New York City is flooded with ongoing protests regarding the Chinese Government oppression of Falun Gong practitioners – we are talking concurrent staging of elaborate torture scenes in multiple central locations, free newspapers printed on quality paper… in short, a well organized and financed operation, no “mom and pop” protests here.
So is that a rich cult, or a tool in the hands of a third party? Is it just a New York phenomenon?
I encountered them for the first time in Cambridge, UK two weeks ago - I haven’t seen then since, but it seems this is an international thing…
Grim
Falun Gong is a very large, well organized religion/cult (depending on one’s point of view). Prior to falling out with the Chinese government in 1998/1999, the number of adherents in China reached into the millions – the organization claimed something like 60 million adherents at its height, which is doubtlessly exaggerated, but could well have been into the low tens of millions, from my observations.
Falun Gong now has a presence within most communities with Chinese diaspora. NYC is doubtlessly the center of protests, because the founder of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi, lives there. Protests reguarly occur in other major cities, as well; there is pretty much a permanent presence of a few Falun Gong adherents outside the Chinese Embassy in Washinigton, DC.
There appears to be a lot of money behind the organization. I cannot confirm this, but I have heard that a company that has ties to Li Hongzhi recently bought a television station in Taiwan.
As far as the religion vs. cult issue, that’s a tough one to answer in GQ. Some may view it as a kind of New Age-Buddhist fusion type of religion. Others see it as a mind-controlling cult. It is tough to judge this one impartially, since both pro- and anti-Falun Gong types are generally pretty extreme – which might tell you something, too.
My own personal view, however, is that before it was banned in China, a great many of its adherents probably saw it is a kind of harmless, New Age type of movement, with a much smaller hardcore group of dedicated followers of Li Hongzhi. Since it has been labeled as a cult, I get the feeling that the number of hardcore members has greatly increased in proportion to overall membership.
I took this picture on my way to work in Dublin about a month ago. They’ve been quietly performing this protest in the middle of O’Connell Street for a couple of years now. Ireland has also granted asylum to practitioners who have been imprisoned in China, on their release.
Their section of the parade yesterday was kinda nifty though… Very colorful! Although their float was a little weird… Well, some American looking blonde woman sitting in the center of a daisy, raising her hands over head while smiling like a woman who has washed down her Prozac with a Jack-and-Zoloft chaser, to that eery Falun Gong music… That was a little bit odd.
But the procession was colorful, and neat to watch.
They’ve had a permanent protest across the road from the Chinese Embassy in London (on the pavement outside the Royal Institute of British Architects on Portland Place) for at least the last 3 years. Usually just one or two members sitting there meditating, or whatever it they’re doing.
For a little background, try out this page over at religioustolerance.org
What would happen if they went to Tiananmen Square and attempted same? =D
Cheers!
BA
Any time I’ve seen Falun Gong practitioners, they have a large board of graphic pictures of the various kinds of harm inflicted on their members in China. They also usually have someone handing out information on the movement and the persecution directed at it. (It was usually referred to as Falun Dafa, which refers to the spiritual movement that practices the exercises called Falun Gong, according to the religioustolerance.org page.)
They do have some unusual beliefs, but most are little more unusual than the beliefs of some mainstream religions. They also seem to be quite open about their beliefs and practices. Though the definition of ‘cult’ is open to debate, groups that are widely regarded as ‘cults’ usually revolve around a charismatic leader (e.g. Jim Jones), and Falun Gong does not seem to treat Li Hongzhi as a charismatic leader, at least not openly.
It should be noted that the Chinese government opposes a number of other religious groups (as described in this other page at religioustolerance.org). This may be because China has a history of religious opposition to the government. Some of the religious groups which have encountered opposition in China are entirely mainstream by Western standards, such as Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Buddhism.
Just so you know…the late night TV ads for alarm devices do not say, “I’ve falun gong and I can’t get up.” It’s “fallen down.” OK? 
They also protest constantly outside the Chinese embassy here in Chicago (why China needs an embassy in Chicago I don’t know, but there they are). It’s a 24 hour a day vigil with signs and such. I’ve always thought it was kinda cool. Fight the Power, Chinese style.
They’ve been in Vancouver for years and years and years. I believe a permanent protest camp is set up on the sidewalk outside the chinese consulate.
So they can spy.
Spying, yes. But don’t forget the deep-dish pizza.
Nothing in Jeddah yet. 
I encountered one of their protests (not suprisingly) in Taipei. Similar setup to what has been described here.
Haj
They also protested (and quickly ‘disappeared’) just before the handover of Macau. I believe the protesters had flown in from Taiwan.
IMHO, the Chinese government could give a flying toss about the religious angle. However, the Chinese government does feel threatened by any large organized group outside of it’s control.
I have had some personal experience with the Falun Gong in the past, and while I don’t want to get into details, my two cents is they are a cult that wants sizeable personal donations and unblinking belief in the “master”.
If you want to find persecuted religion to push human rights for, there are plenty of mainstream religious groups in China that could use support (ex. Tibetan buddhists). Not sure why Falun Gong has the support it does in the west.
When I visited Hong Kong and Macau in 2003, I encountered people handing out Falun Gong pamphlets several times. I didn’t take any, though, lest the authorities mistake me for Richard Gere.
Do you mean those late Saturday Night ones? “I’m Jimmy Fallon, and I can’t get up”
