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>"Taking a page out of the playbook of the Chinese pro-Trump religious group Falun Gong..." >"Falun Gong was, until recently, most known (and mocked) in the Un

>"Taking a page out of the playbook of the Chinese pro-Trump religious group Falun Gong..." >"Falun Gong was, until recently, most known (and mocked) in the United States as the cult responsible for the bombastic traveling dance troupe Shen Yun, a vehicle for anti-CCP propaganda." The article doesn't even begin to attempt understanding the subject. No empathy is extended. Instead, it starts from a predictable partisan premise and works from there. A fair look at this group probably wouldn't start this way.

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beaconstudios 6y ago
extra surprising given how Falun Gong have been treated in China, including being killed en-masse and having their organs harvested (sounds like a conspiracy theory; it isn't - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_harvesting_from_Falun_Gong_practitioners_in_China https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_harvesting_from_Falun_Go...).
- aww_dang 6y ago
  Exactly. I've always understood Falun Gong as an oppressed religious movement. Apparently the "deplorable" political parallels are more interesting to the author. Hard to take the article seriously. It reads as a political screed.
- qshaman 6y ago
  You can be a crazy cult and have your member's organs harvested at the same time.
  - aww_dang 6y ago
    >David Ownby similarly wrote that "the entire issue of the supposed cultic nature of Falun Gong was a red herring from the beginning, cleverly exploited by the Chinese state... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#:~:text=the%20entire%20issue%20of%20the%20supposed%20cultic%20nature%20of%20Falun%20Gong%20was%20a%20red%20herring%20from%20the%20beginning,%20cleverly%20exploited%20by%20the%20Chinese%20state https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#:~:text=the%20entir...
14TheLamb 6y ago
Agreed. No empathy in this article at all... extremely slanted and I only got halfway through it. Also, there is a pretty major cult in the US that has been forming around one Dr. Fauci as well that has plenty of weird dancing and TikTok singing. Oh, but that one is the REAL "Happy Science" that promises doomsday for those that don't put a mask on for it or follow the rituals.
- TMWNN 6y ago
  >Also, there is a pretty major cult in the US that has been forming around one Dr. Fauci as well that has plenty of weird dancing and TikTok singing. Said cult began very early: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/31/fauci-fan-tributes/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/31/fauci-fan-t... Soon apparel and votive candles (!): https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/anthony-fauci-poll-favorability-trump/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/anthony-fauci-poll-f... Don't forget DC declaring Christmas Eve "Dr. Anthony Fauci Day"! https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/dr-fauci-day-dc-december-24-80th-birthday/65-3323e772-ae0b-4df3-b72c-93b98868158d https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/dr-fauci-day-dc...
sam_dal 6y ago
True, the cult seems modelled after Scientology. It's like if a group of Scientologists supported Trump and then the whole religion is then associated with Trump.

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beaconstudios 6y ago

extra surprising given how Falun Gong have been treated in China, including being killed en-masse and having their organs harvested (sounds like a conspiracy theory; it isn't - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_harvesting_from_Falun_Gong_practitioners_in_China https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_harvesting_from_Falun_Go...).

aww_dang 6y ago
Exactly. I've always understood Falun Gong as an oppressed religious movement. Apparently the "deplorable" political parallels are more interesting to the author. Hard to take the article seriously. It reads as a political screed.
qshaman 6y ago
You can be a crazy cult and have your member's organs harvested at the same time.
- aww_dang 6y ago
  >David Ownby similarly wrote that "the entire issue of the supposed cultic nature of Falun Gong was a red herring from the beginning, cleverly exploited by the Chinese state... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#:~:text=the%20entire%20issue%20of%20the%20supposed%20cultic%20nature%20of%20Falun%20Gong%20was%20a%20red%20herring%20from%20the%20beginning,%20cleverly%20exploited%20by%20the%20Chinese%20state https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#:~:text=the%20entir...

14TheLamb 6y ago

Agreed. No empathy in this article at all... extremely slanted and I only got halfway through it. Also, there is a pretty major cult in the US that has been forming around one Dr. Fauci as well that has plenty of weird dancing and TikTok singing. Oh, but that one is the REAL "Happy Science" that promises doomsday for those that don't put a mask on for it or follow the rituals.

TMWNN 6y ago
>Also, there is a pretty major cult in the US that has been forming around one Dr. Fauci as well that has plenty of weird dancing and TikTok singing. Said cult began very early: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/31/fauci-fan-tributes/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/31/fauci-fan-t... Soon apparel and votive candles (!): https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/anthony-fauci-poll-favorability-trump/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/anthony-fauci-poll-f... Don't forget DC declaring Christmas Eve "Dr. Anthony Fauci Day"! https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/dr-fauci-day-dc-december-24-80th-birthday/65-3323e772-ae0b-4df3-b72c-93b98868158d https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/dr-fauci-day-dc...

sam_dal 6y ago

True, the cult seems modelled after Scientology. It's like if a group of Scientologists supported Trump and then the whole religion is then associated with Trump.