Falun Gong also known as Falun Dafa led by Chinese exile Li Hongzhi has been labeled an “evil cult” in China and it seems Chinese American communities have increasingly become concerned about its adherents activities in the US.
Hongzhi’s followers have caused problems repeatedly during holiday celebrations, apparently using every opportunity to pass out tracts and preach, which has annoyed others and violates the rules set for such events.
As the Chinese New Year drew near this year controversy surrounded the group’s participation in a parade in San Francisco as reported by the San Francisco Sentinel. 
At a hearing held by the city’s Board of Supervisors both sides of the Falun Gong controversy spoke out and some of strange teachings of Li Hongzhi leaked out.
According to Falun Gong’s leader “elder women will regain the menstrual period because a cultivation practice of mind and body requires menses.” Hongzhi concludes, “Otherwise, how can they cultivate their bodies without it?”
Hongzhi’s teachings about homosexuality must disturb many in the Bay area, which includes a large gay community. Li says that a “black substance” accumulates in the body due to homosexuality that causes bad health. Hongzhi’s homophobia also goes beyond simply describing its link to a “black substance” he has also called gays “disgusting,” and prophesizes that one day they will be ’eliminated’’ by ’the gods.’’
Hongzhi also appears to be a racist.
He teaches his followers that “mixed-race people¦[are] instruments of an alien plot to destroy humanity’s link to heaven.” And that these interracial unions are somehow part of “a plot by¦evil extraterrestrials.”
More bizarre is that practitioners of Falun Gong believe that “Master Li” actually can “personally install’’ falun (a wheel of law) in their abdomens, can “levitate,” “become invisible” and knows the “top secret of the Universe.”
Hongzhi also changed his date of birth from July 7 to May 13, which is when Buddha was born, reported Asiaweek.
Sound like a personality-driven “cult”?
“If you want a good description of a cult, all you have to do is read what they say they are,” Margaret Singer told the San Francisco Chronicle at a Seattle conference in 2000. The psychologist, who was the most respected cult expert of the 20th Century observed, “They actually say ‘Don’t Think.’ Just recite the master’s teaching.”
Last month Steve Hassan a cult counselor from Boston told the Chronicle that Li’s followers are “told not to think negative thoughts, and are given fears if they consider any other reality” and that Hongzhi “comes very much out of the cult extreme, the authoritarian stereotype.”
David Clark, a Pennsylvania cult counselor sees Falun Gong’s human rights campaign as a “clever marketing mechanism.” “It is a way of gaining access to get people to join the cause,” he said.
“I consider myself a victim of the Falun Gong because my parents were hurt by it, and the harmony of our family has been seriously damaged,” a Chinese massage therapist who practices tui na, told the Chronicle in December.
An anti-Falun Gong Web site has been launched to expose “the false and contradictory claims of Li Hongzhi.”
For example, regarding health Hongzhi teaches “the root cause¦is karma…That’s the root cause of people’s health problems, it’s the chief source of them. Of course, there are two other forms. One of them is really, really small, high-density tiny beings. They’re something like a cluster of karma.”
This sounds similar to the Scientology belief in so-called “Body Thetans” or BTs, which that group’s founder L. Ron Hubbard claimed originated from outer space clustering on human beings and causing problems.
Such beliefs have allegedly led some Falun Gong devotees to neglect their health by not properly consulting doctors in a timely manner and/or seeking medical treatment and instead relying upon Hongzhi’s supposed powers and religious practices.
Li likewise seems to denigrate hospitals. He says that their “treatment methods are at ordinary people’s level while illness is beyond the ordinary,” He claims, “It’ll be years before today’s Western medicine catches up” with him and what he knows.
Chinese authorities have reported that hundreds of Li Hongzhi’s followers have died in Mainland China due to medical neglect.
So besides racism, homophobia and often-bizarre supernatural mumbo-jumbo it seems Falun Gong can become a health hazard.
It’s no wonder why the Chinese government sees Hongzhi as “evil” and Chinese Americans have become increasingly wary of his disciples participating in their community events.
Rick Ross, you’ve won the prize as the most ignorant and blatantly biased “expert” I have ever come across. How can you, in good conscience, continue to spread this kind of misinformation about a group of innocent people?
First of all, Chinese American communities are not becoming increasingly concerned about Falun Gong adherents’ activities in the U.S. Many in the Chinese diaspora have always towed the Chinese government’s line on Falun Gong because they don’t know any better. The Chinese consulates and embassies in North America and Chinese community organizations affiliated with the Chinese government have always actively attemped to incite hatred, suspicion, and discrimination against Falun Gong in the U.S.
This is not a new development. But if anything, overseas Chinese communities are becoming increasingly more accepting of Falun Gong and less tolerant of the propaganda they are regularily fed by the Chinese government. Even the Chinese consulates themselves are gradually distancing themselves from the persecution of Falun Gong.
Your statement that “Hongzhi’s followers have caused problems repeatedly during holiday celebrations, apparently using every opportunity to pass out tracts and preach, which has annoyed others and violates the rules set for such events,” is, well…an incredibly lame excuse for a reason to dislike Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners are asked by Li Hongzhi to always observe the laws of their societies and be good and honest people in every setting. Some of them do indeed distribute literature about their practice and information about the persecution it faces in China, and this is quite understandable, especially in light of the fact that there are still people like yourself out there who go out of their way to mislead people about the nature of the practice of Falun Gong. Someone needs to stand up for the truth, don’t you think?
You mentioned that at a hearing in San Francisco, some “leaked” teachings by Li Hongzhi were discussed. “Leaked”? Those teachings are widely available at book stores, libraries, and for free download on the internet. Why are you trying to make something sound suspicious when it’s obviously not?
Furthermore, I wonder on what grounds you feel you have the authority to assert that Li Hongzhi’s teachings are “strange.” As someone who professes to be an ‘expert’ about belief systems, you really ought to develop a better sense of objectivity and sensitivity. Can you prove that elderly women who practice Falun Gong DON”T regain their menstrual periods? Have you ever considered the possibility that Li’s teachings in this regard are true? I know for a fact that they are true. I suggest you do more reseach on the subject before mocking these teachings.
As for the homosexual issue, why not give your readers full quotes of Li’s teachings rather than brief exerpts? Your method of presenting these teachings takes them out of their original context with the intention of making them appear “strange.” You’ve even gone so far as to completely distort the meaning of Li’s statements.
As there is in all major world religions, there is indeed a believe in Falun Gong that homosexuality of wrong. In Falun Gong, it is believed that engaging in homosexuality accrues ‘karma’. However, the fact is that Falun Gong adherents are taught to regard all people, be they gay, straight, black, brown, or white equally and with compassion. This also relates to the question of racism. Before calling Li a racist, I suggest you actually look up the definition of the term. Li is not a racist; nowhere in his teachings does he suggest that one race is inherently superior to another or any such thing.
The following few paragraphs of the above article read like they came straight out of a propaganda pamphlet from the Chinese government. Again, you have outright mistquoted and taken out of context Li Hongzhi’s words to serve your purpose of painting Falun Gong as “strange.” You have also left out critical pieces of information which would allow your readers to judge this issue for themselves.
Regarding your quote from Margaret Singer….well, let me just say that this whole experience has made me lose any respect for people who claim to be cult experts. Her suggestion that Falun Gong adherents “actually say Don’t Think.’ Just recite the master’s teaching,” is downright fallacious. There is no such principle in Falun Gong. Quite the opposite; Falun Gong ahderents are encouraged to always think for themselves, to understand things for themselves, and to always maintain a clear and conscience mental state.
Steve Hassan’s idea that “Li’s followers are ‘told not to think negative thoughts, and are given fears if they consider any other reality'” is equally untrue. I highly doubt that Mr. Hassan has ever actually met with and spoken with practitioners of Falun Gong. If he had, he would know that they are certainly not “given fears if they consider any other reality.” That doesn’t even make a shred of sense. In fact, Li tells his followers that they should not have any fear; it is considered an ‘attachment’ that one should aim to gradually let go of. In my view, Falun Gong does tell adherents not to think negatively or to say negative things. Since when is this is bad thing?
Your notes about the alleged health hazards of Falun Gong have lost you any remaining credibility that you may have had up to this point. First of all, among the cases cited by the Chinese authorities of Falun Gong practitioners dying due to medical neglect, a significant proportion of these cases have been debunked. Several of those people were in fact tortured to death, and then claimed by authorities to have died from ‘refusing medical treatment.’ Others were not practitioners of Falun Gong in the first place.
But, just for interest’s sake, let us pretend that Chinese authorities are telling the truth that “hundreds of Li Hongzhi’s followers have died in Mainland China due to medical neglect.” Can you do simple math, Mr. Ross? The national, yearly death rate in China is something like 0.65%. In 1998, there were at least 70 million Falun Gong practitioners in China. The authorities claimed at about that time that 1400 of them had died from practicing Falun Gong/refusing medical treatment. If these numbers were true, it would mean that the death rate among Falun Gong practitioners is less than 0.00002%. Health hazard? That’s a miracle. And if you were to take the time to investigate this matter in earnest, looking at the medical records of Falun Gong practitioners, you would find that a great majority of them have experienced tangilbe and significant improvements to their health as a result of practicing Falun Gong.
Finally, I must comment on your endorsement of the Chinese government’s persecution. The Chinese authorities have detained and tortured hundreds of thousands of completely innocent Falun Gong adherents. Thousands have been killed. Children have been left orphaned and with nowhere to turn. The constitutional rights of tens of millions of citizens have been revoked. Labour camp guards have even killed babies and young children becasue their mothers practice Falun Gong. They have brutally raped, beaten, burned, and killed people of all ages. What kind of sadistic person are you that you can so casually condone this? I feel deeply sorry for you, Mr. Ross, that you have to wake up every morning and live with yourself.
Hi this is Alex
I have herd about what has happend to people who are Christian, Falun Gong and Muslim in China. I have herd that the China’s Communist Party has been creating many Lies about Falun Gong and that the China’s Communist Party has been using forms of Rape, Torture and killing to Falun Gong pratitioners in prison. Some of the things I have herd are very horrible and touched my hart. They have covered it up with the national and international media through Lies. There is a very good website called
http://ninecommentaries.com/
wich explains many things about how the Chinese communist party works very similar to a Cult.
.
I would like to express my deep concern and urgent appeal to you regarding the rejection of the Falun Dafa group’s participation in the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco.
The local Falun Dafa practice group has participated in San Jose Holiday Parade for the past three years. Moreover, it participated in the Hollywood Christmas Parade in Los Angeles on Nov. 27, 2005. A video of this parade can bee seen at: http://home.comcast.net/~ipa_sf/2005-11-25-FD-Hollywood-Christmas-Parade.rm. Other local celebration events such as U.S. Independence Day parade in Redwood City have continually welcomed the Falun Dafa group.
The spiritual practice of Falun Dafa has been welcomed by western countries. However, the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China for the past 6 years and the hostile influence of the Chinese government to the local San Francisco Chinese community and community leaders led them to be manipulated by the Chinese government through its local consulates and other means. As a consequence the Chinese Chamber of Commerce has discriminated the Falun Dafa group and rejected its participation application in the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco.
Currently, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce rejected the Falun Dafa application for participation again. As you could see from the in-line attachment the Chinese Chamber of Commerce rejected is groundless. I strongly believe that the rejection of the Falun Dafa participation is based on grounds of discrimination and it amount to another form persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners outside of China. Moreover, this act of rejection is a clear evidence of the existence of such persecution.
Chinese New Year parade is a local celebration melting the gap between Chinese community and Western people, expressing the Chinese tradition and Western culture, providing entertainment to all no matter of race, color, or religion. Falun Dafa practitioners hold up to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, and doesn’t conform to religious formalities or take any form of religion. What Falun Dafa introduces to the community and the audience is the beauty of Chinese tradition, culture and arts, including the well-known Qigong cultivation practice, which has benefited hundreds of millions of people worldwide. This is shown by the thousands of prizes and proclamations given by all levels of U.S. governments to our practicing groups.
I thereby strongly oppose the irrational and discriminatory decision of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Michela Alioto-Pier, I urge you and the board of supervisors to exercise your power and ask the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to reconsider the Falun Dafa application.
Sincerely yours,
Ivailo Anguelov
Attachment: Rejection letter from Parade Director of Chinese Chamber of Commerce
—————–
Dear Eva;
The parade committee reviewed your preliminary data sheet. I regret to
inform you that the committee did not select Falun Dafa to participate in next year’s Chinese new year parade.
As you know, the parade is composed of several categories – corporate
floats, amateur built floats, marching school units, marching bands,
specialty units, lion dance clubs, and community organizations. For each category, we have a limited number of openings. We receive many
applications, but because the parade is telecast live, we have a time
constraint that does not allow us to accept all applicants.
Very truly yours,
Wayne Hu
Parade Director
Falun Gong is a good and upright cultivationpractice.
Hi Rick Ross and other readers. I wish I can change youre way of thinking regardig Falun Gong and Teacher Li Hongzhi. I understand that it is very difficult to view something from another angle than the one you are used to when analyzing a spritual leader or movment but please take the following comments to consideration in youre evaluation of Falun Dafa and Teacher Li.
In a period of seven years ( 1992-1999 ), the practice of Falun Gong spread to have more than 70 million practitioners. It was the most popular form of Qigong in China and threw the hole country it was praised for it´s miracoulous efects on health and social harmony.
As a practitioner you always try to consider other people and their needs, before youreself and allways try to act according to the universal principle of Truthfullness Compassion and Forbearance. When practicing, this effort brings a state of compassion and tolerance towards other sentient beings. After a very short time of practice you can really feel the difference.
It says in youre article that some hundreds of practitioners have died from diseases when practicing Falun Gong. If you take the number 70 million and compare it to the deathrate of a nonpracticing population you will see that the number of deaths occured among Falun Gong practitioners is minimal.
Regarding racism there is also a very logical explanation. My understanding is that when gods created man, we were created to gods immage, different races was created by gods of different races and when a child is born from a marriage of two people from different races it will be hard for the gods to trace the childs origin and therefore hard to save. To which gods paradise will he be saved? But there are meny mixed marriages between practitioners in the west and it is not viewed as something bad.
There are also practitioners who practice/practiced homosexuality. Actually all orthodox ( upright ) religions view this matter in the same way, christianity included, it is very hard to reach heaven when practicing homosexuality. But there is one issue to be said here on this subject and that is that we all try our best to cultivate truthfullness compassion and forbearance and we all fall short on different aspects and in different occasions. Teacher Li has never condemned any person or individual for a shortcomming but he has expressed different principles that can guide a person in cultivation.
As far as the human rights-marketing aproach I think it is not so apropriate to describe Falun Gong practitioners perseverance of the illegal and brutal persecution of the communist regime in China, with it´s history of terror and psychological brekdown on it´s people.
In general, I have understood that much of youre insights comes from the scientific world and if you only look at the surface I imagine that Falun Dafa might seem a little confusing, but if you look at all other orthodox religions you will see that they all use the same way of expression. In Falun Dafa the sickness is derived from Karma, in Christianity it comes from sinds/guilt or demons. It is just different names for different schools.
I hope i have been of some help.
Kindly yours
Ilias
I am saddened by your cruel and senseless critque of Falun Gong. All Mr.Li and Falun Gong teaches is for people to be good. This takes time but genuine practitioners strive towards the highest aspects of Truth Compassion and Tolerance. There is no money involved in the teachings of learning Falun Gong. You can download for free everything to get started off the internet.Excersise sites teach the meditiation and these are taught by Falun GOng practtioners voluntarily.
The teacher takes you up to the doorway and the rest is up to you. There is no registration or hierarchy ,something that all other religions do have and therefore have never interested me because of this.
Our moral and mind nature improves thru practising Falun Gong and this is why we can organise ourselves well to expose the evil nature of the Chinese Commusit Regime’s persecution of Falun Gong. This persecution has morally corrupted the worlds people to turn a blind eye to keep the trade open. How can anyone turn a blind eye to the 100 torutre methods used to kill the most innocent people in the world Falun Gong women children and children. Why is that only the Chinese Communist Regime has a problem with us?
And who can say the world doesnt need Truth Compassion and Tolerance? Only one small group in the Chinese Commuist Regime and they are anti human anti God anti life. The Chinese people wish to be liberated and free. Falun Gong practitioners wish to have a relationship with their God and practise their medititation without interference. Is there anything wrong with that? What you have said about Mr Li is untrue and you have been visiting sites that are probably by the Chinese Communist Regime . I wish you well for the future and hope that you will have a change of heart. FALUN GONG IS GOOD.
Hello to Rick Ross, and everyone,
Let me start by stating up front that I am a Falun Gong practitioner. I am certain that your organization comes across all kinds of scary groups. But from reading Rick Ross’s article, “Why all the fuss about Falun Gong?” I can tell you that your understanding of Falun Gong is not correct. Perhaps you are so use to digging for the dirt, that dirt is all you know how to find. I Let me share some of what I know to help clarify this misunderstanding, and then you may then do some more digging to verify it, or feel free to email me and open a dialogue (that is much better than a monologue on both our parts right?)
I know something about cults as I attended an AFF (America Family Foundation) conference in Edmonton Alberta two years ago. Some Falun Gong practitioners (I included) went there to clear up another misunderstanding that was related to a court case. There was some very good discussion about FG there, and the issue basically got resolved. If you want, I might be able to find a video copy of a talk on Falun Gong by an expert (AFF member?) It is called “Contextualizing Falun Gong”. It might help put things in perspective.
Actually, Falun Gong practitioners are simply no different than everyone else; the only difference is that we believe in improving our moral character. And even if you dig through FG lectures to find some “weird” sounding stuff, why don’t you first at least talk to FG practitioners. You will find that we don’t go to extremes about these things. You know, if you also did some digging in other “normal” spiritual practices, you might also find some “weird” stuff. To an atheist, “God” is even weird; so one should not be so judgemental about things one does not understand. Instead, why not do some first hand research? If you want the real “dirt” don’t accept it second hand.
That brings me to my next point. As you may or may not know, Falun Gong is being severely persecuted in China. It is important that you do not approve of this rashly and blindly, based on only a few blurbs you dug up. Are you aware of what sort of government the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is? In this century they have caused as many as 80 million of their own people’s deaths, in times of peace. It is the most unscrupulous government in history. It kills, and then lies to cover it up or justify its actions. One needs to be careful when hearing their reasons why someone is “evil” or whatever. There is a heap of propaganda coming from the CCP, its state-owned media, its embassies and consulates; and there is a ton of money used as influence to back its claims, and huge number of Chinese people have these lies in their heads. If you want the “dirt”, I suggest you dig deeper and get to the bottom of things. And research the quality of your sources. Firsthand is best. So please be more careful about stating as fact things that may have been taken out of context, or things from unchecked sources. From reading your article, I know that some of it you got from our books, but some of it was repeating CCP hate propaganda or was untrue.
To have to say, “we are not a cult” is like having to say, “I don’t beat my wife.” Yet we are dealing with this CCP and its mass of slanderous propaganda that has been exported globally. I hope I was able to improve you understanding on this issue; and please, if you wish to engage in this further, feel free to Email me at: Michaelwing@safe-mail.net
Thank you,
Michael Wing
Hi Rick,
I was surprised to see so many pages devoted to Falun Gong. If you are so concerned about cults, their effects on people, and how to overcome them, could you please explain why you don’t have one single page on the biggest cult in the world today: the Chinese Communist Party?
I’m pretty sure that you would not be able to think of another dangerous cult that has directly caused the deaths of about 80,000,000 people.
Where is your concern for their victims?
Hi Rick
I am a Falun Dafa practitioner, and I am not going to try to convince you that Falun Dafa is good, since you have obviously made your mind up on that issue. What I would like to do is ask you why you have devoted your life to this website. And also, what is your definition of a good and dignified life? Is it possible there are other definition than yours? What are you trying to accomplish, and for what reason? Save peoples minds? Not FROM what, but TO what? Instead of constantly telling people how NOT to live and believe, how do you think people SHOULD live?
I felt my life was good before I found Falun Dafa; It is even better now. No one has ever put any pressure on me, no other paractiotioner has even suggested that I should do anything, instead thay have proven to be, on the whole, some of the most sensible, unselfish, righteous, wise and kind people I have ever met, and their quiet example encourage me to be the same. The “well-oiled machinery” which you now feel is proven to exist, has never shown itself to me, whether you like to believe it or not. I can´t of course guarantee that it doesn´t exist, but isn´t it fair to say that you can even less prove that it does, from the basis of a couple of emails.
.
You may find Li Hongzhi´s teachings bizarre, it is your right to do that, but I have studied a lot of religion, especially buddhism, in depth, not through second-hand sources, and not only is a lot of what he says in many issues backed up by many other belief systems, he even goes one step further and explains a lot of things that others have failed to do. This is one of the main reasons why I practice it and believe in it.
You have the right to find any belief bizarre, even to resent it, and you and others have the right to resent what Falun Dafa teaches about homosexuality, for instance. But to say that a lifestyle is wrong is not the same as saying that someone should not be allowed to live that way. Falun Dafa practitioners are in fact not interested in telling others how to live, not even other practitioners. Cultivation, as our Master teaches, is entirely up to you, and every persons cultivation and understandings are unique. To claim that Falun Dafa requires people “not to think” is simply a complete misunderstanding, due to a narrow western scientific understanding of words and concepts, and such could be done away with, if you and others were interested in truly opening your mind to these issues, but I don´t think you are. I feel that you might get a certain satisfaction out of “being right” and “proving things” and this, as well as other notions, may ultimately be what drives you, not the well-being of others.
As for “to what” you want to “rescue” me and other Falun Dafa practitioners (who, according to what I see, are doing just fine), I would like to ask you: If Falun Dafa is indeed responsible for people dying due to not taking medication, does that really compare to the amount of people dying each year due to ACCEPTING treatment by western hospitals and doctors? (Notice that I´m not saying they´re no good, just because thousands die or get disabled or addicted to medications each year). And what about the rest of society? What are the death tolls for all the other things we do in life, from watching TV to eating junk food, to doing extreme sports, drinking or drugs, or having unprotected sex? Is it fair to assess Falun Dafa from this point of view? And if you do, where does that leave everything else we do in daily life? Even love between two people can lead to jealousy that leads to violence or even death. What is it in this society that you believe that Falun Dafa denies people? And is it proven beyond doubt that it is something really desirable? Is it not up to everyone to choose?
Finally I would also like to say that I find it sad that you, in your eagerness to gather “ammunition” against Falun Dafa, unreservedly believe in the “facts” being presented by the Chinese government, the worlds greatest human rights abusers throughout history, and the biggest and most insidious propaganda machine that ever existed. Not only the “death tolls”, you even give serious credit to the “self-immolation incident” which has been debunked by all media outside of China, as being obviously staged, even very clumsily. Please check it out, and don´t take CCTV as your only source of information. I´m not accusing you of being their spy or puppet, but you really should check things out a little better.
If you are indeed interested in hearing more of someone with an inside perspective, instead of justv condemning us or assuming we´re lunatics or abunch of brainwashed cult followers, you may feel free to contact me at Aron.Lamm@ett.se.
Regards,
Aron Lamm
I am a Falun Gong practitioner in Ireland and have been practicing now for five years. I am not very good with words but will like to tell anyone reading this that in that five years my health has improved, I have not needed to attend a doctor or hospital. I have been under no pressure to act or think in any particular way. My life and family have imporved by my practice, as with all my deeds, i try to think of others and try not to purpusfully hurt anyone. In living this way it has helped me to see that there is more to life than trying to earn that extra pound and how to get one over on the other guy. My wife took up the practice after i had been practicing for over a year. Her bad asthama and ill health has improved 100%. I do not have to attend any gatherings, or pay any fees, I just try to do some simple exercises, as often as possible and read the Falun Gong book Zhuan Falun, and when i meet people just let them know the great benifits my wife and I have had from the practice and in this way we are giving other people the oppurtunity to benift from the practice. So in answer to the statement that it is a cult, then the desire to live a good live and help people as much as you can is a cult, then the definition of the word will need to be changed
Thank you for your time and the space to reply to this post
Jimmy mc Mullnan Falun Dafa Hao (Falun Dafa / Gong Is Good)
This Post Will Definately Get Me Eliminated From Google.cn
There is a minor controversy in San Francisco revolving around the Chinese New Years Parade in the city. Members of the Chinese movement Falun Gong want to participate in the parade, but are being told they can not because they are ‘too political’. …