21AR26-40

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AR 26:40 - Exploring the "dark side" of Falun Gong

In this issue:
FALUN GONG - "treatments of the less-palatable aspects of the movement" from a religious studies perspective

PENTECOSTALISM - "wiping out" inhumane practices by "self-proclaimed prophets"

WOKENESS - "a new Jim Crow" oppressing the ideologically "defiled"

Apologia Report 26:40 (1,545)
October 15, 2021

(PLEASE NOTE: Due to technical issues, AR production will be delayed for at least the next week. We hope to resume sending Apologia Report the week beginning October 24th.)

FALUN GONG
According to this review by Na Chen (Nova Religio, 24:2 - 2020, pp112-114), in his book with Huang Chao, Enlightened Martyrdom: The Hidden Side of Falun Gong [1], James R. Lewis "provides a comprehensive review of the Falun Gong (FLG) movement. Differing from previous literature on FLG, which generally tended to downplay FLG's 'dark side,' this book makes 'an effort to include treatments of the less-palatable aspects of the movement.' ...

"The lead chapter, 'The Religion and Politics of Falun Gong' by Junpeng Li, sketches the early history of FLG, which started as a qigong group for health-enhancing purpose in the early 1990s, changed to a new religious movement (a spiritual group) in the mid-1990s, and turned into a political organization against the Chinese government in the late 1990s.... In 'The Doctrine of Li Hongzhi: Falun Gong - Between Sectarianism and Universal Salvation,' David A. Palmer makes a brief analysis of the doctrine of Li Hongzhi (LHZ), the founder-leader of FLG and 'the omniscient and omnipotent savior of the entire universe,' and FLG's performance as an exclusive religious sect. ...

"With data mainly collected from FLG practitioners, Susan J. Palmer explores FLG's 'culture of martyrdom,' which emerged as both a response to LHZ's apocalyptic ideology and a protest against the government crackdown" - with special reference to the January 23, 2001 attempted suicide by self-immolation of seven FLG followers in Tiananmen Square.

"According to FLG theology, devils are residing in society who may cause trouble to FLG and threaten the Great Law of the universe. It is therefore justifiable to eliminate these devils, including killing devil-possessed people.... In chapter 5, Fang Yong examines cases of 'devil killing' by FLG practitioners."

Science is "'one of the most frequently used terms' in FLG discourse, and the group even positions itself as 'ultimate science' or 'super-science.' ... Cao Yan focuses on LHZ's theory of illness, in which the root cause of human disease is 'bad karma,' not treatable in modern medicine; therefore, the use of medical treatment is discouraged. ... In the capacity as an expert in 'alien narratives' in new religious movements, Stefano Bigliardi presents a critical review of LHZ's talks and writings about aliens and science. According to LHZ, technology and science have been introduced to Earth by sinister aliens, who manipulate human beings and plan to take over the whole planet.

"The chapters by Helen Farley and Heather Kavan, both university professors, share the theme of academic freedom; because of their published criticism of FLG, they were systematically attacked by FLG members." <www.bit.ly/3ioRf1z> (partial paywall)

For more on the Epoch Times connection, see <www.bit.ly/2YCoqrJ>

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PENTECOSTALISM
Aberrational prosperity teachings have long caused havoc in Africa. Do most predatory new religious movements in sub-Saharan Africa have Pentecostal origins? An article in "African Pentecostal Mission and New Religious Movements: A critical scrutiny of threats and opportunities to evangelization in dialogue with Allan Heaton Anderson" by Themba Shingange, (Missionalia, Vol 49 - 2021) addresses aspects of this question.

The abstract explains that "Anderson's contribution to the African Pentecostal Mission (APM) is considered in this article. This task is done by engaging Anderson <www.bit.ly/3AG21XD> in a dialogue with other scholars who have interest in African Pentecostalism. Anderson's views promulgate the pneumatocentric nature and primacy of evangelization within the APM which is the focus of this article. Additionally, his views are also used to argue that the advent of New Religious Movements (NRMs) in Africa posed serious threats to APM and theology."

Thanks to the many "unusual practices" and "weird things done by the modern-day flamboyant prophets," "The reality is that members of society now view all African Pentecostals as having ulterior motives when they preach the gospel. Likewise, they also use a misconstrued blanket approach which portrays all African Pentecostal Christians as mischievous."

As a remedy, Shingange proposes "Pneumato-Afrocentric Evangelization" - which "emerges from the notion of combining the need for the Spirit, the Bible, and the African ethic of Ubuntu"—as one means of "wiping out the inhumane practices portrayed by self-proclaimed prophets." <www.bit.ly/3BHepb3>

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WOKENESS
"Joshua Mitchell, professor of politics at Georgetown, has written the most perceptive book on America's latest outpouring of religious fervor." Thus does James F. Keating (associate professor of theology, Providence College) begin his review of American Awakening: Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time [2].

"Mitchell observes, 'we are living in the midst of an American Awakening, without God and without forgiveness.'" Keating finds that "We Americans tell our history in light of our awakenings, those periodic spasms of panic over the spiritual debts we have piled up against God as well as flesh and bone. This is what the summer's racial unrest was: a mass attempt to expiate centuries of guilt. ... [O]ur society lost its hope in the Cross, but not its sense of guilt. ...

"Mitchell sees the rise of identity politics as a crisis of the invisible economy erupting into the visible. ... The idea of original sin abides but is tragically twisted. ...

"As Mitchell puts it, 'Christianity's deepest insight, perennially violated by Christians themselves, is that no mortal group can cover over the sins of another group.' To accept the work of Christ means to stand against the false promise that order can be restored by scapegoating others. ...

"The polar opposite of identity politics, as well as its antidote, is what Mitchell calls 'the liberal politics of competence.' ...

"Instead of taking this argument straight on, Mitchell notes that 'liberal thought did not emerge from the search to replace virtue, but from the search for an alternative to the untamed, disruptive, cathartic passions of religious war.' ...

"It is tempting simply to denounce the current craze to remake our society in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion.... But one problem with such a posture is that it gives us nothing meaningful to say to those who are captivated by identity politics....

"The lack of mercy shown even to those whose 'thought crimes' are unintentional or the result of not knowing the new rules bespeaks unbridled aggression rather than biblical charity. There is nothing inclusive or tolerant about such behavior. Far from building a diverse community, such scapegoating makes community impossible."

This "is not progress but a reinvigoration of the worst aspects of our past, a new Jim Crow of those who are pure and those who are dirty and defiled. A thoroughly Christian vision of a post-racial American future, Mitchell insists, must inform all efforts to heal our racial wounds. If this happens, America just might have yet another, and much better, awakening." First Things, Apr '21, <www.bit.ly/3B3rjQb> (partial paywall)

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SOURCES: Monographs

1 - Enlightened Martyrdom: The Hidden Side of Falun Gong, James R. Lewis and Huang Chao, eds. (Equinox, 2019, paperback, 276 pages) <www.bit.ly/3uwzdiz>

2 - American Awakening: Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time, by Joshua Mitchell (Encounter, 2020, hardcover, 296 pages) <www.bit.ly/3quKFrv>

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