MAS wrote:
On 17 Nov 2006 08:32:54 -0800, "bpnjensen"
wrote:

I consider it a philosophy (not a perfect one, but better than
hard-line Marxism), and the fact that it is practiced by *very* many
people (more Falun Gong worldwide than Jews, for example) lifts it out
of the sect department, anyway.

A very close acquaintance of mine grew up in and lived in mainland
China until a few years ago. She certainly has no shortage of unkind
things to say about the Chinese government. On the other hand, she's
about equally unimpressed with the Falun Gong movement.

This is getting off-topic for R.R.S. (so what else is new?) but there
are legitimate criticisms of the Falun Gong. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critici...out_Falun_Gong
for a long and even-handed discussion of the subject, particularly the
"Is Falun Gong a Cult?" section.

My enemy's enemy is not necessarily my friend.

Yes, thanks, I have had a look at that site, among others. You are
right, and I do not disagree - but in the USA we do not persecute and
execute KKK members because of their beliefs and philosophy - in fact,
we sometimes go out of our way to protect their rights, as painful as
it may be - and there is no need for the Communists to do this to the
FG. People with screwy beliefs, I can live with. Institutionalized
murder, I cannot.

Bruce Jensen