Warning - Long Rant
Faulunggong (FLG) should have been controlled.
Imagine a group in the US where the founder changed his name to George Washington and wore a suit and beard like Abraham Lincoln but said “I’m not political” The founder of FLG dresses like a Chinese Emperor and changed his name to sound like the first emperor of China.
Suppose that same groups founder changed his birthday to December 25 and created a story about how he was born in a stable and visited by wise men but claimed he was not founding a religious organization? The founder of FLG claims he was born on Buddha’s birthday (Which is not true) and that several legendary Buddhist scholars appeared as spirits to his mother at that time of his birth to state he was going to be a great spiritual leader. He then says he is not founding a religion.
The leader of FLG essentially claims to be the reincarnation of both Buddha and ancient Chinese emperors. He is either insane or a con-man of epic proportions and the Chinese government was justified in protecting its citizens from the organization.
China has some real problems with freedom of religion and freedom of expression in general but those problems are less severe than the issues faced by many churches in the US right now. I lived there 17 years and am ashamed to say that at this point the churches in China probably proclaim the gospel more faithfully than many US churches.
The commissars realize, for the most part that Christian are good citizens and Muslims are not.
Even if true, you really think any of that justifies criminally banning the practice?