Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
evilkiller
()
Date: October 03, 2004 04:19AM
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
The question is unanswerable, because there are so many different meanings to the word "cult." Some are positive; some neutral. Most are negative:
The counter-cult movement (CCM) is composed almost entirely of conservative Protestant individuals and groups. They define as a cult any Christian faith group which holds one or more beliefs that conflict with historical Protestant doctrine. This generally includes such groups as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and sometimes even Roman Catholics. But the Falun Dafa is not a Christian group, and thus does not meet this definition of a cult.
Some Christian Fundamentalists regard all non-Christian faith groups to be a cult. Since the Falun Dafa does have some spiritual teachings, some fundamentalists would classify it as a cult, along with Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc.
The anti-cult movement (ACM) targets new religious movements that engage in psychological manipulation, deceptive recruiting practices, or simply expect a high level of commitment from their membership. Probably the largest ACM group is the AFF. They have some brief notes on the Falun Dafa. But they top their list with a disclaimer: "A listing on AFF's web site does not mean that AFF perceives any group to be a cult, practices coercive or destructive tactics, or is in violation of any law." They have a brief review of the book "The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power." They also have excerpts from the Cult Observer magazine: "Coping with trance states" and "Understanding Eastern Groups." None mention the Falun Dafa. All three appear to be totally unrelated to the movement. The only information that appears to be related to the Falun Dafa on the AFF site are five news items about the Chinese government oppression of the group. 1
Rick Ross, an "expert consultant and intervention specialist" with new religious movements. 2 He has an extensive collection of Falun Gong information derived from worldwide news reports of varying objectivity. 3
The Chinese government has relentlessly suppressed religious groups since achieving power in 1949. The rest of the world is most familiar with its oppression of non-registered Christian groups. However, the government has also persecuted many types of new religious and spiritual groups, including the Falun Gong. In fact, its suppression extends beyond such groups to include organizations that teach only simple meditation and gymnastic techniques. The government appears to fear any national group that is capable of organizing its followers into direct action.
In suppressing the Falun Dafa, the Chinese government has adopted much of the terminology of the Western anti-cult movement. The official Xinhua News Agency issued a report on "cults" in the United States. 4 It quoted Berkley psychology professor Margaret Singer, who was one of the few psychologists who supported the claims of the anti-cult movement until her death in 2003. The report discusses "spiritual poisoning." Cults are said to "not obey the law, they upset social order, and they create a menace to freedom of religion and social stability. Under the pretense of religion, kindness, and being non-political, they participate in political activities. Some of them even practice criminal activities such as tax evasion, fraud, drug dealing, smuggling, assassination, and kidnapping."
The Chinese government has described the Falun Dafa as a dangerous "cult." Some of their claims sound quite improbable: The group brainwashes its members.
Members, called practitioners, worship Mr. Li.
They had turned Communist officials into cult members in order to learn state secrets.
They suggest that their followers should not take any medication.
Some members have become paranoid, suffered from hallucination, committed suicide, or killed relatives and friends. The government has only been able to find a handful of such cases from among the tens of millions of practitioners in the country.
The government appears to regard the Falun Dafa as the most serious threat to the government since the 1989 student pro-democracy uprising. The government has historical reasons for their fear. China has had a history of religious and spiritual uprisings that had catastrophic effects on the country. "In the late 1770s, the White Lotus rebellion against the Qing dynasty was led by Wang Lun, a master of martial arts and herbal medicine." 5 Perhaps the most serious was the Taiping rebellion of 1845-1864 which was led by a leader who viewed himself as the Son of God. Some 20 million died in that revolt. 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
falun gong (a.k.a. falun dafa)
"Falun Dafa cultivates a Falun in the lower abdomen area instead of Dan....Falun Dafa cultivates Zhu Yishi instead of Fu Yishi, He Who practices attains Gong. Namely, your Zhu Yishi or Zhu Yuansheng attains the cultivation energy." --Li Hongzhi*
The doctrines of the Great Law of Falun Dafa can give guidance to anyone in their cultivation including those who have religious beliefs. This is the Principle of the universe, the true Law that has never been revealed. In the past humans were not allowed to know the Principle of the universe (Buddha Law); it transcends all the sciences and moral principles of ordinary human society from ancient times to the present. What has been taught in religions and what people have experienced are only superficialities and phenomena, while its extensive and profound inner meaning can only present itself to and be felt and understood by the cultivators who are at different levels of their true cultivation, and they can really see what the Law is. --Li Hongzhi*
Falun gong (pronounced fah-luhn gung) is Li Hongzhi's version of qi gong, which is an ancient Chinese practice of "energy cultivation". Falun means "wheel of law"; falun dafa is falun Buddha law.* According to Li, falun gong "is a cultivation system aiming at cultivating both human life and nature. The practitioner is required to attain enlightenment (open his cultivation energy) and achieve physical immortality in this mortal world when his energy potency and Xinxing [mind-nature] have reached a certain level."*
Li claims to have taken energy cultivation to a new level. He also claims to have some 100 million followers worldwide, though he also claims that he keeps no records and that falun gong is not a cult, religion or sect ("Followers defend falun gong as innocuous," by Brian Milner, The Globe and Mail (Canada), July 22, 1999.) His popularity is great enough in China to have led to the arrest of more than 30,000 practitioners and a formal ban on falun gong, apparently for little more than being popular and thereby posing a threat to the stability of the repressive Communist regime ("China arrests 30,000 members of spiritual group," The Globe and Mail (Canada), July 22, 1999, by Miro Cernetig.)
Li left China in the early 1990s and lives in New York City. He promotes his beliefs in books he has written. His teachings are available on the Internet, which has significantly affected his status and popularity internationally. While much of falun gong is a rehash of traditional Chinese notions regarding meditation and exercises, Li has emphasized an anti-scientific approach to disease and medicine. He says disease is "is a black energy mass" that he can dissipate with his powers. Those who use medicine for their illnesses lack faith in falun gong. True believers don't need medicine. They understand that disease exists in some other space beyond physical space and that only those with "supernormal capabilities" can truly heal. True healing involves "cultivation energies...in the form of light with very tiny particles in great density."* He claims that he does not tell people not to use medicine, but that he has cured thousands of terminally ill people. He also claims that he advises terminally ill and mentally ill people not to practice falun gong. The former are too focused on their illness and the latter are not clear-minded enough to practice properly.
Li claims that falun gong is one of 84,000 cultivation ways of the Buddha's school. He claims that it has only been used once before, in prehistory, but that he is making it available again "at this final period of the Last Havoc."*
Falun is the miniature of the universe with all the abilities of the universe. It can automatically move in rotation. It will forever rotate in your lower abdomen area. Once it is installed in your body, it will no longer stop and will forever rotate like this year in and year out. During the time when it rotates clockwise, it can automatically absorb energy from the universe, and it can also transform energy from itself to supply the required energy for every part of your body transformation. At the same time, it can emit energy when it rotates counter-clock and releases the waste material which will disperse around your body. When it emits energy, the energy can be released to quite a distance and it brings in new energy again. The emitted energy can benefit the people around you....When Falun rotates clockwise, it can collect the energy back because it rotates forever....
Because Falun rotates forever, it cannot be stopped. If a phone call comes or someone knocks on the door, you may go ahead and take care of it immediately without having to finish the practice. When you stop to do your work, Falun will rotate at once clockwise and take back the emitted energy around your body.*
How Li knows about these rotations is a mystery, but he has many followers throughout the world who feel enlightened by these "teachings."
In short, falun gong is based upon the belief that the universe consists of magical energies that can be tapped into by certain practices and which can eliminate the need for medicine, bringing one to a state of enlightenment and physical immortality.* Its popularity seems directly related to its claim to bring health and relieve stress while providing enlightenment. It is anti-science, anti-medical establishment, and anti-materialism; thus, falun gong is attractive to many people who are fed up with the world as it is and their position in it.
It is difficult to understand why the Communist party in China fears falun gong. Their practices would relieve the demand for medical assistance, thereby saving the government millions of yuan. They encourage truthfulness, forbearance and compassion. Of course, members may not be very useful to society, since they are not materialistic and would prefer to spend their days meditating and exercising in the park, cultivating energies, rather than working in factories. Then again, communists don't like competition.
note: During the last week of July, 1999, more than 1,200 government officials who practice falun gong were "detained" by Chinese authorities. China's Ministry of Public Security issued an arrest warrant for Li Hongzhi, blaming him for the deaths of 743 followers. According to Michael Laris of the Washington Post, China "provided no evidence linking Li to any of the alleged deaths."
The question is unanswerable, because there are so many different meanings to the word "cult." Some are positive; some neutral. Most are negative:
The counter-cult movement (CCM) is composed almost entirely of conservative Protestant individuals and groups. They define as a cult any Christian faith group which holds one or more beliefs that conflict with historical Protestant doctrine. This generally includes such groups as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and sometimes even Roman Catholics. But the Falun Dafa is not a Christian group, and thus does not meet this definition of a cult.
Some Christian Fundamentalists regard all non-Christian faith groups to be a cult. Since the Falun Dafa does have some spiritual teachings, some fundamentalists would classify it as a cult, along with Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc.
The anti-cult movement (ACM) targets new religious movements that engage in psychological manipulation, deceptive recruiting practices, or simply expect a high level of commitment from their membership. Probably the largest ACM group is the AFF. They have some brief notes on the Falun Dafa. But they top their list with a disclaimer: "A listing on AFF's web site does not mean that AFF perceives any group to be a cult, practices coercive or destructive tactics, or is in violation of any law." They have a brief review of the book "The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power." They also have excerpts from the Cult Observer magazine: "Coping with trance states" and "Understanding Eastern Groups." None mention the Falun Dafa. All three appear to be totally unrelated to the movement. The only information that appears to be related to the Falun Dafa on the AFF site are five news items about the Chinese government oppression of the group. 1
Rick Ross, an "expert consultant and intervention specialist" with new religious movements. 2 He has an extensive collection of Falun Gong information derived from worldwide news reports of varying objectivity. 3
The Chinese government has relentlessly suppressed religious groups since achieving power in 1949. The rest of the world is most familiar with its oppression of non-registered Christian groups. However, the government has also persecuted many types of new religious and spiritual groups, including the Falun Gong. In fact, its suppression extends beyond such groups to include organizations that teach only simple meditation and gymnastic techniques. The government appears to fear any national group that is capable of organizing its followers into direct action.
In suppressing the Falun Dafa, the Chinese government has adopted much of the terminology of the Western anti-cult movement. The official Xinhua News Agency issued a report on "cults" in the United States. 4 It quoted Berkley psychology professor Margaret Singer, who was one of the few psychologists who supported the claims of the anti-cult movement until her death in 2003. The report discusses "spiritual poisoning." Cults are said to "not obey the law, they upset social order, and they create a menace to freedom of religion and social stability. Under the pretense of religion, kindness, and being non-political, they participate in political activities. Some of them even practice criminal activities such as tax evasion, fraud, drug dealing, smuggling, assassination, and kidnapping."
The Chinese government has described the Falun Dafa as a dangerous "cult." Some of their claims sound quite improbable: The group brainwashes its members.
Members, called practitioners, worship Mr. Li.
They had turned Communist officials into cult members in order to learn state secrets.
They suggest that their followers should not take any medication.
Some members have become paranoid, suffered from hallucination, committed suicide, or killed relatives and friends. The government has only been able to find a handful of such cases from among the tens of millions of practitioners in the country.
The government appears to regard the Falun Dafa as the most serious threat to the government since the 1989 student pro-democracy uprising. The government has historical reasons for their fear. China has had a history of religious and spiritual uprisings that had catastrophic effects on the country. "In the late 1770s, the White Lotus rebellion against the Qing dynasty was led by Wang Lun, a master of martial arts and herbal medicine." 5 Perhaps the most serious was the Taiping rebellion of 1845-1864 which was led by a leader who viewed himself as the Son of God. Some 20 million died in that revolt. 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
falun gong (a.k.a. falun dafa)
"Falun Dafa cultivates a Falun in the lower abdomen area instead of Dan....Falun Dafa cultivates Zhu Yishi instead of Fu Yishi, He Who practices attains Gong. Namely, your Zhu Yishi or Zhu Yuansheng attains the cultivation energy." --Li Hongzhi*
The doctrines of the Great Law of Falun Dafa can give guidance to anyone in their cultivation including those who have religious beliefs. This is the Principle of the universe, the true Law that has never been revealed. In the past humans were not allowed to know the Principle of the universe (Buddha Law); it transcends all the sciences and moral principles of ordinary human society from ancient times to the present. What has been taught in religions and what people have experienced are only superficialities and phenomena, while its extensive and profound inner meaning can only present itself to and be felt and understood by the cultivators who are at different levels of their true cultivation, and they can really see what the Law is. --Li Hongzhi*
Falun gong (pronounced fah-luhn gung) is Li Hongzhi's version of qi gong, which is an ancient Chinese practice of "energy cultivation". Falun means "wheel of law"; falun dafa is falun Buddha law.* According to Li, falun gong "is a cultivation system aiming at cultivating both human life and nature. The practitioner is required to attain enlightenment (open his cultivation energy) and achieve physical immortality in this mortal world when his energy potency and Xinxing [mind-nature] have reached a certain level."*
Li claims to have taken energy cultivation to a new level. He also claims to have some 100 million followers worldwide, though he also claims that he keeps no records and that falun gong is not a cult, religion or sect ("Followers defend falun gong as innocuous," by Brian Milner, The Globe and Mail (Canada), July 22, 1999.) His popularity is great enough in China to have led to the arrest of more than 30,000 practitioners and a formal ban on falun gong, apparently for little more than being popular and thereby posing a threat to the stability of the repressive Communist regime ("China arrests 30,000 members of spiritual group," The Globe and Mail (Canada), July 22, 1999, by Miro Cernetig.)
Li left China in the early 1990s and lives in New York City. He promotes his beliefs in books he has written. His teachings are available on the Internet, which has significantly affected his status and popularity internationally. While much of falun gong is a rehash of traditional Chinese notions regarding meditation and exercises, Li has emphasized an anti-scientific approach to disease and medicine. He says disease is "is a black energy mass" that he can dissipate with his powers. Those who use medicine for their illnesses lack faith in falun gong. True believers don't need medicine. They understand that disease exists in some other space beyond physical space and that only those with "supernormal capabilities" can truly heal. True healing involves "cultivation energies...in the form of light with very tiny particles in great density."* He claims that he does not tell people not to use medicine, but that he has cured thousands of terminally ill people. He also claims that he advises terminally ill and mentally ill people not to practice falun gong. The former are too focused on their illness and the latter are not clear-minded enough to practice properly.
Li claims that falun gong is one of 84,000 cultivation ways of the Buddha's school. He claims that it has only been used once before, in prehistory, but that he is making it available again "at this final period of the Last Havoc."*
Falun is the miniature of the universe with all the abilities of the universe. It can automatically move in rotation. It will forever rotate in your lower abdomen area. Once it is installed in your body, it will no longer stop and will forever rotate like this year in and year out. During the time when it rotates clockwise, it can automatically absorb energy from the universe, and it can also transform energy from itself to supply the required energy for every part of your body transformation. At the same time, it can emit energy when it rotates counter-clock and releases the waste material which will disperse around your body. When it emits energy, the energy can be released to quite a distance and it brings in new energy again. The emitted energy can benefit the people around you....When Falun rotates clockwise, it can collect the energy back because it rotates forever....
Because Falun rotates forever, it cannot be stopped. If a phone call comes or someone knocks on the door, you may go ahead and take care of it immediately without having to finish the practice. When you stop to do your work, Falun will rotate at once clockwise and take back the emitted energy around your body.*
How Li knows about these rotations is a mystery, but he has many followers throughout the world who feel enlightened by these "teachings."
In short, falun gong is based upon the belief that the universe consists of magical energies that can be tapped into by certain practices and which can eliminate the need for medicine, bringing one to a state of enlightenment and physical immortality.* Its popularity seems directly related to its claim to bring health and relieve stress while providing enlightenment. It is anti-science, anti-medical establishment, and anti-materialism; thus, falun gong is attractive to many people who are fed up with the world as it is and their position in it.
It is difficult to understand why the Communist party in China fears falun gong. Their practices would relieve the demand for medical assistance, thereby saving the government millions of yuan. They encourage truthfulness, forbearance and compassion. Of course, members may not be very useful to society, since they are not materialistic and would prefer to spend their days meditating and exercising in the park, cultivating energies, rather than working in factories. Then again, communists don't like competition.
note: During the last week of July, 1999, more than 1,200 government officials who practice falun gong were "detained" by Chinese authorities. China's Ministry of Public Security issued an arrest warrant for Li Hongzhi, blaming him for the deaths of 743 followers. According to Michael Laris of the Washington Post, China "provided no evidence linking Li to any of the alleged deaths."
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
rrmoderator
()
Date: October 03, 2004 02:08PM
Falun Gong or Falun Dafa is a destructive cult in my opinion.
See the following links:
[www.cultnews.com]
[www.culteducation.com]
[www.culteducation.com]
Falun Gong fits the typical pattern of a personality driven group. And its leader Li Hongzhi is a racist bigot.
I have received very serious complaints about the group from affected families and concerned individuals.
Some of Hongzhi's followers in the US have ceased taking medications based upon his teachings and influence.
I would not recommend this group to anyone under any circumstances and see it as potentially unsafe.
See the following links:
[www.cultnews.com]
[www.culteducation.com]
[www.culteducation.com]
Falun Gong fits the typical pattern of a personality driven group. And its leader Li Hongzhi is a racist bigot.
I have received very serious complaints about the group from affected families and concerned individuals.
Some of Hongzhi's followers in the US have ceased taking medications based upon his teachings and influence.
I would not recommend this group to anyone under any circumstances and see it as potentially unsafe.
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
glam
()
Date: October 03, 2004 09:35PM
Falun Gong are out in force all over Manhattan recently. They're dressing up their members as "torture victims" and putting them in cages on NY streets, and they've been passing out fliers and "newspapapers" to passersby. They stand in groups of three or four on street corners and in much larger groups near Central Park. I wish I could help them, but I'm not sure what I can do.
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
Cosmophilospher
()
Date: October 05, 2004 02:09AM
The Falun folks are extremely aggressive in their recruiting.
A friend of mine has a Falun (Gong/Dafa) member at work, who CONSTANTLY sends out emails about Falun meetings, and constantly is putting up posters, etc. She also claims that Falun "cured her breast cancer". She is just a regular person who has got caught up by the Thought Reform systems of Falun, and is constantly looking for new recruits, as she has been instructed to.
Also, they use all sorts of techniques to recruit.
Just the other week, at a local community fair, I saw 4 beautiful female Chinese fan dancers. They were really terrific, they were professionally trained, and beautiful, sexy women.
Guess what?
There was a big Falun sign behind them, and people there passing out recruiting info.
To me Falun Gong/Dafa makes outrageous and unsubstantiated health claims, and uses all of the cultic techniques to bring in and keep its recruits.
Stay away. I see enormous deception, regardless of what is happening in China.
Coz
A friend of mine has a Falun (Gong/Dafa) member at work, who CONSTANTLY sends out emails about Falun meetings, and constantly is putting up posters, etc. She also claims that Falun "cured her breast cancer". She is just a regular person who has got caught up by the Thought Reform systems of Falun, and is constantly looking for new recruits, as she has been instructed to.
Also, they use all sorts of techniques to recruit.
Just the other week, at a local community fair, I saw 4 beautiful female Chinese fan dancers. They were really terrific, they were professionally trained, and beautiful, sexy women.
Guess what?
There was a big Falun sign behind them, and people there passing out recruiting info.
To me Falun Gong/Dafa makes outrageous and unsubstantiated health claims, and uses all of the cultic techniques to bring in and keep its recruits.
Stay away. I see enormous deception, regardless of what is happening in China.
Coz
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
glam
()
Date: October 05, 2004 03:12AM
Oh, yeah, their claims are outrageous. I just find it amazing that the city of NY allows their "demonstrations" almost daily.
I wish there was a way I could help them understand what kind of group they're in...but I couldn't even help my friend understand about Landmark, so how on earth can you help people you just pass on the street? I wonder when, if ever, our government will understand what these groups are about and help break them up somehow.
I wish there was a way I could help them understand what kind of group they're in...but I couldn't even help my friend understand about Landmark, so how on earth can you help people you just pass on the street? I wonder when, if ever, our government will understand what these groups are about and help break them up somehow.
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
Cosmophilospher
()
Date: October 05, 2004 03:32AM
Just to clarify my views on this.
It would seem the Chinese gov't is persecuting these folks. After all, the death penalty, torture, etc, is used on a whim over there.
Also, personally, i believe freedom of belief and religion is a basic human right, as well as the right to lawful assembly. So they have every right to protest, assemble, and talk about what is going on in China.
As far as the people in the movement, it seems to me, they want to be in the movement, as they "believe" it is the way the universe is.
So, i don't think the Chinese Gov't should be persecuting these folks, and i also believe they have every right to demonstrate, and do their thing.
Who wants Thought Police?
But i do think they are also a cult, and full of deception.
So perhaps the "solution" for these types of things is Education on the nature of cults.
Coz
It would seem the Chinese gov't is persecuting these folks. After all, the death penalty, torture, etc, is used on a whim over there.
Also, personally, i believe freedom of belief and religion is a basic human right, as well as the right to lawful assembly. So they have every right to protest, assemble, and talk about what is going on in China.
As far as the people in the movement, it seems to me, they want to be in the movement, as they "believe" it is the way the universe is.
So, i don't think the Chinese Gov't should be persecuting these folks, and i also believe they have every right to demonstrate, and do their thing.
Who wants Thought Police?
But i do think they are also a cult, and full of deception.
So perhaps the "solution" for these types of things is Education on the nature of cults.
Coz
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
glam
()
Date: October 05, 2004 05:50AM
I agree with everything you've said. I think education is the way.
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
Hope
()
Date: October 05, 2004 09:30AM
A group of Falun Gongers had a free lecture and demo at the local library. They were not aggressive at all and explained that true practitioners do not believe the FD cures health problems. They attribute improved stress levels due to meeting with people they like, with common interests, and the goal of an overall healthier lifestyle anyway, and the meditative practive and excercise just one component, like taking yoga or Tai Chi. However, this group also really did not get into the doctrine of Falun Dafa, did not "follow" Li Honghi. There is a group that meets in a park where I walk and I have never, ever been approached.
On the other hand, they know of folks who go overboard, make claims about Li Hongzhi being the messiah, and that the practice cures cancer and everything else. There are reports of Li Hongzi being a homophobe, misogynist, sociopath who is living in luxury. This all goes against the basis of the teachings being Forbearance, Truth and whatever the third thing is - kindness?
As for the demonstrators in the streets, I don't know if the torture claims are true. I have read in various places on the web that US Congress has petitioned the Chinese govt to cease in the torture of FD practitioners. [www.clearharmony.net] If it is a matter of human rights, than by all means get the word out.
On the other hand, they know of folks who go overboard, make claims about Li Hongzhi being the messiah, and that the practice cures cancer and everything else. There are reports of Li Hongzi being a homophobe, misogynist, sociopath who is living in luxury. This all goes against the basis of the teachings being Forbearance, Truth and whatever the third thing is - kindness?
As for the demonstrators in the streets, I don't know if the torture claims are true. I have read in various places on the web that US Congress has petitioned the Chinese govt to cease in the torture of FD practitioners. [www.clearharmony.net] If it is a matter of human rights, than by all means get the word out.
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
Hope
()
Date: October 06, 2004 12:56PM
The question of whether or not Falun Dafa is a high risk group has been brought up on this forum at least twice, and I'm surprised no practitioner has chimed in.
Another interview with Ms Sandas, who was quoted in the link in the above thread, contains this factoid, "we now know that 70% of all illnesses are psychosomatic." No source of this information was given so I googled it.
From www.scientologyhandbook.org
"Unhappiness, inability to heal and psychosomatic illnesses (which include some 70 percent of the illnesses of man) are best handled by immediate address of the thetan. Illnesses caused by recognizable bacteria and injury in accident are best treated by physical means. These fall distinctly into the field of medicine and are not the province of Scientology, even though accidents and illness and bacterial infection are predetermined in almost all cases by spiritual malfunction and unrest. And conditions in accidents are definitely prolonged by any spiritual malfunction. "
This quote has been used by other new agey groups who have websites. I've been on the fence about FD, out of concern for those they claim are being tortured. However, the quote by this woman who is progressively becoming an international spokesperson for the group is a huge red flag. It could be she's a falun gonging scientologist or that this is part of the belief system of FD.
It would be an incredible shame if followers not only were deceived and then tortured for their partication.
Another interview with Ms Sandas, who was quoted in the link in the above thread, contains this factoid, "we now know that 70% of all illnesses are psychosomatic." No source of this information was given so I googled it.
From www.scientologyhandbook.org
"Unhappiness, inability to heal and psychosomatic illnesses (which include some 70 percent of the illnesses of man) are best handled by immediate address of the thetan. Illnesses caused by recognizable bacteria and injury in accident are best treated by physical means. These fall distinctly into the field of medicine and are not the province of Scientology, even though accidents and illness and bacterial infection are predetermined in almost all cases by spiritual malfunction and unrest. And conditions in accidents are definitely prolonged by any spiritual malfunction. "
This quote has been used by other new agey groups who have websites. I've been on the fence about FD, out of concern for those they claim are being tortured. However, the quote by this woman who is progressively becoming an international spokesperson for the group is a huge red flag. It could be she's a falun gonging scientologist or that this is part of the belief system of FD.
It would be an incredible shame if followers not only were deceived and then tortured for their partication.
Is Falun Dafa a cult?
Posted by:
Cosmophilospher
()
Date: October 07, 2004 12:10AM
There are endless sects that claim that their methods can cure all disease.
For instance, Christian Science (antiscience) claims that the Christ Mind can cure 100% of all disease.
New Thought folks say the same thing.
Even Tony Robbins sneakily claims that the Mind can cure anything, if you believe it enough. As does the dreaded BS artiste, Deepak Chopra.
There certainly is a Mind-Body healing effect, and psychosomatic illness does occur.
But the exact nature of this is not known yet.
There are appears to be SOME effect if you learn to relax, Visualize health, etc.
But for example, I knew a girl who was big into SGI, and she got a brain tumor, and hundreds of followers chanted for her for months.
She died.
As my friend who worked in the New Age Wellness industry said, “they still died”.
What they don't talk about is all the people who do everything right, but still die.
What they refuse to understand is the reality of biological illness. They have a complete ignorance of the way the human body works.
But I also think they use it as Guilt. So if you get sick, ITS YOUR FAULT, for not chanting/praying/meditating/thinking correctly or enough.
Also, human illness is big business.
So if you can hold out a cure for illnesses that are currently incurable, then there is big money in that.
In my view its a combo of self-delusion, deception and error. They don’t seem to realize that “spontaneous remission” can occur, and then people might think that their chanting, or whatever, cured them. But the only way to figure out what works is by doing proper controlled scientific studies against a placebo.
The “placebo effect” is very real, and needs to be taken into account. PERHAPS in the cases where some of this stuff works is the placebo effect, or maybe its just coincidence. But they also have to take into account all the times it DOESN’T WORK, and people still die.
In my former life, I actually did believe for a while that one could cure all illness through the "power of the mind". But if one simply researches this carefully, the folly of that position becomes apparent quite quickly.
So there is tons of room here for research into Healing and the Mind, the placebo effect, psychosomatic illness, etc, but one has to take the Cults out of it.
They are exploiting human illness for power and profit.
Coz
For instance, Christian Science (antiscience) claims that the Christ Mind can cure 100% of all disease.
New Thought folks say the same thing.
Even Tony Robbins sneakily claims that the Mind can cure anything, if you believe it enough. As does the dreaded BS artiste, Deepak Chopra.
There certainly is a Mind-Body healing effect, and psychosomatic illness does occur.
But the exact nature of this is not known yet.
There are appears to be SOME effect if you learn to relax, Visualize health, etc.
But for example, I knew a girl who was big into SGI, and she got a brain tumor, and hundreds of followers chanted for her for months.
She died.
As my friend who worked in the New Age Wellness industry said, “they still died”.
What they don't talk about is all the people who do everything right, but still die.
What they refuse to understand is the reality of biological illness. They have a complete ignorance of the way the human body works.
But I also think they use it as Guilt. So if you get sick, ITS YOUR FAULT, for not chanting/praying/meditating/thinking correctly or enough.
Also, human illness is big business.
So if you can hold out a cure for illnesses that are currently incurable, then there is big money in that.
In my view its a combo of self-delusion, deception and error. They don’t seem to realize that “spontaneous remission” can occur, and then people might think that their chanting, or whatever, cured them. But the only way to figure out what works is by doing proper controlled scientific studies against a placebo.
The “placebo effect” is very real, and needs to be taken into account. PERHAPS in the cases where some of this stuff works is the placebo effect, or maybe its just coincidence. But they also have to take into account all the times it DOESN’T WORK, and people still die.
In my former life, I actually did believe for a while that one could cure all illness through the "power of the mind". But if one simply researches this carefully, the folly of that position becomes apparent quite quickly.
So there is tons of room here for research into Healing and the Mind, the placebo effect, psychosomatic illness, etc, but one has to take the Cults out of it.
They are exploiting human illness for power and profit.
Coz
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