re: Religion: on Prophets, Persecution and Falun Gong (Ying Rong, US)

Ying Rong responds to Istvan Simon’s post of 8 November:

I agree with Istvan that persecution over Falun Gong is a human right issue. Belief is everyone’s choice, and Falun Gong practitioners respect other people’s choices. We don’t and won’t impose our belief/practice over others.

Falun Gong practitioners respect Mr. Li but we don’t worship him, since this has been strongly discouraged from the very beginning. The practice is focused on becoming a better person.

Below is from FalunInfo.net:

Who is Li Hongzhi?

Mr. Li Hongzhi is the founder and instructor of Falun Gong. He first taught the practice of Falun Gong to the general public in 1992 in northeastern China in the city of Changchun. He is the recipient of numerous awards and citations for his efforts to promote human betterment. He is a four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and has been nominated by the European Parliament for the Sakharov Prize For Freedom of Thought.

Why do you call him “Master”?

This is a common honorific in China for any accomplished instructor in any of a variety of skilled arts–such as the martial arts, Tai-chi, or qigong–or religious disciplines, such as Buddhism or Daoism. There is nothing sensational about it, any more than, say, might the designation “professor” be for one’s instructor while in college.

An article I read said that you “worship” Master Li?

Those who practice Falun Gong do not as a practice worship Mr. Li, and Li has, for his part, specifically discouraged this sort of thing in his teachings (veneration of one’s spiritual teacher is common in Asian culture). While it is common in the Asian martial arts to, say, bow to a portrait of one’s sensei/teacher before commencing one’s training, Falun Gong’s teachings do not suggest anything of the sort. Attention has always been directed to the teachings in Falun Gong, as opposed to any one personality.

Why did he leave China?

Mr. Li has explained that he wished for a better educational opportunity for his daughter, who was then of high school age, when deciding to relocate to the United States. The move could also be seen as consistent with his decision in 1996 to discontinue teaching in China in favor of introducing the practice abroad.

Where does he now live?

As of the time of this writing, Mr. Li is said to be living in the United States on the East Coast.

I heard he lives a secretive life. What’s he hiding?

Mr. Li keeps a low profile at this time, presumably owing to threat of physical harm from agents of China’s communist regime. Radio Free Asia and others have reported that China’s rulers have dispatched assassins to the U.S. with orders to track down and kill Li. Several of his more prominent students, active in human rights efforts, have been physically assaulted by hired thugs; in at least two cases the thugs were later found to have been sent by the Chinese consulate.

Why doesn’t he address the public or do interviews?

Alongside the above concern for safety, Mr. Li has suggested a wish to avoid media fanfare and the possibility of a cult of personality forming around him; several journalists have not represented his words or teachings accurately, which might be another factor.

How does Mr. Li make a living?

He has indicated that his income as of 1999 came primarily from the sales of books which he authored.

Is it true he’s made millions off of Falun Gong?

No. Mr. Li is believed to have only made a nominal amount from the sales of Falun Gong books and videos, and the giving of lectures in China between 1992 and 1994. China’s Ministry of Propaganda has labored to paint Li as a wealthy swindler in an attempt to turn public opinion against him, going so far in one story as to show photos of a Manhattan skyscraper and claim he had amassed a real estate empire in the U.S. In reality, he owned a small residential home in Queens.

Who taught him the practice?

Mr. Li has indicated that he studied under several Buddhist, Daoist, and other masters in China in the decades leading up to Falun Gong’s public introduction in 1992. He has expressed a wish to protect their identities following the persecution of Falun Gong which began in 1999; their identification would likely lead to arrest and torture, as it has others associated with the practice.

Is it true he is “controlling the movement” via the Internet?

No. Mr. Li reportedly didn’t know how to use a computer when last asked. He has composed a number of essays in recent years, published by various adherents online, which offer spiritual and philosophical guidance to students of the practice, many of whom live in China under constant threat. But it would not be accurate to describe this as “controlling” what is happening in China, particularly given how loosely organized are the grassroots efforts there meant to resist the suppression.

What is Li’s response to the suppression in China?

Mr. Li originally called for dialogue with Chinese authorities, believing them to be acting on a mistaken perception that Falun Gong threatened their power. China’s rulers refused, and issued an arrest warrant for Li; soon after it was reported they sent assassins to the U.S. Li has since then suggested that students try to expose human rights abuses against Falun Gong to fellow citizens, and combat official propaganda with grassroots informational efforts.

JE comments: Does Mr. Li make public appearances now? Does he still live in his “small residential home in Queens”? The information presented above appears to be current only through 1999.

re: Religion: on Prophets, Persecution and Falun Gong (Alain de Benoist, France)

Istvan Simon wrote on 8 November:

Li Hongzhi may be a flawed individual, but that does not make the persecution of the followers of his teachings any more acceptable.

Alain de Benoist responds:

I agree. But persecution is not proof that the persecuted are “right,” “good,” or that they hold any “truth.” There is today a tendency for some victims to use the fact that they are (or have been) victims to show how good they are. This is a non sequitur. Persecution of insane people is also unacceptable, but it is certainly not a proof of their good mental health.

Moreover, I think it is perfectly reasonable to compare Li Hongzhi to Jesus or Muhammad, not because he is supposed to be a prophet, but because he is a founder. Li Hongzhi “is” not the Falun Gong, but I suppose that Falun Gong practitioners can have only reverence for what their founder has said.

Finally, Istvan is right to retract the statement that “no spiritual movement has been successfully suppressed by savage persecution.” John Heelan gave the counter-example of the Cathars in medieval France. He could have quoted a great number of other spiritual movements, Christian “heresies,” or popular beliefs, which have also been suppressed by persecution. He could also have quoted all the original European religions (Celtic, Germanic, Baltic, Slavic, Roman, Greek, etc.) which were suppressed by Christianity.

re: Religion: on Prophets, Persecution and Falun Gong (Mike Bonnie, US)

Istvan Simon wrote on 8 November:

It seems to me that Massoud Malek [7 November] misstates the relationship of Li Hongzhi with the Falun Gong, and I think also the nature of the Falun Gong when compared to other religions. Li Hongzhi is not a prophet. As far as I know Falun Gong practitioners do not consider him to be a prophet either. If so, it is inappropriate to compare him to either Jesus or Muhammad, because the latter are considered to have been endowed with divine powers by their followers, whereas that does not seem to be the case with the Falun Gong practitioners and Li Hongzhi.

Wikipedia has a balanced and well-researched summary, which I think could be a good starting point for an understanding of the proper relationship of Li Hongzhi to the Falun Gong for non-expert WAISers like me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong

Mike Bonnie responds:

Istvan cites Wikipedia.org/Falun Gong as a balanced and well-researched summary of the beliefs of Falun Gong members. I believe its fair to cite Wikipedia.org/Li Hongzhi as an equally balanced and well-researched summary:

“Much of Falun Gong’s doctrine and all of its texts are directly compiled from Li’s lectures and he wields near-absolute influence over the practice.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hongzhi

In my opinion, it’s not what a teacher as Li Hongzhi professes himself to be (a metaphor for religious, spiritual leader) teaches that is important–what’s important is what sticks in the students’ heads.

A bit more researched information can be found in translations of Zhuan Falun II, one of the principle writings and teaching of Li Hongzhi.

From a Wikipeidia.org discussion of Falun Gong text on the subject of homosexuality:

Li’s Statement About “the disgusting homosexuality” in Zhuan Falun II:

Dilip: You questioned the validity of the Li Hongzhi quote in “Ephasis
on Moral Nature,” so I just added a link to the source. I hope we can
avoid an overt war over this one paragraph on homosexuality. I agree
that we do not need a big section on homosexuality in this article, but
we certainly need a fair representation of Li’s teachings on this
subject. Frankly, I don’t undertand why you keep deleting these
statements of Li, except perhaps that they embarrass you.

This particular quote has appeared in many English articles over the
years. There may be a question of translation from the Chinese. Here are
two possible versions:

Existing version: “The disgusting homosexuality shows the dirty abnormal
psychology of the gay who has lost his ability of reasoning at the
present time.”

More literal translation provided by Samuel Luo: “The disgusting
homosexuality reflects the dirty twisted mind which has lost its
reasoning ability at the present time.”

I am happy with either version, and wonder if anyone on this site can
offer an expert opinion on the best translation of this quote.

Source: Falun Canada web site.

Select “Dafa Books” in left column. Select Zhuan Falun II. Go to
“Humankind at the Period of the Last Havoc” at page 22. –Tomananda
20:04, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

As I stated above, this quote serves no purpose as the issue is
comprehensively addressed in the following quote from Germany. It’s
clear from the Germany quote that Falun Gong views this behavior or
state of mind as filthy. And since there is no official translation it
is even less acceptable. If you cannot provide a better reason to keep
the quote it cannot stay in the article. The same goes for the poem
quote; I stated ample reasons for it’s removal, so unless you or anyone
else can respond, it should not be included.

Mcconn 16:35, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Falun_Gong/Archive6#Li.27s_Statement_About_.22the_disgusting_homosexuality.22_in_Zhuan_Falun_II

For greater depth in understanding the nature of cults, I’ll defer to
the late Dr. Margaret Singer and recommend watching a video interview of
her discussion of cults and Falun Gong:

Interview with Dr. Margart Thaler Singer on Falun Gong:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC3USBF42RM&feature=related

For people who do not know of Dr. Singer:

Dr. Margaret Thaler Singer (1921 - 2003) was a clinical psychologist
and adjunct professor emeritus of psychology at the University of
California, Berkeley.

Singer’s main areas of research included schizophrenia, family therapy,
brainwashing and coercive persuasion. Singer performed research at the
University of Colorado’s School of Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical
Center Institute of Research, the National Institute of Mental Health,
the United States Air Force and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. She received many awards for her work, including the Leo J.
Ryan Memorial Award, the Research Scientist Award from the National
Institute of Mental Health, and both the Hofheimer Prize and the Stanley
R. Dean Award from the American College of Psychiatrists.

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

re: Religion: Falun Gong and Homosexuality (Ying Rong, US)

Ying Rong responds to Massoud Malek’s post of 7 November:

Five major misconceptions about Falun Gong were fabricated in China and exported worldwide. The communist regime takes Mr. Li’s words out of context and uses them to incite hatred against Falun Gong. Years ago, several pro-communists did a large anti-Falun Gong campaign in San Francisco based on this point, and many gays/lesbians inquired about what was going on. After clarifying our position, they understood it. I would like to recommend to WAISers who are interested to read on:

Misconceptions About Falun Gong

http://faluninfo.net/article/651/?cid=23

1. Intolerant of homosexual/interracial marriage?

Falun Gong is not anti-gay. Living in the San Francisco bay Area, I myself have friends/coworkers who are gays and lesbians. One I worked closely wrote recommendation letter for me when I was swiching jobs. Now I am a friend on his face book.

In fact some gays/lesbians have joined Falun Gong. As Falun Gong practitioners, we don’t practice homosexuality. This is easy to understand from Taoism, a traditional Chinese belief. Taoism says the universe has both “yin” and “yang,” while combinning “yin” and “yang” is a natural way to achieve balance. Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese practice that has many Taoist elements. However, we don’t impose our own belief over others.

In regards to interracial marriage, many Falun Gong practitioners I know are in interracial marriages and many of them have children. Hope these facts help to answer Mr. Malek’s question.

Below is from Faluninfo.net:

Knowing the democratic West to be a tolerant, pluralistic, and diverse place, Chinese authorities have sought to brand Falun Gong as contrary to these basic values. In a word, they’ve sought to cast it as “intolerant.” Several journalists have taken the bait.

The characterization is patently misleading, and rests solely upon an outsider’s uninformed interpretation of doctrine. It’s found to be at odds with lived practice.

Consider the first of the two major issues Chinese authorities cite: an alleged intolerance of homosexuality. (We can’t help but note the irony of China’s communist rulers having until recently banned homosexuality, labeling it a mental disorder.)

Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are welcomed by the practice just like anyone else, and not accorded any different treatment. Whether they continue to live that lifestyle, or self-identify with that term, is solely a personal choice and not something anyone in Falun Gong would force upon the individual. Central to Falun Gong is the making of one’s own decisions.

Falun Gong’s teachings do suggest that certain behaviors, including homosexuality, generate more karma than others or are not conducive to certain aspirations in the practice. But this it is left at the level of teaching, and not a creed or regulation. How one understands a given teaching, and to what extent he or she applies it, is always a personal matter.

A second, related point that must be emphasized is that Falun Gong’s teachings on this and other matters do not equate to a “position statement” or “stance” on some social issue. They are intended solely for the individual aspirant, and to be applied to his or her own life; they are not meant to be applied to others, much less non-practitioners. Falun Gong does not have any position on what other people should or shouldn’t do with their lives. It simply offers its teachings on personal change to whomever is interested in its path to spiritual growth.

What holds true for homosexuality holds true for interracial marriage, if not more so. Falun Gong’s teachings have little to say about the matter. What several journalists have picked up on, prompted by Chinese state media intimations, is the presence of one passage in one book where Falun Gong’s founder mentions the issue in passing.

Regrettably the said journalists didn’t temper their own, outsider’s reading of that passage with investigation or evidence. They failed to check with any living, actual persons who do Falun Gong, preferring, seemingly, to not let a sensational reading of the passage be spoiled by evidence to the contrary.

Had they looked into the matter, they would have found their assumptions to be just that, assumptions. Many who practice Falun Gong have married individuals of a different race after taking up the practice. Of the 14 individuals who make up the Information Center’s staff, fully 4 fall into this category. If Falun Gong teaches racial segregation, it’s doing a poor job of it.

If the practice does not breed racial intolerance in the life of the individual, one might readily imagine how much less so it translates into a general “stance” on interracial marriage in society.

The two most frequently cited forms of “intolerance” end up suggesting, upon closer examination, just the opposite. Indeed, if anything, it would seem that something in Falun Gong is instead conducive to greater tolerance.

JE comments: An interesting verb usage: Faluninfo.net refers to people who “do” Falun Gong, not those who “are” FG members/believers. This suggests a self-identification that FG is a practice or philosophy rather than a religion–I cannot imagine a Catholic or Muslim publication talking about those who “do” Christianity or Islam. Or is the editor and philologist in me attempting too close a reading?

re: Religion: on Prophets, Persecution and Falun Gong (Istvan Simon, US)

Falun Gong has proven to have very long legs on WAIS–the postings keep coming in. Here, Istvan Simon responds to Massoud Malek’s post of November 7 and John Heelan’s post of November 6:

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on the Falun Gong, nor Christianity nor Islam, or any religion for that matter. However, I do not have to be an expert on any religion to be able to comment on the impropriety of the persecution of its followers. That is primarily a human rights issue, and I think something sufficiently basic and fundamental that anyone can comment on without expert knowledge.

Having said so, it seems to me that Massoud Malek misstates the relationship of Li Hongzhi with the Falun Gong, and I think also the nature of the Falun Gong when compared to other religions.

Li Hongzhi is not a prophet. As far as I know Falun Gong practitioners do not consider him to be a prophet either. If so, it is inappropriate to compare him to either Jesus or Muhammad, because the latter are considered to have been endowed with divine powers by their followers, whereas that does not seem to be the case with the Falun Gong practitioners and Li Hongzhi.

Wikipedia has a balanced and well-researched summary, which I think could be a good starting point for an understanding of the proper relationship of Li Hongzhi to the Falun Gong for non-expert WAISers like me:

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

Perhaps Ying Rong would be kind enough to further comment on this relationship from the perspective of a practitioner.

Li Hongzhi is the founder of the Falun Gong. Nonetheless tens of millions of people now claim to be practitioners, and when such a large number of people is involved, it is I think appropriate to state, as I have done in my November 6 post, that Li Hongzhi is not the Falun Gong. I also think that my comparison of the relationship of the Falun Gong to Li Hongzhi with that of the Catholic Church to the Pope is more appropriate than Jesus to Christianity or Muhammad to Islam.

If this is so, the enumeration of the supposed shortcomings of Li Hongzhi that Massoud Malek brought up is not relevant to the discussion on the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Li Hongzhi may be a flawed individual, but that does not make the persecution of the followers of his teachings any more acceptable. Furthermore, his flaws do not necessarily invalidate the possible truths that Falun Gong practitioners find in his teachings.

I stated in my November 6 post that no spiritual movement has been successfully suppressed by savage persecution. John Heelan responded with the counter-example of the apparently successful suppression of the Cathars in medieval France. John Heelan seems to be right, so I retract my statement made with the sweeping generality that I have indulged in on November 6. Nonetheless, the following considerations perhaps make it unlikely that the Chinese authorities will ever succeed in suppressing the Falun Gong.

The article in Wikipedia states that there is no centralized organized membership list of the Falun Gong. So it is not clear in particular how many practitioners there are. At one point the Chinese government claimed that there were 70 million followers in China, but following the ban of the Falun Gong and the propaganda campaign against it this number was revised to 2 million. I am frankly skeptical of this spectacular reduction in the number of practitioners by a factor of 35 claimed by the Chinese authorities. However, in any case, there seem to be millions of followers outside of the reach of the Chinese authorities, which makes their attempt to suppress the Falun Gong by savage persecution unlikely to ever succeed.

JE comments: I have a response in my inbox from Ying Rong, to Massoud Malek’s posting of 7 November. Ying’s note is next in the queue.

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Massoud Malek, US; ex-Iran)

JE: Just one more Falun Gong posting for now. This time, we hear from Massoud Malek:

On 6 November, Istvan Simon wrote:

I do not particularly care whatever Li Hongzhi may or not have said in front of television cameras. That is because I think that Li Hongzhi is not the Falun Gong.

Massoud Malek responds:

Could we also say that Jesus is not Christianity or Muhammad is not Islam?

Today , there are over 100 million Falun Gong practitioners who follow the teachings of their master, Li Hongzhi. These people are persecuted by the Chinese government and the West keeps quiet because of cheap Chinese products. There are actually more followers of Li Hongzhi than all the Jews, Baha’is, Zoroastrians, Shamanists, Voodoo practicers, Jains, and many other faiths combined.

No one knows exactly when Zoroaster was born. The same goes with Buddha. Li Hongzhi’s birth certificate states that he was born on 7 July 1952, but he was actually born on the same day as Sakyamuni (Buddha), on 13 May 1951. Here is how Li Homgzhi explains his birthday:

http://clearwisdom.net/emh/download/publications/peacereport_statement.html

“Some people spread rumors that I changed my date of birth, and this is true. During the Cultural Revolution, the government misprinted my date of birth. What I did was simply to change the misprinted date of birth to the correct one. As for the fact that Sakyamuni was also born on this day, what does that have to do with me? Many other people were also born on this day. In addition, I have never claimed that I am Sakyamuni.”

Note: The Cultural Revolution took place many years after his birthday. Why did the Chinese government issue a new birth certificate making him younger?

By reading “Brief biography of Li Hongzhi: founder of Falun Gong and president of the Falun Gong Research Society,”

http://www.trinity.edu/rnadeau/Chinese%20Religions/Li%20Hongzhi.htm

one could understand why Falun Gong is not a cult, it is based on “Zhen-Shan-Ren:”

Zen: Do true things and speak the truth.

Shan: Be kind and compassionate.

Ren: Refrain from resentment and hatred.

It is safe to practice Falun Gong. No practitioners of Falun Gong will suffer from adverse changes. Li Hongzhi has time and again emphasized that no problems must arise in the practicing of Dafa. Falun Gong has excluded all factors that are likely to lead to adverse changes. For instance, there can be no “yi nian” in the course of practicing gong, nor can there be “spontaneous gong.” Also, each student is protected by his or her “fa shen” (Dharma body); the family of each student, and even the venue where he or she practices gong, is cleansed and protected by a “safety hood” (anquan zhao) that ensures that the student is not affected by evil information.

Every prophet produced at least one miracle; here are some miracles by Li Hongzhi that [ordinary people could not comprehend]:

When Li Hongzhi was eight years old, he suddenly became aware that something had appeared at the corner of his eyes. Gradually, he realized they were the words “zhen-shan-ren.” It was the master who had impressed these words in his eyes. No one else could see them, but they were constantly visible to him. In the years that followed, the master told him the meaning of these words: Zhen means to do true things and speak the truth; it means not practicing deception or speaking untruths, and not concealing one’s mistakes; this will eventually result in the attainment of truth. Shan means to be kind and compassionate, to refrain from bullying people, to sympathize with the weak, help the poor; it means that one should always be ready to help others and do good things. Ren means that, when one experiences difficulties and suffers injustices, one should look at the bright side of things, be able to hold out, refrain from resentment and hatred, refrain from nursing grievances and taking revenge, be able to endure the worst of adversities and things that normal people are unable to endure.

At the age of eight, Li Hongzhi was already highly proficient in Dafa and had acquired supernatural powers. When he played hide-and-seek with his companions, he had only to think “other people cannot see me” to make himself invisible to others, who could not see him even if they directed a flashlight at his face. With a simple flick of a finger, he could draw long, rusty, and crooked nails out of pieces of wood. When water pipes froze up in winter, he had only to tap them with his hand for the pipes to bend; even he himself did not know how he did this. As he was playing with his little companions in snow-covered fields, he could jump and fly through the air. If he found two people about to get into a fight, he could prevent one of them from approaching the other simply by thinking that that person should not go near the other person.

One day, when in the fourth grade of elementary school, Li left school without taking along his school bag, and when he went back to get it the door of the classroom was locked and the windows had been shut. He thought that it would be nice if he could get in. No sooner had the thought flashed through his mind that he found himself in the classroom. Another thought, and he was out again. On another occasion he had this thought: what would it feel like to be in the middle of a window pane? No sooner had he thought this than he found himself positioned in the window. He at once felt as if his body and brain were filled with shards of glass; it was most uncomfortable, so he hurriedly got out again. He did not know, at the time, what was the power of gong; he thought everyone was like this, and paid no attention to the matter.

Here is what Li Hongzhi said on September 4–5, 1998 in Geneva about the decline of the Greek Civilization:

http://www.falundafa.org/book/eng/lectures/19980904L.html

Question: Why is it that homosexuals are considered bad people?

Teacher: Let me tell you, if I weren’t teaching this Fa today, gods’ first target of annihilation would be homosexuals. It’s not me who would destroy them, but gods. You know that homosexuals have found legitimacy in that homosexuality was around back in the culture of ancient Greece. Yes, there was a similar phenomenon in ancient Greek culture. And do you know why ancient Greek culture is no more? Why are the ancient Greeks gone? Because they had degenerated to that extent, and so they were destroyed.

Conclusion: What is more disturbing? Mike Bonnie’s posts on Falun Gong or reading in this high-minded forum posts about a prophet who dislikes homosexuals, mixed races, and the Chinese government?

JE comments: This is the first time I’ve heard that Li-Hongzhi is so anti-gay. Can Ying Rong comment?

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Charles Ridley, US)

JE: I know, I know–this morning I said no more Falun Gong posts for awhile. But I always want to know what Charles Ridley has to say. So this is what Charles has to say:

I will have to leave the question of the degree of suppression of the Falun Gong to those better informed than I. It does appear that the Chinese government has chosen the Falun Gong as its major domestic enemy at the present time. As I noted in my WAIS ‘09 talk, the government most likely feels the necessity of indentifying an “enemy” within the society as a rallying point so that people will have a ready target for their discontent. In earlier days, it was landlords and other “rightists” who were the targets.

The primary fact about the Chinese government is that it is extremely authoritarian. The history of the regime since 1949 has been one of persecution of those seen to be on the wrong side of regime values, a tendency that led to a high level of slaughter of innocent citizens.

A major difference now is that the eyes of the world are on China, which means that any persecutions inside its borders must be handled without undue publicity. Whether the nature of the beast has changed is another question.

My own personal and very anecdotal evidence suggests that people are well indoctrinated into a belief that the Dalai Lama is an evil man, and, I suspect, on the idea of the “civilizing” character of the regime in dealing with the “decadent” culture of Tibet.

At a personal level, because of my past publication history, I was a bit nervous about undertaking my trip to China this past summer. When I applied for my visa I wondered of they would check on me and deny me entry. And I even wondered if I might be challenged once I was in the country. That can be chalked up to paranoia, of course.

When I get to analyzing the school books, one of the approaches I will take (and have undertaken in the past) is to look for contradictions between the values the government wishes to inculcate and the behavior of the government.

One of the problems deriving from actual visits to China is that the Chinese are very charming and most visitors returned enthused. One acquaintance of mine who spent last year in China has informed me that he “loves that country” and prefers Chinese to Americans. (He has also taken a dislike to Japan, after having spent three years there studying Japanese.)

I must conclude with the caveat, that in spite of my doctorate in Chinese studies, I have had virtually no experience, excluding my visit in July, of the country and do not think of myself as a “China expert.” I merely investigate one aspect of the culture, namely education, and that only from a “documentary” basis as I lack the experience of observing Chinese schools in action and have no way of knowing what actually happens in moral education and language classes. Thus, in practice, I am merely an amateur.

JE comments: Amateur, schmamateur. Don’t be so modest, Charles! Your on-the-spot readings of Chinese textbooks at the WAIS conference was one of the most impressive demonstrations of the entire weekend.

re: Religion: Falun Gong, Cults and Persecution (Mike Bonnie, US)

Ying Rong wrote on 6 November:

I don’t truly have anything more to say to [Mike Bonnie] since [he] claims to be so well-informed about Falun Gong. May my compassion go all the way out to you. I silently wish that one day in the future your heart will wake up to the truth. I hope that you will have a chance to appreciate the truth soon.

Mike Bonnie responds:

Not so fast. Falun Gong does not have a monopoly on truth. Ms. Rong would like to personalize the discussion regarding the torture and abuse of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Very well; I’d like to share some personal insights of which, being younger than me, she may not be aware. I’m certain more than a few WAISers older than 60 can chime in with their own views.

I was raised attending a Roman Catholic school and adjoining church. At that time it was standard practice in the “hidden curriculum” that all boys were raised to be priests. All girls were raised to be nuns. Writing script with the right hand was required. I had a particular disadvantage because I was born a natural left-hander. I recall being whacked on the hand numerous times in the presence of my classmates, and being told the “devil” was inside me causing me to make the Sign of the Cross with my left hand.

Probably the most difficult day of the school week for me was Monday. That was the day the list came out from the church announcing the names of families, in order of size of donation, who put how much in the Sunday donation basket.

My abuse went on for 7-1/2 years until one day, while running on the playground, I fell and hit my head. Unbeknownst to me at the time I suffered a concussion. All I knew what that I hurt, I was throwing up on the floor and the nun in the classroom refused to let me call home. I left the tutelage of Roman Catholicism never to return.

The abuse I suffered was nothing compared to that I’ve since seen and heard testified and graphically demonstrated by others. I’ve forgiven the nuns in the school and priests who idly stood by. I’ve forgiven the members of the religious cult that tore my family apart for well over 20 years and still holds sway. I’ve forgiven but haven’t forgotten. I don’t need or require lectures on the right or wrong of abuse and forgiveness, cults or religions. I prefer that people do not silently wish anything for me. We may not be wishing the same things.

When you say “Falun Gong practitioners believe in ‘Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance,’ Doing good deeds will be rewarded; doing bad deeds will be punished,” what is Falun Gong (the U.S. corporation) doing to the people of China (those who do not want to be liberated–those who are happy as is)? How is Falun Gong, Inc. any different from any other religion that has attempted to back the colonization China?

On 11/05/2009 JE commented: If a “good cult” has transparency and integrity, and creates provisions for challenging its leadership openly, how many governments or large organizations can we classify as “good”–cult or otherwise?

Mike Bonnie replies: I can’t address the list of governments and organizations that exist or existed that could be classified as “good” cult or otherwise. I can address the number of Falun Gong/Falun Dafa organizations that exist in the U.S. operating as tax-exempt 501(c)(3), B99 (Education N.E.C. ), Q70 (International Human Rights), or X99 (Religious Related, Spiritual Development N.E.C. ) corporations.

Here’s the list from Guidestar.com http://www2.guidestar.org/

Friends Of Falun Gong
Tenafly, NJ 07670

Global Mission To Rescue Persecuted Falun Gong Practitioners
West Roxbury, MA 02132

Coalition To Investigate The Persecution Of Falun Gong In China
Washington, DC 20024

Washington DC Area Falun Dafa Practitioners Assoc.
Silver Spring, MD

Mid-USA Falun Dafa Association
Chicago, IL

Falun Dafa Information Center
New York, NY

Southern USA Falun Dafa Association
Richmond, TX

Falun Dafa Museum
Richardson, TX

Falun Dafa Association of New England
Lexington, MA

Wisconsin Falun Dafa Association
Madison, WI

US Southwestern Falun Dafa Association
West Covina, CA

Arizona Falun Dafa Association
Tuscon, AZ

Indiana Falun Dafa Association Incorporated
Indianapolis, IN

North Carolina Falun Dafa Association
Duluth, GA

North Carolina Falun Dafa Association
Cary, NC

Western US Falun Dafa Association
San Jose, CA

Eastern US Buddahs Study Falun Dafa Association
Woodside, NY

I’ll close with a quote from the past: American President Ronald Reagan once famously said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

JE comments: The Falun Gong discussion is getting very personal. I think it would be best to move on to other topics for awhile.

It’s been said that natural lefties in the old days were often abused in parochial schools, but Mike Bonnie’s tale is the first time I’ve heard from one of the victims. What absurdity to persecute the leftists among us, to call them “sinister,” “gauche” and the like! (Left-handedness came up on WAIS about 18 months ago, and I recall that we have a high number of southpaws–far beyond the “normal” level of 10% or so. Do WAISers have the devil in them?)

re: Religion: Falun Gong, Cults and Persecution (Alain de Benoist, France)

Istvan Simon wrote on 6 November:

When a spiritual movement has as many adherents as the Falun Gong does, it is absurd to call it a cult.

Alain de Benoist responds:

Maybe. A question, however: what is the level of membership to be reached for getting the privilege not to be called a cult anymore? Are religions cults which have been successful, and cults religions which have failed?

re: Religion: Falun Gong, Cults and Persecution (Siegfried Ramler, US)

Siegfried Ramler writes:

In relation to the recent postings on Falun Gong, may I add a perspective
based on contacts with academics in China under East-West Center
auspices during the last several years. There is a wide spectrum in
China from often brutal repression to freedom of religious
expression, reflecting the diversity in twenty-first century China.
Take, for example, the centers for religious studies at Nanjing
University, the theological Protestant seminary and the Nanjing
center for Judaic studies in that city. While the government
forbids proselytizing, such centers do grow in research and
publications.

Travelling in China with American scholars in recent years, including
discussions in Nanjing, we raised the issue of brutal Falun Gong
repression. We would point out that in the US, as in other
countries, sects or cults, such as Hare Krishna, would manifest on
the streets, chanting and beating drums, and generally would be left
alone by police. Why can’t the Chinese authorities tolerate
manifestations which do no harm? The answer was consistent wherever
we raised this issue. We were told that social stability must be a
priority for China. If manifestations are not stopped, they will
grow and interfere with the social order. Though not openly
expressed, the argument goes that a relaxation in maintaining public
order would not only endanger social stability but might also incite
political unrest, such as the 1989 Tiananmen incident, to be avoided
at all costs.

re: Religion: Falun Gong, Cults and Persecution (Vincent Littrell, US)

Vincent Littrell responds to Istvan Simon’s post of 6 November:

I think Istvan Simon has written eloquently and reflected almost exactly what I was thinking along several strands related to the Chinese government persecution of the Falun Gong. I have quite frankly been disturbed by Mike Bonnie’s posts on this topic, which seem to paradoxically combine both a criticism of religious persecution in general with a dismissal of the Falun Gong situation. I was appalled by his indication that the Falun Gong were not “worth saving.” The phenomonological aspects of Falun Gong member experience cannot be discounted out of hand. If, as I believe now, the experiences of Falun Gong persecution reflected in the WAIS ‘09 conference presentation are true, the Chinese government has much to answer for in this regard. Though I’m not an expert on the demographics of Falun Gong persecution yet, I am increasingly thinking that a moral imperative exists for the international community to pursue this subject at the level of formal state-to-state diplomacy. Of course, this all ties into the overarching issue of religious persecution in general.

re: Religion: Falun Gong: Response to Mike Bonnie (Ying Rong, US)

Ying Rong responds to Mike Bonnie’s post of 5 November:

Falun Gong practitioners believe in “Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance.” We are also striving to become selfishless human beings, putting others as first priority. Our practice only has benefits to ourselves, our families and friends, our coworkers and the society we live in.

It is the communist regime that sets this group of practitioners as the “No.1 enemy,” treating Falun Gong as “anti-revolutionary” because of the party’s fear of Falun Gong’s popularity. It is the communist regime’s negative propaganda that has put so many negative thoughts in your mind. Think about it, did you have any negative thoughts about Falun Gong in the first 6 years when Falun Gong was being spread in China and the persecution hadn’t started?

Being merciful to a murderous dictator is not compassion. Following a murderous regime’s logic to justify a large-scale genocide is wrong.

This world’s history is filled with battles between the evil and goodness. However, it is up to each person to choose which side he or she stands with. There is an old saying in Chinese that goes, “Doing good deeds will be rewarded; doing bad deeds will be punished.”

I don’t truly have anything more to say to you since you claim you are so well-informed about Falun Gong. May my compassion go all the way out to you. I silently wish that one day in the future your heart will wake up to the truth. I hope that you will have a chance to appreciate the truth soon.

JE comments: Ying Rong has also sent me an “open letter” to President Obama on the eve of his trip to China (12 November). I’ll post it tomorrow.

re: Religion: Falun Gong, Cults and Persecution (Istvan Simon, US)

Istvan Simon writes:

As the moderator of the China panel at WAIS’ 09, I would like to offer my comments on the persecution of the Falun Gong in China, and address the recent comments on this subject by Ying Rong, Mike Bonnie and Alain de Benoist.

There is no doubt in my mind that Ying Rong’s presentation at WAIS ‘09 was one of the high points of the WAIS’ 09 conference. Her presentation was powerful, because it included a first-hand testimony of someone who was actually tortured by the Chinese authorities for no other reason that she was a follower of the Falun Gong. The savage and on-going persecution of the Falun Gong by the Chinese authorities is a stain on the Chinese government which in my opinion no moral person can condone. I condemn this persecution as unjustifiable, inhumane, and I believe ultimately futile. No spiritual movement was ever successfully suppressed by savage persecution, and so the Chinese government is being extremely short sighted in believing that their persecution of the Falun Gong will succeed in suppressing this movement. I believe for many reasons that it will fail, just like the persecution of early Christianity failed, and the even more savage and persistent persecution of Jews throughout history failed too.

Alain de Benoist is correct that the persecution of the Falun Gong in China, terrible as it is, is not a genocide, and so it should not be called so. And he is also correct that the Falun Gong has turned into a movement which now has partially political overtones. But I would add that this is hardly surprising, and it should be noted that this political tilt is not due to the original ideas of the Falun Gong, which were not overtly political, and in fact for many years were viewed positively by the Chinese authorities themselves. In a nutshell then, it is the Chinese government’s savage persecution which turned the movement into something which also has political overtones, because o reasonable person would expect followers to remain politically neutral towards their persecutors when their brothers and sisters in belief are imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and “re-educated,” and in many cases murdered by a government gone berserk.

I have many things in common with Mike Bonnie. Like him, I have a Chinese wife, and through her, Chinese family members. And like him I have many many Chinese friends. I can say like him that I love China, and I wish the Chinese people well, and even that I wish success to the Chinese government when I see their efforts as benefiting China and the Chinese people. All of this is true, in spite of the fact that I abhor communism and dictatorial governments. But I draw the line when it comes to human rights and issues of freedom. So I part company with Mike Bonnie when he says that the Falun Gong is “not worth” saving.

It is clear to me, that even though I am not a follower of the Falun Gong, and some of its practices even strike me as strange, nonetheless, when a spiritual movement has as many adherents as the Falun Gong does, it is absurd to call it a cult. Furthermore, calling it so is disrespectful to the many many millions of people that believe in it. Freedom of worship and tolerance of the beliefs of others is a cornerstone of our values. I support such tolerance and condemn intolerance wherever it comes from. For me, the key point in this kind of question is whether or not the belief is unduly threatening or not to the beliefs of others. But I have never seen the Falun Gong resort to violence, and so I see it as a peaceful and primarily spiritual movement. Who resorted to savagery and violence is the Chinese government. So it is the Chinese government that is wrong, and the followers of the Falun Gong are doing nothing more than exercising their right to believe in whatever they want to believe in. It is not against the law, or in any case it should not be against any reasonable law, to have beliefs that in some aspects may appear to us as bizarre, and we do not necessarily share.

What is the difference between religion and cult? What is it that gives anyone the right to term the beliefs of millions of people as a “cult” and thus with a simple arbitrary choice of a word make their persecution supposedly acceptable? I do not particularly care whatever Li Hongzhi may or not have said in front of television cameras. That is because I think that Li Hongzhi is not the Falun Gong, just like Maffeo Barberini, who as Pope Urban VIII ended up ordering the persecution Galileo by the Inquisition, was not the Catholic Church. So what Li said or did not say is irrelevant. What matters to me is that millions believe in the ideas of the Falun Gong, and who is anyone to say that they are being deceived or wrong? No one is the judge of what people may believe in and no one should be. I have never seen the Falun Gong threatening anyone. Therefore, as far as I am concerned, Falun Gong practitioners are entitled to their beliefs, and whoever persecutes them or is indifferent about their persecution is wrong.

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Mike Bonnie, US)

Ying Rong wrote on 3 November:

I would like to recommend a few websites to Mike
Bonnie to read and absorb before he writes his next post, since a person
like him should gain some fundamental understanding of Falun Gong prior
to making a judgement, otherwise this person’s actions are not
responsible to himself, and not responsible to WAISers either. In face
of such a brutal large-scale genocide, randomly writing some negative
comments to defame a peaceful group of Falun Gong practitioners and
support the Chinese communist regime is absolutely wrong.

Why are the other governments silent? Because of economic benefits with
China.

Mike Bonnie responds:

There is no more noble cause, in my opinion, than to
address and remedy genocides, murders, injuries and injustices,
bullying, and falsehoods and insults that damage the esteem and
well-being living things, humans or animals (idle gossip). I don’t feel
out of the mainstream in believing as I do; as is I may be a bit more
enthusiastic even about addressing injustices than average individual
(or I wouldn’t be addressing these issues). So, it is in that spirit
that I’ll address the last of Ms. Rong’s statements first. World
governments are silent about the injustices taking place in China
against Falun Gong members for economic reason, and furthermore, world
government needs supersede the belief that Falun Gong is both or either
salvageable or worth saving.

Secondly, I have access to more than sufficient first-hand translations
of information regarding Falun Gong, in writing and orally communicated,
both in the U.S. and China, for and against Falun Gong. I refuse to
participate in a circular debate regarding the health benefits of the
organization, the suppression of information, or the punitive stance of
China’s government toward Falun Gong. I don’t believe I’m being
paternalistic toward anyone nor am I naive when I say, apparently
non-caring governments (as I) have seen Falun Gong before, under
different names, but with the same motives and deceptiveness.

When Li Hongzhi steps up to the television cameras and microphones and
convincingly discusses his personal supernatural powers and the inner
circle of his organization, than perhaps governments (people) will put
the needs of Falun Gong above their own. Without that commitment to the
people, Falun Gong is just another self-serving group of religious
fanatics bent on destroying the world and themselves.

I’ll suggest to Ms. Rong, readers and participants of WAIS, do more
investigations on their own. Here’s a few places to begin or continue
the investigation:

“Is there such a thing as a good cult?”

?*/
– Christopher Glass

“Great question. It is one I used to pose in my Mind Control course at
Stanford University, going one step further and inviting students to
design such a cult. Many cults start off with high ideals that get
corrupted by leaders or their board of advisors who become power-hungry
and dominate and control members’ lives. No group with high ideals
starts off as a ‘cult’; they become one when their errant ways are
exposed. A good cult delivers on its promises. A good cult nourishes the
needs of its members, has transparency and integrity, and creates
provisions for challenging its leadership openly. A good cult expands
the freedoms and well-being of its members rather than limits them. [my
emphasis added] http://blog.ted.com/2009/06/you_asked_phili.php

“Talks Diane Benscoter on how cults rewire the brain”

Diane Benscoter spent five years as a “Moonie.” She shares an insider’s
perspective on the mind of a cult member, and proposes a new way to
think about today’s most troubling conflicts and extremist movements.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ex_moonie_diane_benscoter_how_cults_think.html

JE comments: If a “good cult” has transparency and integrity, and creates provisions for challenging its leadership openly, how many governments or large organizations can we classify as “good”–cult or otherwise?

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Alain de Benoist, France)

Alain de Benoist writes:

While I certainly disagree with any persecution of Falun Gong people, I also think that speaking in that case of a “large-scale genocide” (Ying Rong, 3 November) is a gross exaggeration, which deprives the word “genocide” of its specific meaning.

Ying Rong wrote that, if Mike Bonnie wants to “become an expert” on Falun Gong, he has to read the information published on the website “Friends of Falun Gong.” I think that to be informed on the Falun Gong cult, one has to get objective information, which cannot expected from “friends” nor by enemies of Falun Gong.

Finally, it seems to me that to present Falun Gong only as a spiritual movement is not accurate, as its practitioners also hold quite evident political views (“the Chinese communist regime is absolutely wrong”).

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Ying Rong, US)

Ying Rong writes:

I would like to recommend a few websites to Mike Bonnie to read and absorb before he writes his next post, since a person like him should gain some fundamental understanding of Falun Gong prior to making a judgement, otherwise this person’s actions are not responsible to himself, and not responsible to WAISers either.

In face of such a brutal large-scale genocide, randomly writing some negative comments to defame a peaceful group of Falun Gong practitioners and support the Chinese communist regime is absolutely wrong.

If Mr. Bonnie truly wants to become an expert, please read:

Falun Dafa Information Center

http://www.faluninfo.net/

Friends of Falun Gong

http://www.fofg.org/

Falun Gong books, please read the whole book “Zhuan Falun” if time permits:

www.falundafa.org

In today’s world it is not easy to find true facts about Falun Gong (in English it is even more difficult). In 1999, the Chinese communist dictatorship mobilized all the state-controlled media to churn out negative propaganda to defame Falun Gong. The Chinese communist regime fabricated a large amount of stories to demonize Falun Gong over the years.

At that time, Falun Gong practitioners, a loosely organized group of people didn’t have any right to have their own opinion being exposed in any of the Chinese media (sadly, this is still the case today). While the rest of the world was interested, the foreign media could only copy what was reported by the Chinese state-controlled media then. That is why many, many westerners also were deceived by the communist party on what Falun Gong truly is.

What opiton was left to the Falun Gong practitioners? All they could do was to go to Beijing, telling their own experiences, appealing to the central government and hoping the government would change the policy. But what did they get in return? Brutal beatings, detentions, tortures, killing and organ harvesting.

Just for saying one phrase, “Falun Gong is a good (a righteous) belief,” a person in China can be detained, tortured to death by the evil communist regime.

Why are the other governments silent? Because of economic benefits with China.

How to stop the ruthless persecution over Falun Gong? This is a question for every WAISer, for every person in the world.

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Charles Ridley, US)

Charles Ridley writes:

I will be starting my survey of the latest Chinese elementary school readers in a couple of days (being impeded at the moment by the necessity of performing a “commercial” translation), and will check carefully for any references to the Falun Gong. In other textbooks, I see “Love for science” coupled with condemnation of “superstition,” but have not seen another specific attack on the Falun Gong except for the one cited in my presentation.

I will let you all know as soon as I have more evidence.

JE comments: I look forward to your findings. For those who missed Charles’s paper, “Attitudes Towards Science in China” (posted on 29 October), it can be accessed at:

http://cgi.stanford.edu/group/wais/cgi-bin/?p=40223

re: Religion: Falun Gong (Ying Rong, US)

Ying Rong responds to Vincent Littrell’s questions (17 October) on Falun Gong:

The persecution of Falun Gong is one of the most brutal persecutions in the history of humankind. In 1999, the Chinese communist regime turned 100 million Falun Gong practitioners into the “No.1 enemy” and started the most ruthless genocide of this peaceful group. I would like to recommend some links here:

About what Falun Gong is and why it is being persecuted:

http://www.fofg.org/

About the large-scale persecution:

http://www.faluninfo.net/article/918/?cid=84

About the actual torture cases and death toll:

http://www.clearwisdom.net/

In a recent article on FalunInfo.net titled “Large Numbers of Falun Gong Practitioners Targeted for Persecution and Arrest in 2009, Says Congressional-Executive Commission on China,” it was stated that:

In its 2009 Annual Report released last week, the U.S. government’s Congressional-Executive Commission on China thoroughly documents the continued and intensified targeting of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese security apparatus over the past year. The section on Falun Gong cites, in particular, the involvement of top Chinese Communist Party officials in directing a “strike hard” campaign against Falun Gong, as well as the robust activity of the extralegal 6-10 Office in carrying out such directives.

“The government maintained its longstanding ban against the Falun Gong spiritual movement [in 2009],” says the report. “Viewing the 10th anniversary [of the ban] as sensitive, the central government held fast in 2009 with its 2008 pre-Olympics efforts to ferret out and punish Falun Gong practitioners.”

Authorities conducted propaganda campaigns that deride Falun Gong, carried out strict surveillance of practitioners, detained and imprisoned large numbers of practitioners, and subjected some who refuse to disavow Falun Gong to torture and other abuses in reeducation through labor facilities. International media and Falun Gong sources also reported deaths of practitioners in Chinese police custody in 2008 and 2009.

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China is a special joint body of the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate, and executive branch established in 2000 to monitor human rights and the development of rule of law in China. Its 400-page annual report, released on October 10, covers in detail a wide range of issues, including freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and the functioning of the judicial system. The research on Falun Gong draws on official Chinese documents and websites, reports by international media and human rights groups, and testimony from Chinese rights lawyers and former prisoners of conscience.

Key Findings and Evidence

Four key conclusions emerge from the CECC’s research insofar as it relates to the current persecution faced by Falun Gong practitioners in China. Following the abbreviated list below is a more extensive explanation citing samples of the relevant evidence provided in the report. For a full compilation of Falun Gong-related excerpts, see CECC 2009 Annual Report (excerpts):

Advancing the CCP’s decade-long persecution against Falun Gong was a key priority in a nationwide crackdown in 2009. The crackdown was led by top Party leaders—including Vice President Xi Jinping and Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang–and carried out by the public security bureau (PSB) and local Party branches throughout the country.

Large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners nationwide continued to be subject to surveillance, detention, “re-education through labor” and abuse in custody, leading sometimes to death.

During the year, concerns of organ harvesting from nonconsenting Falun Gong prisoners of conscience continued to arise, including from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture.

Extensive efforts were made, led by the 6-10 Office, to vilify Falun Gong practitioners amongst Chinese citizens and mobilize the public to contribute to the arrest of practitioners–including via special school lessons and offers of monetary rewards to informants.

The CCP and 6-10 Office continued to use political control over the court system, legal profession, and law enforcement agencies to systematically deny Falun Gong practitioners their basic rights to due process, fair trials, and access to counsel. These efforts included direct instructions to judges on how to decide Falun Gong cases and an escalation in the assaults and harassment of Chinese lawyers seeking to defend Falun Gong clients.

I hope this answers your questions.

re: China: Tsien Hsue-Shen and Falun Gong (Mike Bonnie, US)

Ying Rong wrote on 1 November:

I am deeply saddened by Mr. Tsien’s death. He was a great scientist whom I have admired since high school. In fact, I almost followed him to become a scientist studying supernormal capability within modern science.

In 1999, Jiang Zemin, the Chinese communist regime’s leader, then launched a brutal suppresion over Falun Gong because he was in fear of its popularity. Jiang himself visited Mr. Tsien quite a few times, pressuring Mr. Tsien to support the suppression of Falun Gong and asking Mr. Tsien to condemn Falun Gong and name it “superstitious,” but Mr. Tsien refused. This was the true reason Tsien’s work in the last 40 years of his life was buried long before he passed away, and his voice was muted during the last 10 years of his life.

Mike Bonnie responds:

Ms. Rong’s sadness over the passing of Tsien Hsue-Shen is acknowledged. However, associating Tsien with the suppression of Falun Gong in China sounds disingenuous.

Tsien Hsue-shen, or Qian Xuesen (as his modern name is spelled) served as the first chairman of the Department of Mechanics of University of Science & Technology of China (USTC) under the umbrella of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where research and experiments were conducted involving meta-physics and extra-ordinary capabilities of humans. Qian advocated scientific investigation of traditional Chinese medicine, Qigong and “special human body functions.”

It shouldn’t be necessary to point out, there are huge differences between advocating for one point and refusing to denounce another. Advocating research and practice of Qigong is not advocating for a religious cult, even if the religious cult were to use Qigong as a foundation of the organization. Association with members of a religious cult, doesn’t not make a person an advocate. This could only be clearer in the case of Qian if the words “communism and McCarthyism in the 1950s” were used to describe his beliefs.

That the Chinese government may have suppressed Qian’s writing for 40 years cannot explain why he was allowed to tour and lecture at some of the most prestigious colleges and universities during that some period time.

Perhaps a quick search of the Internet can provide some insights, using key word including: “Tsien Hsue-schen,” “Qian Xuesen,” “Falun Gong,” and “Falun Dafa.” There’s very little evidence Qian advocated or denounced Falun Gong except for editorial license based on extended facts on Falun Gong web sites. Here are some excerpts this writer found:

“Spiritual Practice or Evil Cult? Comprehending Falun Gong in the Context of China’s Religious Policy”

by Zhonghu Yan
Center for the Study of Religion University of Toronto

On the other hand, as qigong originally emphasized health improvement alone and did not belong exclusively to any of the five legitimate traditions, it obviously could not be registered under any of these organizations. With qigong in general attracting more and more followings, the government realized the necessity of regulating its activities. The Chinese Qigong Research Association was thus established.

This name is suggestive of an academic or scientific mission. Reportedly, this association conducted some scientific experiments proving the existence of qi and efficacy of qigong practice. There has been no independent agency to verify the claim. Within the scientific community, there were two opposing views on qigong represented by two rather well known scientists in their own rights. One was He Zouxiu, a theoretic physicist, who later was to trigger off Falun Gong’s Tiananmen assembly, and became a national hero for opposing Falun Gong. The other was Qian Xuesen, a holder of Caltech Ph.D. and the father of Chinese rocket technology. Because no conclusion could be drawn about the nature of qigong, the government’s policy was one of “three no’s,” namely “no promoting,” “no criticizing” and “no encouraging.” Falun Gong was first registered as a member of the Chinese Qigong Research Association, and somehow it withdrew from it. In the April 1999 issue of a popular science magazine, He Zouxiu wrote an article on qigong, where he drew a negative picture of Falun Gong. Considering the negative report as a violation of the government’s ” Three No’s Policy,” Falun Gong practitioners assembled in front of the magazine editorial office in Tianjin for an apology. Failing to get the apology they wanted, around ten thousand practitioners gathered in front of Zhongnanhai, the compound of the Chinese top leaders: this famous incident made Falun Gong the headline news in the world mass media.

It was also this incident that ultimately led to an official ban on Falun Gong in July 1999.

http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/China/yan.html

“Beyond the Red Wall: The Persecution of Falun Gong”

by Mr. Anderson 08/09/2009

Qigong in Communist China

In recent years, thousands of “masters” of schools and research organizations appeared on Qigong, with the support of members high-ranking government and the scientific community (eg Qian Xuesen, the inventor of the Chinese atomic bomb). This social trend reached a climax in 1987, after the publication of results of research conducted at Tsinghua University, the most prestigious faculty of sciences in China there was said that the “external Qi” issued by a famous master Qigong of the time could “change the molecular structure of a water sample” to more than 2000 kilometers away.

http://911truth-sherbrooke.org/2009/09/08/beyond-the-red-wall-the-persecution-of-falun-gong/

“Falun Gong” (Perhaps someone in WAIS can translate?)

“Supernaturalismin” kannattajiin ja qigong-tutkimuksen uranuurtajiin lukeutuu mm. Qian Xuesen, Kiinan avaruusohjelman perustaja.

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

“Overseas Falun Gong Family Rescue Effort Allows Aeronautics Scientist Ms. Yang Yueli to Gain Early Release”

According to Yang Zhendong, Ms. Yang is now 63 years old. She graduated from Northwestern Polytechnic University. In the 1960s, she was one of four young scientists nominated by Qian Xuesen, the foremost scientist in China and the Director of China’s National Science Committee, to participate in the research and launch of China’s first satellite, “Dong Fang Hong.” In the 1980s, she received awards from the National Defence Council for her outstanding contribution in research and launch of the “Long March 3″ rocket.

On December 7, 2001, she was arrested while applying for a passport to come to Canada to join her son, because she refused to renounce her belief in Falun Gong. She was first detained in Beijing’s Dongcheng Detention Centre. Forty one days later, she was sentenced to one and a half years of forced Labour without a trial. She was sent to Tuanhe Forced Labour Camp. Three months later, she was transferred to the Beijing Women “Re-education through Labour” Camp. Mr. Yang Zhendong said, “The Chinese police did not provide any legal documents. There were more than four months that no information about my mother was made available. We were not allowed to visit my mother, nor were we allowed to send her any daily necessities. We had no way to verify whether my mother was still alive.”

http://clearharmony.net/daily/20030209_zip.html

“Tsien Hsue-shen/Qian Xuesen: No mention of Falun Gong or Falun Dafa”

\http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qian_Xuesen

“Chicago: Practitioners Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day–Their Hearts Are Close to Fellow Practitioners in China (Photos)”

Many practitioners who participated in the celebration activities near the Buckingham Fountain were from Tsinghua University. Mr. Zhu, who is a senior manager in a large steel and iron enterprise, graduated from Tsinghua University over 20 years ago. He said that this was the eighth time that he and Chicago practitioners had celebrated World Falun Dafa Day. Mr. Zhu talked about why he began Falun Gong practice. At the beginning, Qian Xuesen, an icon in the scientific community, hosted a “Research on Human Body Science” in the late 1980s in the field of science and technology. This event included Tsinghua University, and many supernatural phenomena were discovered and discussed, which inspired Mr. Gao’s interest in qigong. Mr. Zhou, who graduated from the Department of Precision Instruments at Tsinghua University, is currently a senior researcher at a chemical company. Mr. Zhou said that he saw clearly the CCP’s evil nature from the persecution of Falun Gong.

http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2007/5/14/85617.html

“Qigong & Science”

A large body of scientific data on Yan Xin Qigong phenomena and effects have been scientifically documented. They have been reviewed by Chairman (now honorary Chairman) of Chinese Association of Science and Technology, Dr. Qian Xuesen (Tsien Hsue-Shen), to be “new scientific discoveries and the prelude to scientific revolution.” Prof. Hans-Peter Duerr, colleague and successor of Werner Heisenburg as Director of Institute of Theoretical Phyiscs in Germany proclaimed the Yan Xin Qigong research results to be “within my window of acceptance.”

These data have established that external qi of Yan Xin Qigong:

-physically exists.
-can interact with and affect matter from molecular to atomic levels.
-can affect the fundamental components of living organisms (water, sugar, cell membrane, proteins, DNA and RNA).
-can recognize and optimize genetic properties without adverse effects.
-can be applied in biotechnology, materials processing and chemical reactions.

http://www.meaningoflife.i12.com/science-qigong.htm

“Heal Qigong: Scientfic Proof”

If fact, in referring to the research presented in this book, Dr. Qian Xuesen, Ph.D. (on the left in the photo with Chinese President Jiang Zemin), Chairman of the Chinese National Association of Scientists has said, “These experimental results are a first in the world. They unequivocally demonstrate that without touching subjects the human body can affect them and change their molecular structure and properties… They are new scientific discoveries and the prelude to a scientific revolution.”

http://www.healqigong.com/index_files/documentation.htm