God and Government: China Edition, A Filmmaker Tackles Scientology, and More

An Atheist Country Embracing Buddhism

Life is hard for many of China’s religious minorities, where the government is arresting Tibetan Buddhist monks, ordering churches to take down their crosses, banning Muslim head scarves and sending members of Falun Gong to prison. Yet the officially atheist government, which once destroyed temples and jailed religious leaders, is promoting — and sometimes even funding — a resurgence of Chinese Buddhism. 

Wu Man : Master of the Pipa

Grammy-nominated artist Wu Man is a master of the pipa, a pear-shaped lute that has survived in China for some 2,000 years. She learned to play it during China’s Cultural Revolution, a time when the government actively rejected religious expression. She joins us to reflect on the Buddhism of her grandmother and to play her beloved pipa live in our studios.

Going Clear

Though the lid was blown off the Church of Scientology long ago, Alex Gibney’s powder-keg documentary, “Going Clear,” should certainly rattle the walls, if not shake them to their very foundations. Scott Foundas offers his takes on the most talked-about film at Sundance this year, which can be seen on HBO.

 


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