China seeks to exorcise ‘evil cult’ it invited in

FT ^ | 06/09/09 | Jamil Anderlini

[TigerLikesRooster]

China seeks to exorcise ‘evil cult’ it invited in

By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing

Published: June 9 2009 17:38 | Last updated: June 9 2009 22:48

Zhang Erping first heard about Falun Gong in 1994 at an introductory talk organised by the Chinese consulate in New York.

Falun Gong members in Taipei mark the 10th anniversary of the crackdown on the spiritual movement within China

At the time, the Chinese Communist party was promoting the nascent spiritual movement abroad, along­side traditional cooking and handicrafts, as part of its “cultural propaganda to the west”.

“I still have pictures of me with the Falun Gong masters and government officials in the consulate in New York,” says Mr Zhang, who calls himself a volunteer but is widely regarded as the official spokesman and the second most prominent figure within the movement.

[TigerLikesRooster]

The late comer Falun Gong may have trouble competing with Tibetan Buddhism or other eastern religion which have taken root in the West. However, for overseas Chinese, its appeal surpass any alternatives. It is a home-grown religious movement which they are so familiar with throughout their history, a Messianic populist religion.

That historical connection to the past really scares Chicom.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[agere_contra]

Well said. Hung Hsiu-chuan (”the younger brother of Jesus”) casts a long shadow.

[Owl558]

“It is a home-grown religious movement which they are so familiar with throughout their history, a Messianic populist religion.

As I remember my Chinese history, these movements are one traditional avenue of changing governments.

[TigersEye]

Communists and fascists don't tolerate movements, religious or otherwise, that open the sheeple's eyes to any authority greater than the state's. Of course governments that are run by muzzies have the official religion built right in. Even religions that are willing to be submissive to that are poorly tolerated if at all.

Beware, America. Countries that entertain Islam as morally equivalent to other religions are inviting in a regime of government more repressive and brutal than the ChiComs have ever been. Somehow I don't think a mixture of Marxism and Islam would be any better.