6 ms·

Thanks, that makes sense.

PaulHoule 3y ago
They've painted themselves into a corner in other ways. Falun Gong believes that the writings of the founder are infallible and can't be changed, that's actually a good answer to the problems of living under communism if you understand their history. Falun Gong is basically a group of people who get together and do exercises in the park. Any organization in "the New China" is required to be monitored and infiltrated by communist cadres. To avoid this infiltration Falun Gong has no organization, no money changing hands, the entire "control" in the organization is through the writings of the founder which are distributed for free. They have a position which is basically "being gay is bad for your Gong" which is anathema to western human rights organizations and has been one reason it has not gotten support from governments and NGOs. I wouldn't say that they are an organization that is intended primarily to torment gay people, but the fact that they're stuck in this position closes a lot of doors to them and if they are going to find support it's going to be from people who agree with this position as opposed to people who disagree with this position but still agree they have human rights. So that's one more reason for them to align with the western right.
- LatteLazy 3y ago
  It's difficult because I don't like the CCP. But I am gay and I'm tired of weird religious groups pushing their way into politics (here in the UK). And fake news like I've seen from these guys is another blight. It's like picking the lessor evil...
  - PaulHoule 3y ago
    At the heart of it, Falun Gong is an anarchist organization of the 1990s as described by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lamborn_Wilson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lamborn_Wilson in the sense that they create a "Temporary Autonomous Zone", their practice is basically wholesome and based on Buddhism (cultivate your karma by right livelihood) and Daoism (cultivate your life energy or Gong by physical and spiritual exercises.) I almost got a subscription to The Epoch Times in 2016 but they rapidly pivoted in a pro-Trump direction that I just couldn't accept.

They've painted themselves into a corner in other ways. Falun Gong believes that the writings of the founder are infallible and can't be changed, that's actually a good answer to the problems of living under communism if you understand their history. Falun Gong is basically a group of people who get together and do exercises in the park. Any organization in "the New China" is required to be monitored and infiltrated by communist cadres. To avoid this infiltration Falun Gong has no organization, no money changing hands, the entire "control" in the organization is through the writings of the founder which are distributed for free. They have a position which is basically "being gay is bad for your Gong" which is anathema to western human rights organizations and has been one reason it has not gotten support from governments and NGOs. I wouldn't say that they are an organization that is intended primarily to torment gay people, but the fact that they're stuck in this position closes a lot of doors to them and if they are going to find support it's going to be from people who agree with this position as opposed to people who disagree with this position but still agree they have human rights. So that's one more reason for them to align with the western right.

LatteLazy 3y ago
It's difficult because I don't like the CCP. But I am gay and I'm tired of weird religious groups pushing their way into politics (here in the UK). And fake news like I've seen from these guys is another blight. It's like picking the lessor evil...
- PaulHoule 3y ago
  At the heart of it, Falun Gong is an anarchist organization of the 1990s as described by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lamborn_Wilson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lamborn_Wilson in the sense that they create a "Temporary Autonomous Zone", their practice is basically wholesome and based on Buddhism (cultivate your karma by right livelihood) and Daoism (cultivate your life energy or Gong by physical and spiritual exercises.) I almost got a subscription to The Epoch Times in 2016 but they rapidly pivoted in a pro-Trump direction that I just couldn't accept.