A video of the Dalai Lama kissing a young boy and asking him to suck his tongue is causing an uproar online. Odd as it is on its own, conspiracy theorists are convinced it proves that the 87-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader is part of a cabal of cannibalistic pedophiles they believe runs the world, and is perhaps also linked to a notorious sex cult.
The incident took place at an event for schoolchildren at one of the Dalai Lama's temples in late February. Video of the exchange shows a child asking the Dalai Lama if he could hug him. The Dalai Lama pointed to his cheek and said "here first," suggesting the child kiss him. The boy did, then they hugged. Still holding onto the child, the Dalai Lama said, "I think here also," and kissed him on the lips. He then stuck out his tongue and said, "And suck my tongue."
The boy briefly stuck his tongue out before moving away as the Dalai Lama and the audience laughed.
After the video went viral over the weekend, inspiring widespread condemnation, the Dalai Lama's office apologized for what it construed as an "innocent and playful" joke.
“His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused," it said in a statement.
“His holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident.”
Cultural norms for physical contact do vary around the world, but an adult asking a child to suck their tongue is typically well outside what is deemed acceptable.
Where some saw an inappropriate joke, conspiracy theorists see proof of what they've long believed about a range of famous figures. They're using the incident to link him to sex cults, deceased sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein, and other individuals and brands. Many are convinced it proves he's part of QAnon's secret cabal.
One person suggested people watch the QAnon film The Fall of the Cabal, where they will supposedly learn that the Dalai Lama is connected to the NXIVM sex cult, Epstein, Fiji water, and Seagram's.
"The Dalai Lama will be in Gitmo," they added, referencing a popular refrain among QAnon followers who believe members of the cabal are or will be incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay.
Others made similar allegations about the Dalai Lama and NXIVM.
Many linking the Dalai Lama to NXIVM resurfaced a photo of him with co-founder Keith Raniere at a speaking engagement in 2009. Several also claim that he was paid $1 million to speak at the event NXIVM members attended, which the Dalai Lama has denied.
A member of a Telegram channel popular among QAnon followers opined that the video proves that the Dalai Lama is a "child molester."
"The man is a well-funded instrument of the cabal, it's just sad that it took people long to realize this," a Twitter user wrote.
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