Falun Gong. Benign? Or dangerous cult?

[NNN0LHI]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article359443.ece

China's enemy within: The story of Falun Gong

The woman who gatecrashed the presidential welcome at the White House this week was part of a religious sect that Beijing has tried its hardest to eliminate.

By Paul Vallely and Clifford Coonan
Published: 22 April 2006

<snip>There is no doubt that some of Li's claims are, to Western eyes, pretty wacky. He says he can levitate and become invisible simply by thinking the phrase "nobody can see me". He can control people's movements by just thinking, he says, and can move himself anywhere by thought alone. He claims to have averted a global comet catastrophe and the Third World War and says that the Nostradamus's prophecies are coming true today in China. In the real world his impact is mixed. Falun Gong inculcates an "us and them" feeling among its followers, and has unattractive beliefs about homosexuals and children of inter-racial marriages. But it has health benefits for millions, with studies showing that its exercises reduce stress and may boost the immune system. snip

China's leaders have not lost their fear. It was the late Zhou Enlai who once famously said, when asked what were the effects of the French Revolution, "it's too soon to tell". History is a present reality, to the men at the top of the Chinese Communist Party ­ for all their embrace of the free market. Many of the Falun Gong adherents, they believe, are disillusioned members of the Communist Party from its Maoist days who need an outlet for the zeal which has not featured in political life since the end of the Cultural Revolution. Worst of all, China's leaders remember that religious sects can grow in power and turn into national rebellions.

In the 19th century the Taiping Rebellion sprang from a religious cult which provoked perhaps the bloodiest civil war in human history when the forces of the Qing Empire clashed with those of a mystic named Hong Xiuquan who said he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ and claimed to be the new Messiah. At least 20 million people ­ and perhaps as many as 100 million ­ perished.

Not long after that came the Boxer Rebellion in which rebels also saw the world in more metaphysical terms, claiming that movement exercises influence the fundamental forces of the universe. They even went so far as to insist that their breathing exercises would allow them to ward off bullets. Nor wonder the normally inscrutable President Hu looked taken aback when the Falun Gong woman screamed.

[Finder]

1. Both, actually...

I think many of the followers see themselves as being part of an exercise group that fights for human rights. Sort of similar to many new age groups which gained popularity in the 90s.

The leadership and affiliations, however, are akin to Moonies and the unification church organization with its media and political policy influence.

They are like a Scientology, moonie, buddhist, fundy group. Cafeteria style religions tend to grow quickly as do the bank accounts of the leaders.

[Kagemusha]

2. People write headlines with this w/o realizing it can be both.

It can be both benign and a dangerous cult. It all depends on who they may be a threat to. If you're the Chinese Communist Party, they're a threat whether or not they're going to spark an armed revolt in the near future. There can be no political hegemony when a religion is undermining the entire principle of that hegemony (which is obviously the same reason they don't like non-Party controlled Buddhism, Confucianism, or Catholicism). It's not personal, they just plain don't want any undermining of total political control.

That said there's also no reason a cult can't be benign in the US and not benign at all to China for reasons other than perception. Has Hamas blown anything up on American soil? No, not once. But it's raised money for fighting against Israel. Hamas is "benign" on US soil, but since the US is an ally of Israel far more so than it is an ally of China, it takes a much dimmer view of Hamas. As for Falun Gong, they haven't been blowing things up in China that I know of. But if they did, they'd have plenty of resources to do so ready and roaring to go at the drop of a hat.

It's silly, but hardly out of character in a British newspaper, to make Hu out to be a physical coward because Falun Gong seem to be aided by the supernatural. More like he didn't have any knowledge of whether the woman had a gun or not. Presumably if she'd pulled one out she'd have been sniped dead. At least, Bush tried to reassure Hu that he was in no physical danger. I'm sure that was small comfort.

It really doesn't matter if many members are ex Maoists. It's the part about the Falun Gong being an outlet for any and every grievance against the government. THAT is why they fear Falun Gong. Not precisely for what it is, but for what it may become as a result of natural political forces. So they oppose such forces with force. We should be neither surprised nor shocked. Doesn't mean we have to agree with it, obviously.

[godhatesrepublicans]

3. Maybe it's a benign dangerous cult?

Look, most people need a spiritual component to their lives. Existing just for the sake of existing another day just doesn't give a lot of fulfillment.

China has pretty much abandoned the "we're all pulling together for everyone's benefit" vibe which gave many people a semi-spiritual feeling of togetherness back in the Communist days. I imagine a lot of folks are looking to fill that void, so they can believe in something bigger than themselves.

Heck, a lot of what's going on in America's religious divide is the same issue. No one thinks of "the American Dream" as something bigger than themselves any more, so many people either become greedy Enron-style jerks or religious maniacs.

Comments?

A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality.
John F. Kennedy

[Cleita]

4. Aren't all religions cults with outrageous claims like raising the dead

for instance? Or changing bread and water into wine? But persecution only makes religions and cults grow stronger. I'm more for letting them be as long as they practice separation of church and state by not interfering with government like the fundies and Moonies are doing today.

Also they should be held accountable to our laws like an ordinary person is. So if they murder, abuse children, steal and perform other grevious acts, the individuals involved should be brought to justice not the religion as a whole.

If the Chinese government left the Falun Gong alone, they probably would be no threat to them.

[Finder]

5. Like we left the fundies alone?

I am all for freedom to worship and free speech BUT I am not ignorant to the fact that there are millions of useful idiots out there and people ready to exploit them for political purposes.

I do think the Chinese gov should not have banned them since as you stated, persecution leads to growth(human nature--underdog syndrome). I also think the group was well aware it would gain global popularity once they were banned.