On Falun Gong

[Jeff Yu]

None of the various Buddhist/Daoist cults was as bad as the Taiping Rebellion. Most estimates of the number of deaths caused are around 30 million, but some go as high as 65 million. And all because some lunatic thought he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ.

 

[Uiler]

Oh and I forgot. The anti-Manchurian Red Flower Society which had strong ties with Shaolin Buddhist Temple. Other anti-government Buddhist/Taoist sects that popped up against the Manchurians were the Old Brother's society, Heaven and Earth society, Green Gang, Hung Moon, etc. The point is religious sects have always played an extremely large role in anti-government activities. This is why the Chinese government is so suspicious of the Falun Gong.

 

[luiz]

On the issue of Yellow Scarves. To make it even worse, Falun Gong's colour is Yellow (hence the popularity of Yellow Scarves). The colour of Communist China is Red. Guess *why* the Yellow Scarves chose yellow in the first place? The colour of Han was Red. According to the Chinese cycle of elements, the Red Fire of Han was to replaced by the Yellow Earth. Ergo, the Yellow Scarves. There was a prophecy etc. etc. How important this is in the Communist response, probably depends on how superstitious they are. If the colour yellow was chosen deliberately to annoy the Communists then yes, the leader of the Falun Gong must be deliberately baiting the Communists. On the other hand it could just be a coincidence. But really they really stop the followers in demonstrations wearing Yellow Scarves. In the Chinese mind, Yellow Scarves is very strongly associated with a Taoist sect in armed rebellion against a government (whose colour is Red). Even if the association is a coincidence, it could be seen as deliberate provocation.

You know it's ironic but one of the points of Communism is to get rid of superstitions and stablish a rational government.

So it would be hilarious, if it was not sad, that a Communist government is persecuting people because they wear yellow scarves, motivated by some medieval superstition.

 

[Dann]

The Falun Gong get no sympathy from the general populace because they're a pest! Bad enough that they twist Taoist principles into a mutated system that guarantees members lose what little sense they have left, but I hear they also routinely set up loudspeakers and broadcast their mantras at 4:00 in the morning. It was reported they even once managed to jam satellite broadcasts, replacing the usual TV fare with their stuff. I trust that even to you people, this kind of inconsiderate "shoving your stuff down other's throats" won't be taken too kindly either, yes?

Also they're being persecuted not for their beliefs, but because they've grown too large and powerful for their own good. What's more, they chose to fight the government. Couldn't they have just remained low profile and continue making money on the side, hmm?

 

[stratego]

Thats a Hindu swastika not a Nazi one. And for the ignorant masses the swastika is a Hindu symbol for good luck. A notable diffrence between the Hindu and Nazi swastikas is that the Nazi swastika is tilted on a angle while the Hindu one is straight.

It's not the swastika that's the problem. It's their racist believes, and the cult personality that's the problem.

 

[Uiler]

You know it's ironic but one of the points of Communism is to get rid of superstitions and stablish a rational government.

So it would be hilarious, if it was not sad, that a Communist government is persecuting people because they wear yellow scarves, motivated by some medieval superstition.

However, it is not necessarily superstition. In China Yellow Scarves is synonymous with armed rebellion by a Taoist sect against the government. Even if you take away the religious/prophetic significance, because of its historical connection with the fall of the Han dynasty, "Yellow Scarves" is a symbol of religious inspired armed rebellion all on its own like the way the picture of Che or the Nazi Swastika or the crucifix has taken a life on its own. The Falun Gong choosing Yellow Scarves deliberately to taunt the Communists would be like a far right party in Germany using the Swastika. If it is deliberate, it is hard to mistake their intentions. Of course this is assuming that they did it deliberately. It could be just a sheer coincidence. Not every yellow scarf has to be about rebellion. However I still suspect it contributes to the Communist's suspicions about the Falun Gong's intentions are.

I do find it hilarious how none of the English language media have ever picked up on the significance of the Yellow Scarves though. I'm not sure even the non-Chinese Falun Gong members even know the signficiance of Yellow Scarves in Chinese history. They just think it is a symbol of the Falun Gong. Only Chinese would make the connection.

Now, if they start dying their eyebrows red, there will be no mistake. They really *are* taunting the Communist government and their real aim is to bring down the government. (The Red Eyebrows is another famous rebel group that brought down the "usurper" Wang Mang). Or any other oen of the symbols of the other anti-government sects that have popped up through history. One symbol of armed rebellion I can buy as a coincidence (though highly suspicious). Two would NOT be a coincidence. Though knowing the English language media they'd just say something about a Buddhist symbol and totally miss the connection...

 

[King Alexander]

You know it's ironic but one of the points of Communism is to get rid of superstitions and stablish a rational government.

So, who said that Communism doesn't also have good points?(j/k)

They really *are* taunting the Communist government and their real aim is to bring down the government.

How much percentage of China's population Falun Gong represents? For what I've read so far, they are a smaller-than-tiny percentage and they want to bring down the goverment and overthrow it against the majority's will? --- Take care of the anarchists.