CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION
5.1 Beyond the development
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better than they are in China. The comparison between China and Vietnam seems irrelevant though both states are regulated under Communist party. The barriers that the big brother, neighbours, intruders had are different from a vulnerable country as Vietnam. The preferred resemblance is dedicated to Cuba. The population of Roman Catholics in the country is majority, similar to the number of Buddhist in Vietnam.
Studying from both countries situations, a theoretical framework on state and religion policy is potentially revealed.
In 2016, the 12th National Congress revealed the Draft of Law on religion for the public channels. The ideology of ‘socialisation’ is step by step preceded by the government and practiced by the euphemism of privatisation. Vu, Bailey & Chen commented that ‘religious freedom’ is largely seen as a political issue rather than a
‘human rights’ one. As a result, the Vietnamese and Lao governments have strongly restricted the ability of citizens to engage in religious practice. The harsh statement can be considered as the opposite view on the soar of society networks to engage in advocacy. The situation in country nevertheless indicates that individual religious freedom is respected in local government. Religious organizations are absorbing better government administration services. The contemporary affinity of Buddhism and the Communist state is outcomes from a long negotiate process. In the near future, the enquiry remains for legal channels to resolve religious-based conflicts that may not able to be solved by dialogue.
5.1 Beyond the development 5.1.1 Environmental issue
In the Red River Delta, there is a village calls Dong Ho. Most of the households produce the votive papers to support the Northern religious demand. Vietnam
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influenced the custom of burning votive paper from China-Taoism. The paper is required in most ritual forms. The civilians believe that when they burn woodprint votive paper, the content stuff that is shaped and printed will become the necessary gifts for the God or their friends, family’s members in the other world. Motivating by the demand, fashioning votive papers are designed, became the art of creating votive paper in the Dong Ho village. The consumption of spirit mediums increased significantly along with the economic development. In some important festival, the temples are hidden in the smoke from the blaze of papers. After burning, where is the leftover placed? In Vietnamese concept, if votive paper is burnt to deliver gifts, presents to the ‘Yin’ people, the condensed thing after the papers melted should be scattered in the lakes or rivers. Hence, the presents are guaranteed to deliver. As a result, the water is step by step polluted. In some new artificial lakes, the public banner is shown that scattering votive paper is prohibited.
The government communication channels keep presenting on saving the earth, modifying the environmental activities, however, by giving a free-way for religious practices, whether the local atmosphere will be save effectively? In addition, votive paper production is claimed as market-cognizant entrepreneurs. Hundred of jobs are created for local labors in the Red River Delta. The founder of many households in Dong Ho village became national respectful artists. The ambivalence between current profit and potential environmental harm is alarming the current government. Policies are yet to be published.
Transportation acts as the irreplaceable factor on the way religion is expanded. The more convenient vehicles are provided, the more visitors would go to the religious
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historical sites. Unexpectedly, the overloaded passengers acquire more transportation in the rivers and the mountain. For example, the water in the river that directs to Perfume Pagoda, in the past was clear and fulfilled with the waterweed. Nevertheless, in the recent years, people have been no longer able to watch the beautiful scenery along the riverside. The smell of the oils from travel boats replaced the natural smell of the trees, waterweeds. In the mountain, cable cars, gondolas were built to serve the demand on visiting temples, located in the cliff, such as Yen Tu (the pagoda was found by the King, who gave up the royal life to elaborate the monastery). The environmental claim on one hand caused by visitors’ public manner, on the other hand, the government has not advocated the professional management to historical- religious places. Venerable Thich (interview , 2016) expressed that in Buddhism temple, the worship place has to be niche and clean. In the big temples, the monks are not enough to work on the house chores responsibility. When the government plans to promote a religious tourism tour, more service men are required to sustain the site’s original scene.
5.1.2 The Problematic Management System to afford Religious Proliferation
Although the state was willing to allow the diversity in religious practices, the administration, men power and legitimation system were not adjusted immediately.
The process did not imply the ‘government’s ambivalence’ as Soucy (2012) commented. The unprofessional scheme and the complexity in bureaucratic arrangement showed the inefficiency. In June 1993, the Articles on completing the Guidance on local government functions in managing the religious practices were published. According to Nguyen (2001), the government on one hand endeavor to deliver the guidance, on the other hand, there was neither training class, nor new policies orientation organized. How the local officers are expected to follow the piece
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of paper? In the recent years, the Ho Chi Minh institution operated a higher education class for the local officers on religious management. Whether the subject was offered from one institution would able to cover for the number of local responsible agent across the country?
The result of an inefficiency local government determined a level of corruption on assigning lands for the use of religious service. In some villages, the neighborhood took advantage of temple’s land for the private use. The local agent has to act as a mediator between the monastic representative and the citizens. If the deputy is lack of legacy knowledge, experience, how the case will be solved? The privatization of government budget on festivals or national events is additional reported. The more financial support central government spends on religious service, the more corruptions are escalated in provincial public commemoration. Apparently, the uncertainty in religious belief of the people in charge is a confirmation for the governmental strategy on using economic to take over the control of the civilian’s faith. In front of the material desires, where is the place for a Buddha Heart?