LastLegend wrote:Yes, Buddhism is controlled and monitored. The reason is the government fears that Buddhism might be a hosting place for people who want to overthrow the government because it the past it has been the case. But in terms of controlling the practice, no. They can practice as long as they don't create a threat to the power.
It's a complex situation.
To simplify it as nuch as possible there were a number of "Buddhist" groups in Vietnam.
Some were considered too "friendly" with the American Agressors and therefore were possible "counter revolutionarys".
Others were more friendly and were or are being made part of the National Socilaist Historical Struggle.
It's all politics, half-truths, and bulls--t.
From both sides.
The one thing I did see in my trip tp Vietnam last year is that the new younger generation has no time for the old political rhetoric ... although it is still used by the older generation all the time.
Things are changing fast in Vietnam....and the old political certanties are changing fast.
"Buddhisim" in Vietnam is part of that change ... what's going to come out of those changes is as of yet uncertain,
The Vietnamese people will have a chance to make their own history ..... exactly as it should be.
That's really all the younger generation now wants, History is in the past only for them, no point in re-living History.
P.S. Just so you know .... I spent 7 years in Vietnam from 1966 to 1973 ... was married to a Vietnamese woman and adopted a Vietnamese daughter. So I'm not an 'expert" but niether am I unexperienced in Vietnam.
I was there.