Is Falun Gong a cult?

[Chukada1]

I was just wondering, because upon reading the wikipedia page, I get the feeling they are a religion that wants internal peace like Buddhism and nobel peace prize winner Dalai Lama, who are being unjustly persecuted by the murderious communists of China. Then when I read Eastern sources, I get the feelings they're a bunch of mad sobs, waiting for the spaceship, and abducting young prospering individuals and ruining their lives, and destroying families.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong

http://en.tibet.cn/en_index/fae/t20071010_283664.htm

[Serious Spamurai]

Dunno, I got a leaflet from them through my door yesterday though. Didn't have any real info in it, they were trying to market themselves as some kind of inner-peace/removal of obstacles thingy.

[1{H][NA]

well wikipedia is a western run website, so you can expect the bias to already be there.

my cousin in taiwan equates them with the scientoligists here in the states. a bunch of weirdos that nobody really takes seriously. they are seen more as a spectacle than anything else.

[Chukada1]

Yeah I noticed that bias on wikipedia. When I'm reading the article about Tibet, you get these patronizing sarcasm quotes "When China liberated Tibet", and then when you're reading about Dalai Lama, there's that same atmosphere, but its things like, "had slaves" and "regularily gouged eyes of slaves, using specific Tibeten eye-gouging devices." Thats why I don't like wikipedia. I want the facts, not somebodies written political doctrine.

Back on topic though. Can the Falun Gong be equated to those nuts in the States, who cut of their own testicals, and killed themselves to ride the spaceship?

[1{H][NA]

Back on topic though. Can the Falun Gong be equated to those nuts in the States, who cut of their own testicals, and killed themselves to ride the spaceship?

my cousin in taiwan equates them with the scientoligists here in the states. a bunch of weirdos that nobody really takes seriously. they are seen more as a spectacle than anything else.

should have been more specific with my post.

[Forvm Romanvm]

It is my opinion from what I have seen of Falun Gong and read about them that it is a sect. USA is supporting Falun Gong with money and giving them a forum to destabilize China. The only reason that any of us have even heard of Falun Gong is because of the efforts of USA. If you research a little bit about Falun Gong then you will see that most of the influential members live in the USA, it is based in USA, the money Falun Gong receives comes from USA. As for their beliefs, like many sects the leaders are often hidden from the public eye, there is a certain mystery about them, and the groups organization and inner workings are closed from the public eye. Make no mistake! Falun Gong is a sect.

[RollingWave]

it's a cult / sect in the conventional sense. does that make it illegal or wrong though? Jesus and Mohammid were both considered the same in their begining, no one today would consider Christianity and Islam a sect.

It's surpression in China has little to do with it's statis. it has everything to do with it's influence and unwillingness to complie with regulation. if the Vatican today said it and preach whereever / whenever they like they'll get their arse kicked out of China just as quickly.

[Gungalley]

1) Define cult.

2) Most major religions in the world today began as cults.

[Odovacar]

Thats right they begun as such.

But to me..this spaceship things just can't be taken seriously... I mean Mohammed did not preach Allah has a coach or a galleon with which he will come down from the skies...

Just sounds pretty lame. Even scientology sounds better..God have mercy for saying it

[Chukada1]

True, but Islam and Christianity don't have that same destructive idea as these secret sects. They always destroy familes, steal property and disrupt order. Loosing your child to say, a Catholic church isn't comparable to loosing them to a cult.

[1{H][NA]

the chinese govt bans falun gong not because it is a sect/cult, but because it has been deemed dangerous to public health. over a thousand of its followers have died as a result of it teachings. people with things like cancer are refusing treatment because they believe that they can heal themselves through meditation. Others have been hospitalized or even died of starvation through simply practicing this type of meditation. its followers believe that meditation can overcome things like hunger and disease, thus you have protesters lighting themselves on fire and doing other crazy things.

[roy34543]

Wikipedia has a bias towards active people. And as all small cults consist of very active inidivuduals for the most part, Theyre going to edit wikipedia more then your passive "meh i dont really care that much" person.