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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Dalai llama ask a child to suck his tongue

920 replies

Mooshamoo · 10/04/2023 12:49

Has anyone seen the new video of the Dalai Llama asking a child to suck his tongue. Yes. It sounds bizarre. But it is in the news right now. The video is out there. And the dalai llama is apologising on social media now

Im devastated! I went to see the Dalai Llama in India. He gave a speech on accepting and loving everyone, and that it didn't matter what religion we are. I always told people that it was one of the highlights of my life.

I went through life thinking he was a good person, that he was one of the good ones. To see this today, makes me think oh no is he yet another abuser.

Some people have remarked about this video that sticking your tongue out at someone is a greeting in Tibet.

However - the Dalai Llama kisses the child on the lips in the video, and asks the child to suck his tongue. It does not look right at all.

He has apologised on twitter now.

What do you all think?

OP posts:
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21
PlantKi1ler · 10/04/2023 15:23

I saw the video yesterday and it made me feel sick. His behaviour was disgusting.

Sudeko · 10/04/2023 15:23

Boussa · 10/04/2023 15:22

Really disturbed by those wanting to normalise and intellectualise child abuse.

Agree it is the last straw really, especially on a parenting website.

Florenz · 10/04/2023 15:23

Pretty much every criminal has something wrong with them. It doesn't mean they aren't criminals and should not be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

FuchsAndMöhr · 10/04/2023 15:24

Well played MNHQ, well played 🙄

Gigantasaurus · 10/04/2023 15:25

Is my family the only one that doesn't force a child into doing the "go and hug aunty Dave" as you leave from a visit thing? If they say no we respect the no and offer a hi five or simply say "ok see you next time"

Children need to feel empowered to say no to adults. Enforcing physical contact and intimacy and normalising it as a cultural practice shouldn't be allowed. Child brides are normal in some cultures, raping virgins to cure aids is normal in others. Just because something is a cultural norm does not make it acceptable.

InFiveMins · 10/04/2023 15:25

He's a disgrace

SerafinasGoose · 10/04/2023 15:26

Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree · 10/04/2023 14:03

I once met a Buddhist monk who asked a boy to hold out his hands so he could give him something. The monk then spat chewed up biscuits and tea into the boys hand. The boy thought it was hilarious and I saw it as something that kids might do as in a gross gag like ‘pull my finger’ or similar.

I know it’s not the same, but I think maybe there is an innocence there or cultural difference which makes this act as not intentionally sexual on any part by the Dalai Lama. At least I hope.

Completely and utterly misjudged by the Dalai Lama, but not abuse.

It is. Unvarnished abuse.

It's in plain sight and no amount of minimising or alternatively culturally contextualising can paint it as anything other than what it is.

Grotesque, sickening footage that I wish it was possible to unsee.

Sudeko · 10/04/2023 15:26

The worst thing is that I think it will be explained away in the interests of the stability of the worldwide Buddhist community (which is obviously massive). However, it is the stuff of degerate cults and opens up the biggest can of worms imaginable as far as I am concerned. I have just binned his books.

Goodread1 · 10/04/2023 15:26

My general Assumption is their is difference with meaning of Spiritual and faith Religion

I think generally the idea of Religion has best of intentions
Unless it's a Cult under a disguise of bring a Religion faith,

Of course some or few humans being who are are going to be egotistical people 🙄 that anybody could have a bit of misfortune to come across

Goodread1 · 10/04/2023 15:27

A bit more nuanced difference

rumpsteak · 10/04/2023 15:28

Mooshamoo · 10/04/2023 13:50

The catholic church teaches that everyone is equal under God? Are you serious. I nearly laughed

No it doesn't. It might have said that somewhere at one point, but the catholic church definitely does not practice that. I grew up in Ireland.

The Catholic church definitely taught that women were worth less than men. There is millions of incidences of the catholic church telling people that women were worth less than men and of them treating women as less than dirt.

Just one example. I work in customer service. A man rang in to me last week to all about his bill.

He started talking about his life and he told me when he was young, he remembered women being raped in Ireland, and then after these women were raped they were seen as being In shame. These women were then imprisoned by the catholic church into institutions called Magdalene laundries and were kept as slaves by the catholic church for their entire lives. Working with no pay. There is a lot of coldness and cruelty in the catholic church.

The catholic church has a long long history of abuse towards women and children. You know that.

The Catholic church is a shitshow but it still doesn't teach that the Pope is the best Catholic which is what you said. The hierachy are an abusive set of wankers for sure.

SerafinasGoose · 10/04/2023 15:28

Gigantasaurus · 10/04/2023 15:25

Is my family the only one that doesn't force a child into doing the "go and hug aunty Dave" as you leave from a visit thing? If they say no we respect the no and offer a hi five or simply say "ok see you next time"

Children need to feel empowered to say no to adults. Enforcing physical contact and intimacy and normalising it as a cultural practice shouldn't be allowed. Child brides are normal in some cultures, raping virgins to cure aids is normal in others. Just because something is a cultural norm does not make it acceptable.

No, absolutely not.

A child's boundaries are as inviolate as an adult's. For various reasons, they should actually be more so rather than less.

My DC has always been taught this.

turnthetoiletpaperroundproperly · 10/04/2023 15:28

Shakes head woefully and wonders what on earth is going on...literally strugging here to find words.

IncompleteSenten · 10/04/2023 15:29

It's innocently cultural to make a child kiss you and suck your tongue?

Sudeko · 10/04/2023 15:30

Apologizing for a powerful adult telling a young child to suck his tongue. I would be interested to know how many parents have ever sucked their child's tongue. I certainly haven't. There is no alternative explanation.

AndTheSurveySays · 10/04/2023 15:31

I don't believe there is any culture on earth where asking a child to suck your tongue is considered normal.

Zone2NorthLondon · 10/04/2023 15:33

Why do you all hold a woo hoo spiritual charlatan in such high regard. Stop venerating such individuals and stop elevating Dalai Lama. he is literally a mn

Sudeko · 10/04/2023 15:33

I only hope that the brainwashed followers of DL will allow it to sink in and realise how fucking awful this is rather than defending it. There is life after beyond immersed inside a cult, I can promise you.

Sudeko · 10/04/2023 15:35

I once had the opportunity to be in an audience with that perv. To think that I even considered it.

Zone2NorthLondon · 10/04/2023 15:37

I find it sad that otherwise smart and able adults venerate such obviously fake charlatans

MarshaBradyo · 10/04/2023 15:37

Gigantasaurus · 10/04/2023 14:49

He abused a child in public and before the global media. He not only abused the child he took away their ability to have ownership over their own life by handing the incident over for public consumption.

The whole thing is disgusting. It needs no excuses or explanation it just needs support for the child and the man to be stripped of his position.

Not watching video but yes to this

HikingforScenery · 10/04/2023 15:37

Mooshamoo · 10/04/2023 12:58

It's just disgusting.

I'm really sad. Because I went to India to see the Dalai llama. I read loads of his books. I really thought he was one of the good ones.

If even he is an abuser.

There's no one left. :(. This world is dark.

Sad for you tbh. You seem lost. He’s just a human being. Hope you find what you’re looking for.

I see my husband as more trustworthy than the DL because I barely know him, and what he says (from the little i know) is what any held decent human being would agree with or say, if they’d the training/position to do so.

It’s not different to priests, teachers, etc, who have abused children 🤷‍♀️

JerseyRoyals · 10/04/2023 15:38

Gigantasaurus · 10/04/2023 15:25

Is my family the only one that doesn't force a child into doing the "go and hug aunty Dave" as you leave from a visit thing? If they say no we respect the no and offer a hi five or simply say "ok see you next time"

Children need to feel empowered to say no to adults. Enforcing physical contact and intimacy and normalising it as a cultural practice shouldn't be allowed. Child brides are normal in some cultures, raping virgins to cure aids is normal in others. Just because something is a cultural norm does not make it acceptable.

This.

I never say 'go and hug'.

But I come from a family where my mother was an appeaser and when my uncle grabbed by arse at the age of about 12 and kissed me on the lips and I shouted at him she slapped me across the face and told me to stop embarrassing her.

I do not care if the DL has dementia or not. There is no excuse ever. Not ever. And no-one should ever be reaching or speculating to find excuses. FGS. Child sexual abuse happens all the time. At every part of all societies. Stop excusing. Stop minimising.

KnitGoodWomanKnit · 10/04/2023 15:38

Testina · 10/04/2023 15:09

That’s what you take from this? That he might have given the boy Covid?

Before you pounce as usual, check if I've made other posts here (and elsewhere on this topic).

Feel free to stop making assumptions while at it.

Tescoland · 10/04/2023 15:38

Unfortunately child abuse cases have always been rife amongst monks, even in the higher circles of Buddhism. It is nothing new. Everybody who is trying to live that unnatural life of attempting to kill all of their earthly desires and meditating for hours on end to attain some kind of holiness is cuckoo in the head.

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