Following up discussions over why China sees so many acts of self-immolation but none of the response seen in Tunisia, Stainless Steel Mouse notes [zh] that ten years have passed since five Falun Gong protesters led a deadly protest in Tiananmen Square: ‘it didn't lead to a Falun Gong uprising, so don't bother asking why China's many self-immolations haven't led to a revolution.’
Written byJohn Kennedy
27 comments
SGstudent and others interested in Falun Gong:
It is important to see Falun Gong from more than the simply the perspective of Li Hongzhi’s devoted practitioners.
The “Epoch Times” is run by Falun Gong practitioners and is a biased source.
“New Tang Dynasty TV” which produced “False Fire” is likewise an appendage of Falun Gong controlled media.
To better understand the horrific event that took place at Tiennneman Square from a first-hand perspective you can read the interview at CultNews.com.
See http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2422
To better understand why many cult experts regard Falun Gong as a “cult” read my analysis also accessible through CultNews.com.
See http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2346
There is also a large archive of articles about Falun Gong collected within the Ross Institute Internet Archives.
See http://www.rickross.com/groups/falun.html
It is important to take in all the information when examining the situation of Falun Gong and its leader Li Hongzhi.
Rick A. Ross
http://www.rickross.com
Wow, I just read the thing Mr. Ross linked to about the “intervention.” It is a quite incredible document. It sounds like a poor woman was bullied by Ross, who was employed by the woman’s family members, to make her give up Falun Gong! The discussion had little to do with problems with Falun Gong itself, but that other members of the family felt that her Falun Gong practice was religious in character, and that this contradicted the notion of an Orthodox Jewish household! It must be asked here who is in the wrong? The husband and others who are bullying this poor woman to give up her faith, or the woman who just wants to do exercises, promises to maintain an Orthodox Jewish household, and maintain her own religious beliefs?! How incredible. I feel very sorry for her. I can imagine the nasty social pressure she endured in that process. It seems like Mr. Ross’s behaviour is closer to the psychologically manipulative cults he described, rather than this poor woman who just wished to be left alone to love her husband and bring up a family.
To whom it may concern:
I am not nor have I ever been “on the payroll of the PRC.”
This is a false statement.
I interviewed two women face-to-face that participated in the self-immolation at Tienanmen Square.
Attempting to deny that they once were loyal followers of Li Hongzhi and practitioners of Falun Gong is a deeply disturbing response to this tragedy.
Not only does it fail to address the fanatical influence that led to this horrific event, but it also denigrates the integrity of these two women, who have suffered great pain because of their loyalty to Li Hongzhi.
Li Hongzhi has made deeply disturbing racist and homophobic remarks, which have been reported by the press, but he has never apologized.
How can Falun Gong improve if it is not willing to acknowledge its mistakes?
And the supernatural claims made about Li Hongzhi by his followers are reminiscent of similar claims made about cult leaders of the past, such as David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite and Shoko Asahara.
Affected families in the US have complained to me about the influence of Falun Gong, particularly regarding the medical neglect of loved ones that have become active practitioners. This is similar to the complaints about Falun Gong in China.
In fact an American family asked me to participate in an intervention concerning a Falun Gong practitioner. This intervention is mentioned in a recent paper I presented in China.
See http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2421
Rick A. Ross
http://www.rickross.com
To whom it may concern:
It should be noted that there have been problems at Wikipedia, which is an “open source” encyclopedia.
See http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien593.html
Wikipedia banned Scientologists from editing articles, which was a punishment for repeated and deceptive editing of articles related to the controversial religion.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer
Wikipedia’s disclaimer states, “The structure of the project allows anyone with an Internet connection to alter its content. Please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by people with the expertise required to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information.”
It seems that Falun Gong supporters currently dominate the Wikipedia entry on that religion.
Rick A. Ross
http://www.rickross.com
In response to Mr. Ross’s latest remarks, I would only add: it is important, indeed, too, to note the credibility of the sources of information you are using. Rick Ross is clearly on the side of the persecutors in this dispute. He has no academic credentials and is not an authority. They allowed him to speak to the individuals–who perhaps were actors, who knows–because he is on their side. No independent investigation has ever been allowed. No cross-examination, no careful analysis of the event from the available evidence. Why do you think this is? Why does the CCP only allow people on its side–like Ross–to interview these people? Think about it? Is someone who is so ignorant to such obvious things worth taking seriously? I suggest reading David Ownby’s book on the topic. Mr. Ross is a pariah in the debate and only serves to spread hatred, not understanding.
Mr. Zhang:
I have been qualified and accepted as an expert witness within 10 states in the US, including US Federal Court through what is called a “Daubert hearing.” In such a hearing the expertise of the expert is quite literally put on trial before a federal judge.
I have never failed to be qualified and accepted as an expert in any court proceeding.
See http://www.rickross.com/witness.html
Though I have not attended college I have lectured at more than thirty colleges and universities including the University of Chicago, Dickinson College, Carnegie Mellon, Baylor, The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Duquesne, Knox College and Rutgers.
See http://www.rickross.com/lecturer.html
I have also worked as a paid professional consultant/analyst for CBS, CBC and Nippon television networks.
See http://www.rickross.com/biography.html
Margaret Singer, PhD was a leading expert on brainwashing and one of the most respected cult experts of the 20th Century. She said, “If you want a good description of a cult, all you have to do is read what [Falun Dafa followers] say they are.”
See http://www.rickross.com/reference/fa_lun_gong/falun176.html
The two women I interviewed, Ms. Hao Huijun and her daughter Chen Guo, were hospitalized with extreme injuries. The extent of those injuries is immediately visible to anyone that looks at the photos within my article.
See http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2422
Reuters also did an interview with Chen Guo in 2002.
See http://www.rickross.com/reference/fa_lun_gong/falun261.html
I have viewed the analysis of the self-immolation done by the Falun Gong controlled “New Tang Dynasty TV.” Frankly, the conspiracy theories offered within this material are not credible. The simple truth is that this tragic event occurred as a direct result of fanatical devotion, which was encouraged and sustained by Falun Gong.
Your claim that these women are somehow “actors” is ridiculous.
But such a response once again illustrates the intransigence of Falun Gong regarding taking responsibility for anything negative related to its influence.
Can you think of anything Falun Gong may have done wrong, which might be discussed, reviewed and potentially corrected?
Don’t you think that the outrage of the gay community in San Francisco over Li Hongzhi’s hateful and homophobic remarks, is an example of something that needs to be changed and corrected?
And what about Li’s racist remarks?
See http://www.rickross.com/reference/fa_lun_gong/falun249.html
Falun Gong practitioners often fail to address these issues in any meaningful and specific way, which is quite telling in my opinion.
Rick A. Ross
http://www.rickross.com
Falun gong is hateful lying cults I debunked them.
Other falun gong practitioner denial of self-immolations falun gong cults are liars
flg say spy might of self-immolated because he did hands and sit wrong?<-why would ccp self-immolate?
the black object that hit liu chungling in the video self-immolator threw black object go fame by fame you can see it.