(Clearwisdom.net) This article was written by a non-practitioner, columnist Mr. Lin Baohua.

Recently, Master Ming Hai, the supervisor of the thousand-year-old Bolin Temple in Zhao County, Hebei Province published an article "President Jiang Visits the Bolin Temple." The article revealed that on November 5, 2001, Jiang visited the Bolin Temple accompanied by Zeng Qinghong, Fu Quanyou and others. When talking with the senior monks in the temple, Jiang expressed a great interest in religion. The article revealed that Jiang thought Buddhism was still the most acceptable religion to the Chinese people. Jiang also talked about his "affinity" with Buddhism. He said to Master Ming Hai, "Regarding the sitting meditation you just talked about, I practiced it in 1957 during the "Great Steel-Making Period" when I had a bleeding ulcer in my stomach. I did it for three months and the problem was completely cured."

Jiang claimed that he made sure that he visited a religious place every year. Jiang also revealed an inside story about the Vatican seeking to establish a diplomatic relationship with China through the Italian president. Jiang's whereabouts are the highest secrets of the Party and nation, and the "inside story" about the Vatican seeking to establish a diplomatic relationship with China is naturally a top secret of the Party and the nation. The fact that Master Ming Hai dared to publish this article and to reveal all these state secrets not only shows that he is deeply involved in mundane world affairs, but also indicates that either Master Ming Hai committed a crime of "threatening national security," or that he was prompted by Jiang to write the article. Right at the moment when the Chinese Propaganda Department was reinforcing their strict control over the media with their 32 restriction regulations, Master Ming Hai was able to reveal top secrets without losing a hair. This in itself shows that the publication of the article has an obvious connection with Jiang, especially the information about Jiang's annual visit to a religious place. Why was it not published in the past, but only this year? Why does it talk about Jiang's affinity with Buddhism?

Jiang said he cured his bleeding ulcer by sitting in meditation, which reminds people of the fact that the Falun Gong practice is beneficial to one's health. Then why is it that practicing Falun Gong is forbidden? Isn't he using double standards? Jiang also said that the Chinese people could accept Buddhism. It is obvious that he was drawing in Buddhism to his side to strike at Falun Gong and other religious beliefs, including the disparaged Vatican. Then, how can this be called "freedom of belief?" Jiang has sunk so low as to court one religion and lash out at another and to instigate conflicts between various religions [Note: Falun Gong is not a religion]. It is obvious that because of the failure in his persecution of Falun Gong and other religions, he needs the support of Buddhism to strengthen his social basis. For a dictator to do so, shows that he feels he is isolated. As for what kind of faith the Chinese people would accept, there is no need for Jiang to decide; instead, Jiang should give people the real freedom of belief and allow people to choose for themselves. If it were decided by Jiang, then what people would believe in would be "Master Jiang" instead of the religion.

When Jiang was talking loudly about Buddhism, he apparently forgot to mention the "benevolence" of Buddhism. Does he not know that "saving a life is more important than building a seven-storied Buddhist shrine? He persecutes people without restraint--more than 400 Falun Gong practitioners have died at his hands--and yet he went to a famous temple to fabricate his "affinity to Buddhism." This is indeed blasphemy to a holy temple. Jiang was committing a sin!

During his talk, Jiang sighed, "The abyss of misery never ends except when you turn back." This might be the real fear in his heart.