Thai soldiers seize 'Anti-China' Falun Gong materials

[Praematura]

Beijing doesn't oppress Falun Gong for any ideological reason. But the one thing that all authoritarian regimes hate is any organization that has the ability to organize a population outside of it's control, or worse their knowledge.

I remember one incident when I lived in China when Falun Gong managed to bring out 10,000 supporters into Tiananmen Square, totally blind sighting the authorities. That kind of ability to organize terrifies the bejesus out of them.

The current Thai regime in actuality, despite all the nonsense that gets written here, has very little in the way of shared ideology or interests with Beijing; but what they do share is that authoritarian fear of counter revolution and anything or anyone that has the ability to spread ideas outside of their control

I disagree. The pm is patterning governance on the Chinese communist model. He wants to have a rubber stamp legislative branch and retain control via the super committee like the committee China uses. He is restricting Internet (my fav pron websites), he is using nationalist slogans like "our country stronger together" and is jailing the opposition. This is not Thailand that I've known in the last 15 years but a new China lite copy.

This regime has courted repressive authoritarian governments such as China and Russia and even espouses some vague idea of the self sufficiency mantra the Chinese, Russians and North Koreans exalt.

Please dude this place is more and more like repressive China to state otherwise is disenguous.

[GinBoy2]

Beijing doesn't oppress Falun Gong for any ideological reason. But the one thing that all authoritarian regimes hate is any organization that has the ability to organize a population outside of it's control, or worse their knowledge.

I remember one incident when I lived in China when Falun Gong managed to bring out 10,000 supporters into Tiananmen Square, totally blind sighting the authorities. That kind of ability to organize terrifies the bejesus out of them.

The current Thai regime in actuality, despite all the nonsense that gets written here, has very little in the way of shared ideology or interests with Beijing; but what they do share is that authoritarian fear of counter revolution and anything or anyone that has the ability to spread ideas outside of their control

I disagree. The pm is patterning governance on the Chinese communist model. He wants to have a rubber stamp legislative branch and retain control via the super committee like the committee uses. He is restricting Internet (my fav pron websites), he is using nationalist slogans like "our country stronger together" and is jailing the opposition. This is not Thailand that I've known in the last 15 years but a new China lite copy.

This regime has courted repressive authoritarian governments such as China and Russia and even espouses some vague idea of the self sufficiency mantra the Chinese, Russians and North Koreans exalt.

Please dude this place is more and more like repressive China to state otherwise is disenguous.

I actually think you misinterpreted what I was trying to suggest. I agree with you, what I was trying to say that in terms of ideology, royalist, economics etc, little connects the regimes. Authoritarianism and a fear of counter revolution certainly does bind these two regimes. Undemocratic regimes tend to find odd bedfellows as we are witnessing with the current Thai 'dance with the devil'

[copa8]

What does this have to with the USA?

Truly, for many it seems, every opportunity is an opportunity to bash the USA.

Almost like the China/Russia-bashing in Western media.

[mumjokmok]

Any question now who the masters are?

Almost like Britain's and Japan's relationship with the US. They're the unofficial 51st and 52nd states of the USA.

[espinoza]

Now Thailand supports Chinas suppression of religions also. This looks like Thailand's present government want to attract anybody opposed to China to set off bombs in Bangkok or other big cities. Security in Thailand, I think that is something everybody can forget. Licking Chinese ass is more important.

[espinoza]

Very Buddhist indeed. Shame on Thailand.

[RaoulDuke]

I attended a Shen Yun 'Chinese cultural performance' one time, without realizing that it was actually put on the the Falun Gong people as a protest of China. While some elements of the show were entertaining, it got very creepy in a cultish way about 1/2 way through. This is when I realized that this show did not originate in China, as I originally assumed.

I had a limited knowledge of the group as a persecuted minority in China prior to this performance. This show, however, made me sympathize with China. Upon looking into the group more after the show, it merely confirmed my suspicion that this is indeed a rather creepy cult operating under the guise of a simple religious group that likes to meditate. There are some very shady things going on behind the curtain with this organization. Of course, all organized religion is corrupt, and many could be loosely categorized as a cult. But I think this group is definitely a bit even more shady than any major religious scam.

[Usernames]

Any question now who the masters are?

Almost like Britain's and Japan's relationship with the US. They're the unofficial 51st and 52nd states of the USA.

Absolutely silly remark. Criticism of the US goes on daily and sometimes violently in the UK and Japan. And nobody goes to jail or has their material confiscated. Some of them are even awarded knighthoods in the UK.

[h90]

So will people be given re-education classes if they criticize China now also?

They are radicals.....We don't need fanatics no matter if the are Islamists, Christians or Buddhists....

[Usernames]

So will people be given re-education classes if they criticize China now also?

They are radicals.....We don't need fanatics no matter if the are Islamists, Christians or Buddhists....

Radicals? They practice meditation and slow moving exercises.

[tonbridgebrit]

I attended a Shen Yun 'Chinese cultural performance' one time, without realizing that it was actually put on the the Falun Gong people as a protest of China. While some elements of the show were entertaining, it got very creepy in a cultish way about 1/2 way through. This is when I realized that this show did not originate in China, as I originally assumed.

I had a limited knowledge of the group as a persecuted minority in China prior to this performance. This show, however, made me sympathize with China. Upon looking into the group more after the show, it merely confirmed my suspicion that this is indeed a rather creepy cult operating under the guise of a simple religious group that likes to meditate. There are some very shady things going on behind the curtain with this organization. Of course, all organized religion is corrupt, and many could be loosely categorized as a cult. But I think this group is definitely a bit even more shady than any major religious scam.

+1

And indeed, back home in Europe, lots of people do feel that such crazy and bad cults should be removed. Lots of cults are poisonous to society, and I do reckon Falun Gong is one of them.

[VillageIdiot]

I attended a Shen Yun 'Chinese cultural performance' one time, without realizing that it was actually put on the the Falun Gong people as a protest of China. While some elements of the show were entertaining, it got very creepy in a cultish way about 1/2 way through. This is when I realized that this show did not originate in China, as I originally assumed.

I had a limited knowledge of the group as a persecuted minority in China prior to this performance. This show, however, made me sympathize with China. Upon looking into the group more after the show, it merely confirmed my suspicion that this is indeed a rather creepy cult operating under the guise of a simple religious group that likes to meditate. There are some very shady things going on behind the curtain with this organization. Of course, all organized religion is corrupt, and many could be loosely categorized as a cult. But I think this group is definitely a bit even more shady than any major religious scam.

+1

And indeed, back home in Europe, lots of people do feel that such crazy and bad cults should be removed. Lots of cults are poisonous to society, and I do reckon Falun Gong is one of them.

Is the practice of Qigong [Chi Kung] poisonous to society?

What is your suspicion of Falun Gong based upon?

Anything specific?

[SheungWan]

Beijing doesn't oppress Falun Gong for any ideological reason. But the one thing that all authoritarian regimes hate is any organization that has the ability to organize a population outside of it's control, or worse their knowledge.

I remember one incident when I lived in China when Falun Gong managed to bring out 10,000 supporters into Tiananmen Square, totally blind sighting the authorities. That kind of ability to organize terrifies the bejesus out of them.

The current Thai regime in actuality, despite all the nonsense that gets written here, has very little in the way of shared ideology or interests with Beijing; but what they do share is that authoritarian fear of counter revolution and anything or anyone that has the ability to spread ideas outside of their control

I disagree. The pm is patterning governance on the Chinese communist model. He wants to have a rubber stamp legislative branch and retain control via the super committee like the committee China uses. He is restricting Internet (my fav pron websites), he is using nationalist slogans like "our country stronger together" and is jailing the opposition. This is not Thailand that I've known in the last 15 years but a new China lite copy.

This regime has courted repressive authoritarian governments such as China and Russia and even espouses some vague idea of the self sufficiency mantra the Chinese, Russians and North Koreans exalt.

Please dude this place is more and more like repressive China to state otherwise is disenguous.

In fact its so oppressive you are going to .....stay.

[tonbridgebrit]

I attended a Shen Yun 'Chinese cultural performance' one time, without realizing that it was actually put on the the Falun Gong people as a protest of China. While some elements of the show were entertaining, it got very creepy in a cultish way about 1/2 way through. This is when I realized that this show did not originate in China, as I originally assumed.

I had a limited knowledge of the group as a persecuted minority in China prior to this performance. This show, however, made me sympathize with China. Upon looking into the group more after the show, it merely confirmed my suspicion that this is indeed a rather creepy cult operating under the guise of a simple religious group that likes to meditate. There are some very shady things going on behind the curtain with this organization. Of course, all organized religion is corrupt, and many could be loosely categorized as a cult. But I think this group is definitely a bit even more shady than any major religious scam.

+1

And indeed, back home in Europe, lots of people do feel that such crazy and bad cults should be removed. Lots of cults are poisonous to society, and I do reckon Falun Gong is one of them.

Is the practice of Qigong [Chi Kung] poisonous to society?

What is your suspicion of Falun Gong based upon?

Anything specific?

I'm just trying to say, that back home in Europe, most people don't support small minority religious groups. Lots of people in Europe do feel that society would be better if religion was removed, especially small cult-like groups.

Falun Gong, the senior members anyway, have been supposedly involved in a number of scandals. Some of those who support Falun Gong are the same people who blast and condemn cults in Europe, and would like to see removal of all religion in Europe.

There's nothing wrong or bad about medidation, etc. I think it's purely the group. Falun Gong is allowed to operate in Hong Kong, but there impact there is almost negligible. Why has the media supported Falun Gong ? I think it's far more to do with trying to paint a negative picture of China than anything else. In this particular case, Thailand is clamping down on an almost non-existent cult, it makes China happy when this non-existent cult is being removed. So, why not do it ? And Thailand removing this cult, well, it gives the China bashers on ThaiVisa the excuse they need to make their comments. Comments like "oh look, Thailand is being controlled by China, Thailand is becoming a nation were freedom of religion is being restricted". And those people who make those comments, it's not as if they reckon that allowing Mormons in Thailand is actually a good thing.

[VillageIdiot]

+1

And indeed, back home in Europe, lots of people do feel that such crazy and bad cults should be removed. Lots of cults are poisonous to society, and I do reckon Falun Gong is one of them.

Is the practice of Qigong [Chi Kung] poisonous to society?

What is your suspicion of Falun Gong based upon?

Anything specific?

I'm just trying to say, that back home in Europe, most people don't support small minority religious groups. Lots of people in Europe do feel that society would be better if religion was removed, especially small cult-like groups.

Falun Gong, the senior members anyway, have been supposedly involved in a number of scandals. Some of those who support Falun Gong are the same people who blast and condemn cults in Europe, and would like to see removal of all religion in Europe.

There's nothing wrong or bad about medidation, etc. I think it's purely the group. Falun Gong is allowed to operate in Hong Kong, but there impact there is almost negligible. Why has the media supported Falun Gong ? I think it's far more to do with trying to paint a negative picture of China than anything else. In this particular case, Thailand is clamping down on an almost non-existent cult, it makes China happy when this non-existent cult is being removed. So, why not do it ? And Thailand removing this cult, well, it gives the China bashers on ThaiVisa the excuse they need to make their comments. Comments like "oh look, Thailand is being controlled by China, Thailand is becoming a nation were freedom of religion is being restricted". And those people who make those comments, it's not as if they reckon that allowing Mormons in Thailand is actually a good thing.

You're quite right, most people in Europe don't support small minority religious groups, but as long as they stay within the law they are tolerated.

Incidentally, what senior members of Falun Gong have been involved in scandals?

In 2003 an ordinary member was accused of defrauding the Shujing Huandong Co. in Los Angeles. Other than that, I'm not aware of any credible accusations against the group or its leadership.

Maybe you know something that I don't.

[mrrizzla]

People that know about it, is it as wackly and cultish as say Scientology?

[tonbridgebrit]

+1

And indeed, back home in Europe, lots of people do feel that such crazy and bad cults should be removed. Lots of cults are poisonous to society, and I do reckon Falun Gong is one of them.

Is the practice of Qigong [Chi Kung] poisonous to society?

What is your suspicion of Falun Gong based upon?

Anything specific?

I'm just trying to say, that back home in Europe, most people don't support small minority religious groups. Lots of people in Europe do feel that society would be better if religion was removed, especially small cult-like groups.

Falun Gong, the senior members anyway, have been supposedly involved in a number of scandals. Some of those who support Falun Gong are the same people who blast and condemn cults in Europe, and would like to see removal of all religion in Europe.

There's nothing wrong or bad about medidation, etc. I think it's purely the group. Falun Gong is allowed to operate in Hong Kong, but there impact there is almost negligible. Why has the media supported Falun Gong ? I think it's far more to do with trying to paint a negative picture of China than anything else. In this particular case, Thailand is clamping down on an almost non-existent cult, it makes China happy when this non-existent cult is being removed. So, why not do it ? And Thailand removing this cult, well, it gives the China bashers on ThaiVisa the excuse they need to make their comments. Comments like "oh look, Thailand is being controlled by China, Thailand is becoming a nation were freedom of religion is being restricted". And those people who make those comments, it's not as if they reckon that allowing Mormons in Thailand is actually a good thing.

You're quite right, most people in Europe don't support small minority religious groups, but as long as they stay within the law they are tolerated.

Incidentally, what senior members of Falun Gong have been involved in scandals?

In 2003 an ordinary member was accused of defrauding the Shujing Huandong Co. in Los Angeles. Other than that, I'm not aware of any credible accusations against the group or its leadership.

Maybe you know something that I don't.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/330367.stm

[tonbridgebrit]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/330367.stm

"The rapid development in China of the religious cult known as Falun Gong is the most remarkable example of the growing popularity in recent years of millenarian beliefs."

"The only officially approved religions are Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism and Islam, and the government exercises strict control over these faiths. Any other religious activity is condemned as superstition."

Falun Gong was founded by "Li Hongzhi". There's nothing wrong with Qi Gong, the problem is the cult-like group based on Qi Gong, led by Li Hongzhi. From the BBC report,

"the practitioner could move to a higher level of what he saw as a multi-layered cosmos. He explained that Buddha and Jesus, as well as himself, were beings from higher levels who had come to help humankind from the destruction it could face as a result of rampant evil. Master Li's book became the bible of the new sect. Practitioners read the work over and over again."

[tonbridgebrit]

People that know about it, is it as wackly and cultish as say Scientology?

Well, if it is as wacky and cultish as Scientology, well, do lots of people feel it is good to ban or clamp down on Scientology in the USA ?

Would society benefit if Scientology was banned ? Lots of people do think so.

[GinBoy2]

Falun Gong is about as dangerous to a tolerant society as Scientology, Mormons or practitioners of spiritual rectal evacuations.

You may consider what they do to be freaky; frankly I consider anyone that practices a belief in Burning bushes, zombies being resurrected from the dead, let alone the whole stoning of adulterers, homosexuals, burning at the stake and the current punishment de jour of religious freaks, beheading pretty freaky too.

Falun Gong aren't persecuted in China for any religious or cult reasons...it's an organization that that can organize outside the State. Beijing doesn't care if you worship the Devil so long as you can't organize your neighbors to do likewise

[BSJ]

So, can someone fill me in. Is Thailand going to become the 24 province of China...or what! I look at the people in Bangkok and there are plenty of people who look Chinese here already.

[tonbridgebrit]

Falun Gong is about as dangerous to a tolerant society as Scientology, Mormons or practitioners of spiritual rectal evacuations.

You may consider what they do to be freaky; frankly I consider anyone that practices a belief in Burning bushes, zombies being resurrected from the dead, let alone the whole stoning of adulterers, homosexuals, burning at the stake and the current punishment de jour of religious freaks, beheading pretty freaky too.

Falun Gong aren't persecuted in China for any religious or cult reasons...it's an organization that that can organize outside the State. Beijing doesn't care if you worship the Devil so long as you can't organize your neighbors to do likewise

I've noticed your previous comments, and I think you are at least partly correct. So, Beijing is not concerned about religion itself, they just don't like groups of people organized into an institution or group ?

Isn't this how lots of people in Europe feel ? As in, the problem with religion is not a man in his own house doing his religion. It's when we see a group of people with a powerfull leader, that's the problem. When a man does his religion, well, he's not a cult. But when there is a large group, it has a charismatic leader, the leader is allowed to ask for a show of strength, and oh look, a big crowd appears, that's whats wrong with 'religion'. Surely, if that's what is wrong with religion, in that case, lets ban organised religion, lets ban religious institutions, but lets not ban the religion itself. Shall we support Beijing in such cases, and try and get our own governments to copy Beijing ?

[tonbridgebrit]

So, can someone fill me in. Is Thailand going to become the 24 province of China...or what! I look at the people in Bangkok and there are plenty of people who look Chinese here already.

I think, three or four decades ago, Bangkok already had a load of people who looked the same as them people in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and China !

The anti-Chinese sentiment shown by some ThaiVisa people is a bit silly. I mean, if they walk around speaking Mandarin, they are a problem. But the same people walk around the place speaking Thai, and thats it, they're okay !

And you notice the China bashers on ThaiVisa. Some of them support the yellow-shirts in Thailand. Oh, so they don't like the Chinese tourists. But a load of Chinese put on their yellow t-shirts, go on a demonstration in Thailand, and that's okay ??

[copa8]

So, can someone fill me in. Is Thailand going to become the 24 province of China...or what! I look at the people in Bangkok and there are plenty of people who look Chinese here already.

Walk around Sydney and there are plenty of people who look American there already. Is Australia going to become the 53rd state of the union (after Britain 51st and Japan 52nd)?

[tonbridgebrit]

So, can someone fill me in. Is Thailand going to become the 24 province of China...or what! I look at the people in Bangkok and there are plenty of people who look Chinese here already.

I think, three or four decades ago, Bangkok already had a load of people who looked the same as them people in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and China !

The anti-Chinese sentiment shown by some ThaiVisa people is a bit silly. I mean, if they walk around speaking Mandarin, they are a problem. But the same people walk around the place speaking Thai, and thats it, they're okay !

And you notice the China bashers on ThaiVisa. Some of them support the yellow-shirts in Thailand. Oh, so they don't like the Chinese tourists. But a load of Chinese put on their yellow t-shirts, go on a demonstration in Thailand, and that's okay ??

BSJ, I don't think you're one of the China bashers here on ThaiVisa. But there are some about.

[Solomon]

Doing the Devils work now.......