How do you view FaLungong?

[kelleywang]

Hi, I 'm from China.Most Chinese depise Falungong and believe it's a sort of cult. Yet I hear many Americans seem to be very sympathetic to Falungong and regard it as a sort of religion. What do you and your surronding people think about it ? Do you think it's very political?

Thanks

[Mickey]

I believe that here in the U.S. it is regarded more as a meditation technique than a religion. It seems to be a "fad" of sorts. Americans in general seem to embrace the latest practices that claim or are known to reduce stress and improve overall health.

I suspect that the Chinese government's view of it as a cult has to do with the fear of a spiritual uprising. By turning people off it (by declaring it is a cult and arresting practitioners), they can keep the numbers down and the overall threat is then lower.

[kat]

If it is a "fad" here, it hasn't reached us. I've never heard of it, or my head is in the sand. Sorry.

[Lynda/WA]

I've never heard of it either. Or if I have it was only in passing. I'm a news buff too. Is this similar to Tai Chi Chih? That has become popular. There has been a leaning towards many oriental things. Chinese decorations are popular - especially something with a Chinese character for wisdom, peace etc. So have other things for tranquility like Feng Shui and water fountains.

[kelleywang]

What Falugong really annoys me and other common Chinese people is they always try to persuade you practice it.They tell you how well it has worked on their diseases and how beautiful their new spiritual world is.
They don't eat(not allowed) any medicines and they are required to clear away all the worries including the care for the family and friends, the kindred love. I can never agree on that. They claim they are " true,kind and tolerant". But I think they are just trying to escape from the reality,that's not "true", care only about themselves,that's not "kind" and very well organized to demonstrate or post slogans on building and trees ,that's not "tolerant".


I never doubt Qigong(air excercise,Taichi and Falungong are same on this point) is very helful to cure the sickness. Because it can quickly make you clear your mind in the state of thinking of nothing. I can make you believe the moving air in your body can take the pioson out of the sick organs. I actually had practiced some Qigong when I was sick in the university. I understand it as a more effective psychotherapy. It really workes but not that much.


China government maybe have a lot to be blamed. But can you assume everything against it or everything the government against as just and right?

A fly annoys a ruffian too.

[Mickey]

It is obviously perceived differently in China than I have read. The things I have read lead you to believe that the negativity is government created. That Falun Gong is simply a Quigong technique and people are lead to believe it is something evil to deter them from practicing it.

I didn't know that you aren't allowed to take any medication and have to forget about your family and friends to practice. Is this what you have read about it in or is this what you have learned from personal experience with practitioners of Falun Gong?

I doubt that this is the case in the U.S., but I honestly don't know for sure since I haven't met people who actually practice it. I've just read about it being a meditation technique--a way of "cultivating" your spirit, like you would a garden--helping you to overcome stress and illness. It sounded very similar to Tai Chi to me. I think that here, it is mostly thought of in the Qigong sense.

Could it be that it is basically a good concept, but some people take it to extremes or incorporate their own odd ideas and as a result, people focus on the negativity of that one small group and judge the entire concept by that? Take the Unification Church (Moonies) for example--they consider themselves Christians when most Christians wouldn't. What if we were to judge all of Christianity based on the behaviour of the Moonies? Do you think this could possibly be what has happened with Falun Gong in China?

[kelleywang]

My mother is a retired teacher. A couple of Falungong practitioners in the neighborhood had tried to persuade her to prctice before. She immediately refused on knowing that no meditation should be taken when sick and the cares in the motal world should be abandoned. My mother told them it's definetly impossible for her not to care for her 90 years old father and the unmarried son (refering to me).
In China, you can hardly aviod such "personal experience". There are just too many Falungon followers . Before the banning and the suppression , you could always see some practitioners ,mainly retaired women and men, practcing Falungon at some open places along the streets in front of a very big red banner with big characters of Falungong written on it. Now, you still can find some small slogan papers sticked on your doors or put in through the door crack. They also throw slogan banners onto the the trees along the street so the passengers in the buses can see. I don't really know Moonies , Christian or any other foreign religions. I don't know if they also always try hard to show and if they are also so willing to die for this belief. I know they have radios,TVs and of course, websites to promote their belief. Yes, they have missionaries. I have met some American in China. They were from Monenism( not sure about the spelling). But they are very kind and they still respect you even though you have told them clearly you are a complete aneist. Okay, you may say that they are not a religion. But that's even easier to see through their guise in the sense of Qigong. Qigong, as I have practiced, is the absolute peace state of mind. There is a Chinese saying describing Qigong and GongFu masters :" A true man does not show. To show is not a true man". So unlike Taichi, been regarded as very peaceful,reserved and heathy for hundreds years , Falungong and other various "Gong"s which suddenly and coincidentally arised together in these years in China are merely fraud. They have simply used the "belief barrenness" of the Chinese people as the communism belief has collapsed.

It's the goverment who should be responsible for its spread. It's the goverment leaders who had justified and legalised such organizations for they wish the self-glorified masters could transfer some real power to them as to extend their lives.

I feel very bad that there are already so many people plagued. Yet people are not alert enough.

[Mickey]

I have no first-hand knowledge of the situation surrounding this in China, but it sounds like it may be political from what I've read.

All I know is that here, it's a meditation technique, like Tai Chi. I have not heard or read of it being cult-like in any way.

[SMB]

I've heard about this movement. I also heard the cult -like ways of cutting off family who don't belong, refusal of medicine, and the many resulting deaths. I'm not very impressed with religions or philosophies that cut you off from your family and refuse medical attention. Dh has some friends at work who are from China and we had some discussions with them a while back about it.