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It would be an incredible shame if followers not only were deceived and then tortured for their partication.

I believe that's what's happening. Although they do have the right to demonstrate and they certainly shouldn't be tortured by the government, I also think they use their "demonstrations" as a recruitment tool.

Falun Gong members are put into crates on NY sidewalks and made to hold still in quite uncomfortable positions for hours on end in order to demonstrate what the torture is like, which is a mild form of torture itself, IMO. And sometimes they talk to you about stopping the torture in China, but most of the time they approach with an "it's good for your health" line. Also, some of the FG members I've seen in NY are European American, not Chinese. They were obviously recruited here.

I havent' seen them in action in NYC, but here in the NYC suburbs and there are groups that practice in the parks here. Now I know that anyone in a cult is not going to say or even believe they are in a cult, but the attitude I get from the FGers here is take it or leave it. Perhaps it's demographics, but it seems like the participants treat it like a Tai chi class. There is no teaching of doctrine or anything like that. The other thing about NY is there is a radio station and newspaper devoted to Falun Dafa that's strictly about politics.

I would just like to clarify that the practitioners demonstrating torture methods in NYC are not 'put into' cages or 'made to' stand for hours, they are volunteers.

I'm an English Falun Gong practitioner, living in London. I have practised for about 3 and a half years. I would be happy to discuss my experience with Falun Gong and try and answer any questions.

Best,

Huw

Hi huw,

I would like to understand Falun Dafa more. I'm sort of on the fence about it, don't know what to believe, know some people who do the exercises but don't seem to be all that involved in it.

What is your impression of Li Hongzi? What are your thoughts on his homophobic statements? What about the fact that he reportedly lives in luxury while people are allegedly being tortured? What has he done about it?

Thanks,
Hope

Hope, in answer to your questions:

I have never met Li Hongzhi but respect him as the founder of the practise.

Regarding Li Hongzhi's comments about homosexuality, my personal understanding is that he is not telling people in general how to live, but explaining the principles of Falun Dafa cultivation to practitioners. I think he is telling practitioners that homosexuality has karmic consequences. This is just my personal opinion.

Regarding reports that Li Hongzhi lives in luxury, as far as I know these reports only come from Chinese state propaganda and are unsubstantiated. Personally, I think that if it was true, it would have been exposed by the western media by now.

Li Hongzhi has always asked the Chinese government for a peaceful dialogue to end the persecution.

Best, Huw

Li Hongzhi is also against interracial couples, which he also believes will have "karmic cosequences."

What are "karmic consequences"?

Sounds more like racism than karma.

Mr. Hongzhi also says he has supernatural powers and has made wild claims about aliens from outer space.

Much of what he says comes off as the fairly typical rant of a megalomaniac "cult leader."

Most of the Western media seems to have been taken in by the Falun Gong PR blitz, which is relentlessly coordinated by Falun Gong devotees.

See [www.cultnews.com]

No independently audited disclosures have been made regarding Mr. Hongzhi's assets or income.

It's such a strange bunch. There is a website called Pure Insight where devotees give personal testimony to what [i:cf5a1f6ff0]Li Hongzhi[/i:cf5a1f6ff0] has done for them - not the meditative practice nor dogma, but the man, which of course is quite cultish.

FD has not infiltrated businesses in the way LGATs like LEC have, so is it merely because so many people are involved in FD that the Chinese govt persecutes them because the large number is threatening?

On another thread here, there is discussion about perceived benefits of LEC classes. With FD, however, someone who is embarking on an exercise program is probably also starting to make other changes in their lifestyle. A spokesperson for FD has been all over the world promoting it, claiming it got her off drugs, alcohol, cleared up her allergies, however, looking at her age, she probably would be finding the party scene old, and her health would probably clear up. Despite this, she attributes it to FD practice and it's truth, kindness, forbearance philosophy.

It seems there are different degrees of FD - those who like meeting with similar people and doing the exercises but don't bother with the blue book Zhuan Falun (sp?), and those who fall for it hook, line and sinker.

last month i saw these people on the street in new york. they are nuts and they are brainwashed into believing new age mumboo jumbo . the people I spoke to were gulllible and believed that they were helping their fellow cult zombies in china this is not the case as they would not have a problem in china if they were not messing with peoples heads and trying to affect the government. I have one of their free papers which proves they are deluded
china people are commie tyrents but they have the right idea when it comes to dealing with cult leaders and conartists who wreck innocent lives. you can do falun wang wong until you are blue in the face and it won't save you. Here people can do it and be gullible and brainwashed more new age mumbo jumbo peddled to people who should be studying math and science and not following make believe fairy tales...
their leader hates gays and wants to control the chinese people through his advanced wisdom sounds like hitler to me
THIS CULT IS DANGEROUS like the aum bimbo people in japan who gased all those poor people on the subway/ can you imagine if they did it in new york what would all you people who think that they are innocent think then?

An earlier post said:
[i:ee1c1b0625]"I wonder when, if ever, our government will understand what these groups are about and help break them up somehow."[/i:ee1c1b0625]

While I can appreciate the gist of what I think you are saying (please clarify if not) - [i:ee1c1b0625]that these groups should not be allowed to get away with harming/cheating people[/i:ee1c1b0625] - I'm not so sure that any government should be doing that type of work. Surely the followers would only see this as further kindling for their fires - they can play the "victim" card and suddenly they are getting so much free publicity, people are buying their snake oil, etc. I think the best way to yank the rug out from under these groups is to prosecute for crimes committed, and spread the word about them (that's what makes culteducation.com so valuable IMO).

Also, in regards to "karmic consequences" for interracial couples, homosexuality, etc.: To assume that karma is always a "negative" repercussion of an action is to misunderstand karma completely. Karma (sanskrit) or kamma (pali) can be translated simply as "action". There is no implication or inclination toward positive/good any more than there is to negative/evil. Beware groups that stretch concepts to meet [i:ee1c1b0625]their[/i:ee1c1b0625] message.

My 19 y.o. godson and his buddy, followers of Falun Dafa from NYC, recently visited for a couple of days.

They had just attended a Falun Dafa convention in San Francisco. They were so happy as the founder of the organization had paid a surprise visit. "We never know when or if he'll show up because he's so busy". The glassy eyed smiling faces of post-cult large group meditations, etc...

They talked a lot about "The Book". The writings of the teacher that make such an impact on the lives of 'anyone who reads it with an open heart'. He promised to mail me a copy.

They also discussed the persecutions in China. Pretty graphic awful stuff. I agree w/ Coz; they should not be persecuted for their beliefs. Yet, this is clearly a cult.

We went out to dinner and discussed their involvement, their 'practice', the teachings, etc and talked theoretically about groupthink, rather than just come out directly with my attitudes about the group. Sometimes they became uncomfortable, visibly squirming. sigh. They are true believers and their commitment to this group IS their life. They have traveled the world to protest the persecutions in China. My godson was once arrested in China for the protests. He said they are 'not protesting', they 'are simply bringing awareness of this injustice to the world'. sigh. .... High level of devotional service in the name of cult control....

After dinner, we stayed up just talking family stories- my kids are cult-aware. The last time I saw my godson was when he was 1 y.o. His mother and I had been buddies in the TM community in Iowa (another lifetime ago!). We had LOTS of life catch up on. Baby stories in the TM community, and everyone's lives since.

Seems that prior to Falun Dafa, these young men and my old friends (his parents), had gotten heavily into cocaine. They experience that this peaceful practice saved their lives. From his stories, that is true. I've heard many other cult members say the same about their various cults.

Trading one addiction for another, maybe it's a matter of gradations of damage? Falun Dafa involvement (these two young men live, breathe, and work for the cult) is a stepwise improvement in functioning over being strung out on crack. Hopefully they will become increasingly strong, somehow, and eventually live independent functional lives.

This ties in with my recent posting on those who were born or raised in cults. IMHO, from what I've seen, those who are multi-generational cultists have a reallly hard time making it w/o some sort of crutch.