The exiled spiritual leader of Tibet Dalai Lama has the U.S. president and Democratic presidential candidates beat in age. He is now 84-years-old and the physical manifestation of the patron saint of Tibet. Believers say these monks come back in the form of people to “help all living beings,” according to the Dali Lama’s site. While he is often filled with laughter, this spiritual leader did not have kind words for Donald Trump.
A BBC reporter met the inspirational man in the mountains of north India where he has been in exile along with 10,000 Tibetans. The celebrity spiritual superstar moves easily among world leaders, pop stars, and late night TV hosts. He left Tibet in 1959 as the Chinese troops invaded his homeland.
Although he “formally” resigned his political role in 2011, the Tibetan people still consider him their spiritual leader. When the Chinese invaded, the country was dirt poor. Since then, it has become an influential economic country.
President George W. Bush gave the Dalai Lama the Congressional gold medal, the highest civilian award in the U.S. given “for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions,” according to the U.S. Senate awards page. President Barack Obama has met with him frequently, even traveling to Delhi after he left office.
On the other hand, Donald Trump has never taken up the Dalai Lama on his invitations to meet. POTUS has never called him either. The spiritual leader commented that our country’s commander-in-chief had been defined by a “lack of moral principle.”
The Dalai Lama talked to the BBC reporter about Trump:
‘When he became president he expressed America first. That is wrong.’
Then, he referred to Trump’s withdrawal from the environmental Paris Accord and his despicable immigration policies:
‘When I saw pictures of some of those young children, I was sad. America… should take a global responsibility.’
He said that the refugees who have fled the war-torn countries to Europe should be helped to return to their home countries:
‘European countries should take these refugees and give them education and training, and the aim is return to their own land with certain skills.’
The spiritual leader urged countries around the world to take on supporting the rebuilding of these countries so that their people can return. At this time, about 70 million refugees have migrated to other countries. The Dalai Lama said:
‘A limited number is OK, but the whole of Europe (will) eventually become Muslim country, African country – impossible.’
People may forget that although the Dalai Lama is “a spiritual figurehead he is also a politician with views and opinions like everyone else.” Ironically, he said he believed that attractiveness is as important as intelligence, laughing:
‘If a female Dalai Lama comes, she should be more attractive.’
This monk has been working for decades to return to Tibet, and he has been optimistic:
‘The Tibetan people have trust in me, they ask me (to) come to Tibet.’
The Dalai Lama laughed at the idea the Chinese consider him a devil. Then, he used his fingers to mimic horns:
‘One Chinese official once called me a demon. When I first heard that, my response was – yes, I’m a demon with horns. I pity their ignorance, their political thinking is very narrow minded.’
