Discussions about Falungong
I recently came across one thread at Politics Forum website.[url=http://www.politicsforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1578617#1578617]http://www.politicsforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1578617#1578617[/url]
And I don't understand why Westerners like the "SeriousCat" guy thinks Falungong is a religion. He even claims that Falungong is a religion in the USA.
In Singapore, our government is stongly anti-Falungong.
What are your views on the above-mentioned thread?
Reply 1# SINGAPURA's post
"SeriousCat" is an asshole, but he's right on a number of points regarding religion. I'm not religious and nor am I some FLG spokes-person (I think they're just as nutty as Scientologists, and they make me sick), but He's right when he says the FLG is a religion. They make several claims that cannot be proved or falsified with science and must be accepted with blind faith (they also make several stupid claims that are quite false and laughable, but that's their problem). If that's not the definition of a religion- something that can only be accepted in faith- then I don't know what is.He's also spot on when it comes to freedom of thought (and, by extension, speech) when he says:
[quote]"ZhenQ wrote:
Freedom of speech is a very noble idea, but sometimes you just need to shut people up."
Which is authoritarian and evil. [/quote]
This is quite correct and while SeriousCat's tone is quite arrogant, when you're right you're entitled to a little arrogance (but only a little, mind).
He's also got a good command of critical thinking and argument structure- I'd think twice about picking a fight with him (although I'd kick his ass on his atheism stance), however he has mistakenly sourced wikipedia and stands by it. I use wikipedia as a reference guide and as a sourcebook, almost, to back up ideas and to look things up. But not to cite from it directly; that's just stupid.
"Chengdu" makes a couple of mistakes in responding to SC's arrogance and getting wound up by it. I think the crucial factor was SC's assertion that FLG is a religion, something CD couldn't accept, even when presented with reasons, purely because the Singapore govt. doesn't list them as such. If I followed my govt. as faithfully then I'd marry a one Euro coin, declare war on the shop across the road (they have a sale on cooking oil atm) and give some random stranger a degree of authority over my life in return for a fiver. But that's just because my govt. is crap.
Anyway, this thread is quite interesting to read and then re-read again just to see where all pretense of civility finally goes and the snide remarks become insults. Pretty soon that thread will descend to open flaming. All of it preventable by not being a jackass or over-sensitive. Funny, really...
[[i] Last edited by flamingmonkey at 4-7-2008 18:48 [/i]]
Reply 2# flamingmonkey's post
actually i do not know what view are you trying to express... They just need to import the CCP's policies and everything will be solvedReply 3# SINGAPURA's post
I was just expressing my view that the thread is going down the road to destruction all because those involved in it were too stuck-up to recognise the other's point of view. Of course, if you want me to start talking about the topic discussed then you only have to ask... What is the definition of a religion? Why is one thing a religion and the other thing a sect or just plain rubbish?You can say FLG is bad and I agree that it is not good for people to follow but this doesn't mean it is not a religion. It only means it is a bad one or one that can't represent my or your idea about life.
I think some religions should be forbidden because they can be harmful to people either mentally or physically or financially. Scientology is one of those and FLG can also be one but I know to little about the FLG to really condemn them that much.
But I understand why China banned the FLG if you look at the history with the white lotus sect. The thinking is very rational but it is difficult to judge if it is the right one. I'm deeply disgusted by what FLG is doing. If you go to their website EpochTimes, you will know what I mean...
For me, the best way to deal with this kind of cult is to just downright ignore it. It is just GROSS!
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