved in the recognition of his successor. (Which is a key reason for the question of how or if he will reincarnate.) In 2014 he declared, “I will not reincarnate.” The last section of the film is an exploration of what he might mean by that.

Of course, for many Westerners the workings of reincarnation, especially as seen in the lamas of Tibetan Buddhism, is a bit incomprehensible. Does he in fact have control over his reincarnation? Most of those who speak to this comment that he may choose to reincarnate in some way that is not as public as his current lifetime. He has expressed in the past the desire for a more humble life. Perhaps that is how he seeks to reincarnate. But between those who look to him for leadership and the Chinese government, it is hard to imagine how the fifteenth Dalai Lama will find such a quiet life. His own words in the film about his reincarnation do reflect that desire for humility—and the humility he has sought in this lifetime, even though it has been lived in the world’s spotlight:

I have no wish to be reborn in some heavenly place. What I want…my wish…my only sort of desire is to be reborn where some difficulties or problems where I can make some contribution.

The Dalai Lama is one of those persons who through their lives have transcended the religious labels that we choose to put on them. People of any faith—or even no faith—would do well to encounter this one who shares his life with us.

Being Chosen: The Story of God With Morgan Freeman S2E1

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(Photo Credit: National Geographic/David Kraemer)

The success or failure of a television or cable program can be largely attributed to many different factors.  Having a good story is important, as is good videography and relatable characters. A topic that’s intriguing also helps considerably.  But in the end, it all comes down to the number of eyeballs looking at the show each week. In the case of National Geographic Channel’s The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, there were a lot of eyeballs looking at Freeman’s foray into faith-based questions we’ve probably asked at one time or another.  In fact, the show was National Geographic’s most watched of all time. Thankfully, a second season of episodes are one the way—the first airing this evening (9 PM/8 CT).  In it, Freeman (and a few new characters) take a look at the concept of the Chosen One and what that means across faiths.

If you’re not familiar with the show, Freeman takes a topic relating to faith and looks for commonalities within various religions around the world. Christianity is given significant attention, but so are Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu perspectives. It can be quite fascinating, and the first episode of the second season is no exception.

What does it mean to be chosen? Is it exclusive to a specific faith?  Freeman takes a look at a number of different variants of this concept, beginning with a nine year-old named Jalue Dorjee.  He plays soccer like many kids his age, but at age two, his parents were given a paper from the Dalai Lama signifying he’s a reincarnation of an individual who has inhabited folks for five centuries.  In another instance, Freeman travels to London to celebrate the martyrdom of a grandson of the prophet Muhammad. Native Americans are also represented in the form of Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the chosen one of the Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota tribes (see top picture).

(Photo Credit: National Geographic/Seth Nejame)

Even though chosen ones “help the faithful get back on track,” they’re not always living.  In the case of the Sikh culture, their chosen one is a book (see photo above). Some show their devotion in Thailand by piercing themselves with various objects such as metal spears (!) to gain superhuman powers. And sometimes the chosen are more along the lines of missionaries, such as Christian Kenneth Bae, who endured two years of hard labor in North Korea for simply organizing prayer groups.  His journey has brought him to the realization that “Jesus is [his] hope—[he] wants to be a blessing.”

There are a few changes to the program this season.  Gone is the blast of the shofar to start the program; instead, a graphic montage replaces it.  I thought the horn was a great part of the first season and am sad to see it go.  In addition, Freeman is not in every section of the show—at least in the first episode.  Two people—a man and a woman—take his role as they explore aspects of the episode’s theme (I think they’re one-time examples, however).  It adds a different perspective, but I think the focus of the show has been Freeman’s personality shining through the exploration of certain faiths and customs.  In the two sections of note, that seems to have been somewhat lost, although the two individuals do a good job with their questioning.

For me, the biggest takeaway from the episode was along the lines of what it means to be chosen.  In essence, it’s another way to say an individual is called out by God for some special purpose.  Sometimes it happens in a dramatic way, such as Paul’s encounter with God on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9:1-18) or Moses finding a burning bush (see Exodus 3:1-10).  But for many people, it’s not that way.  There’s an inward nudging that God has plans beyond anything a person could ask or even imagine.  To respond in any way other than acceptance is to be in a state of rebellion akin to Jonah (with or without the whale).  From there, it’s a process to become so in tune with God’s plans that one’s plans simply become his. In fact, Jesus made it clear that all that follow after him are to be his ambassadors to the world in their words, thoughts, and actions, seeking to make disciples of all nations (see Matthew 28:18-20).  It’s not easy, but being chosen is a responsibility that must be taken seriously.  The end results can be incredible—if we’re just willing to listen and respond in faith.