The Falun gong movement, good or bad?

[Ripster42]

I already addressed that post, you're just talking in circles. I've asked a specific question -- you state "when, again, christianity is the better equivalent -- there are a multitude of cults (such as Eastern Lightning or even Mormons) that try to include themselves as part of Christianity and there are numerous fringe practices (snake handling, faith healing, and talking in tongues); however, there are millions of Christians who simply find comfort in their beliefs and do not participate in anything wilder than singing "Amazing Grace" and going to picnics. What makes them (Christians, not specific fringe groups or practices that are not mainstream Christianity) a better example than Scientology?



It might be because he is in Sweden and has an outside view of religious practices in the US; however, notice that you just specified "some denominations" and "in the US".

Yes, the "better equivalent" as there are direct, easily recognizable correlations to the practices of both groups as opposed to just, hurr durr, scientology.

[shadowmouse]

Yes, the "better equivalent" as there are direct, easily recognizable correlations to the practices of both groups as opposed to just, hurr durr, scientology.

Rather than going around in circles about religion, do you actually have something to add to the political portion of OP's question, or are you just going to keep on with hurr durr Christianity?

[Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang]

From what I've gathered yet another cult with some weird in it.

Fact is it is being gruesomely persecuted, like other cults and religions, by a cult that is not open for sharing the people's minds.

[Ripster42]

Rather than going around in circles about religion, do you actually have something to add to the political portion of OP's question, or are you just going to keep on with hurr durr Christianity?

I'm addressing the majority of the OP's post. Refer to post #36.

[shadowmouse]

I'm addressing the majority of the OP's post.

No, you're cherry picking points to distort and derail. Refer to post #43. Bookmark it, because that's the reply to your "refer to" recycling.

[Stelio Kontos]

I'm addressing the majority of the OP's post. Refer to post #36.

Why are you insisting on derailing this thread? Either discuss Falun Gong or just stop.

[Rune B]

I'm not a fan of religion, but I also don't support imprisoning them in death camps and harvesting their organs, which appears to be what China is doing to both them as well as the Muslim Uighurs and other political dissidents.

[Ripster42]

Why are you insisting on derailing this thread? Either discuss Falun Gong or just stop.

It's not derailing the thread to point out that the entire point of this thread is just bashing a religion.

No, you're cherry picking points to distort and derail. Refer to post #43. Bookmark it, because that's the reply to your "refer to" recycling.

If 2/3 paragraphs in the OP are bashing a religion, they're not creating a thread for a legitimate purpose.

[rrayy]

The OP ridiculed someones religious beliefs. Someone who says:

As you continue to ridicule Christians.

- - - Updated - - -

It's not derailing the thread to point out that the entire point of this thread is just bashing a religion.


If 2/3 paragraphs in the OP are bashing a religion, they're not creating a thread for a legitimate purpose.

ANd you are bashing Christianity. Hypocritical on your part.

[Coolthulhu]

Met four adherents in Glastonbury, one of which Chinese, the others were Brits. The Chinese guy was obviously the indoctrinator, and those Brits were evidently brainwashed - they had the typical starry-eyed of those who fell for those kind of spiritual traps.
The Chinese guy was amiable and charismatic enough though, so I humoured him a little, only to find out that his knowledge of Eastern esotericism was very lacking and reeked of New Age. Their moral belief system is also too rigid and conservative for my liking. Overall, a disappointing experience.

Of course that doesn't justify the way the Chinese government treats them, nor the fact that I can't recall the last time I've heard headlines about their persecution. I guess they're not politically interesting enough.

[Ripster42]

As you continue to ridicule Christians.

The only thing I'm doing is drawing direct comparisons, for the purpose of getting all religions treated equally on this board. If you think direct comparisons between faith healing and the prosperity gospel and similar practices alleged in the OP about the faith in question, and the indirect comparison of only vague accusations of murder and actual guilty verdicts for child molestation is ridiculing christians, get some perspective.

[Stelio Kontos]

The only thing I'm doing is drawing direct comparisons, for the purpose of getting all religions treated equally on this board. If you think direct comparisons between faith healing and the prosperity gospel and similar practices alleged in the OP about the faith in question, and the indirect comparison of only vague accusations of murder and actual guilty verdicts for child molestation is ridiculing christians, get some perspective.

You're lumping all Christians in with American Evangelicals in a flaccid attempt to bash. Prosperity gospel is localized to (mostly American) evangelical Protestants, you're leaving out non-evangelical Protestants, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Christians. You're painting with such a broad brush as to make your point meaningless, so stop with the derailing please.

[Ripster42]

You're lumping all Christians in with American Evangelicals in a flaccid attempt to bash. Prosperity gospel is localized to (mostly American) evangelical Protestants, you're leaving out non-evangelical Protestants, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Christians. You're painting with such a broad brush as to make your point meaningless, so stop with the derailing please.

I'm sorry, I didn't know they were they only true scottish. Please tell me more how it makes any difference what specific christian denomination they belong to, when the comparison I'm making is just to demonstrate that the framing and purpose of the OP was to be insulting towards a religion. Please stop derailing the thread because you don't like my argument.

[shadowmouse]

the OP was to be insulting towards a religion.

No, it was to ask a political question, and you haven't even established that FG is a religion. It is a cult, focused on meditation, with a "charismatic" leader.

[Ripster42]

No, it was to ask a political question, and you haven't even established that FG is a religion. It is a cult, focused on meditation, with a "charismatic" leader.

Refer to past statements. If 2/3 of a post is bashing a religion, that's the point of the post. Christianity is a cult, focused on charity and love, founded upon a "charismatic" leader.

[shadowmouse]

@Ripster42 You need to work on your reading. It doesn't work the way you think it works. Things are measured by key points, not some vague estimate of word count.

Title, clearly identifies FG as a movement, not a religion: "The Falun gong movement, good or bad?"

Similarly, Scientology isn't really a religion: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/.../religion.html

Although some social scientists insist that Scientology is a religion, the more appropriate position to take is that the organization is a multi-faceted transnational that has religion as only one of its many components. Other components include political aspirations, business ventures, cultural productions, pseudo-medical practices, pseudo-psychiatric claims, and (among its most devoted members who have joined the Sea Organization), an alternative family structure.

Finally, there is a clear question that is the point of the thread:

It honestly sounded a bit like the Chinese version of the scientologies. I know we have a few people from China. ANy truth to these claims, or is the truth closer to what they tell us in the west, that they just want to meditate and do funny dances in peace, but the big bully government won't let them?

<Shadowmouse now uses https://lipsum.com/ to generate several pages of text> Tada! My post is now about classical Latin literature and the history of printing. Have a nice day.

Why do I think we found the Scientologist in the thread?

[Ripster42]

@Ripster42 You need to work on your reading. It doesn't work the way you think it works. Things are measured by key points, not some vague estimate of word count.

Title, clearly identifies FG as a movement, not a religion: "The Falun gong movement, good or bad?"

Similarly, Scientology isn't really a religion: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/.../religion.html


Finally, there is a clear question that is the point of the thread:


<Shadowmouse now uses https://lipsum.com/ to generate several pages of text> Tada! My post is now about classical Latin literature and the history of printing. Have a nice day.

I'm glad you're the decider of what is and isn't a religion. I guess religious freedom is just bullshit to you. I reject your claim that a single question asked somehow makes the OP about a completely different thing than the entirety of the proceeding post.

Why do I think we found the Scientologist in the thread?

Because you're making unfounded assumptions.