The Dalai Lama may suggest that his next incarnation could emerge outside of China. In response, China may assert that any future Dalai Lama must be approved by the Chinese government. This tug-of-war appears ideological, even spiritual—but at its heart lies an old truth we often forget:
No religion or religious leader has ever truly functioned outside the authority of kings or governments. Whether through patronage, protection, or political alliance, spiritual power has always been tethered to temporal power.
We love to believe that religion is pure, above politics, driven solely by divine purpose. But history—and reality—tells a different story. From the ancient empires to modern democracies, religion has always needed the sanction, or at least the silent nod, of the state. And the state, in turn, has often used religion as its soft power—a tool to control, unify, distract, or justify.
Take a look at ancient India. The Vedic sages weren’t just meditating in forests—they were often under the patronage of kings. Temples weren’t grassroots spiritual startups. They were royal projects, built with state funds, often serving as both spiritual centres and economic hubs. The more powerful the king, the grander the deity. The more powerful the deity, the more legitimacy the king enjoyed. It was a perfect handshake.
Emperor Ashoka didn’t spread Buddhism out of thin air. He had the empire, the machinery, the messengers, and the means. Without him, Buddhism may never have crossed India’s borders. Likewise, centuries later, Adi Shankaracharya may have been a spiritual genius, but his vision for Advaita Vedanta gained momentum only because it found acceptance within the political and cultural structures of the time.
The West tells the same story. Jesus may have walked the earth without any crown, but the religion that followed him—Christianity—only truly took root when the Roman Emperor Constantine embraced it. The Church became a pillar of European power for centuries, crowning kings, collecting taxes, and even running its own armies.
In the modern era, the language has changed, but the game remains. Religious institutions lobby governments. Politicians seek blessings at temples and mosques—not out of faith, but for photo ops and vote banks. “Spiritual leaders” endorse candidates, launch political parties, or quietly align with ruling regimes. Why? Because no matter how powerful a religion seems, it cannot survive without land, law, and legitimacy. And these only come from the state.
Even rebellion needs recognition. Even revolutionaries need refuge. Even God, it seems, needs a government.
So the next time someone tells you religion is “above politics,” smile gently. Then ask them who built the temple. Who gave it land? Who exempted it from tax? Who provided the security, the road, the water, the mic, the loudspeaker?
Faith may come from the soul. But religion, as we know it, walks hand in hand with power.