Shen Yun warning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought everyone knew this. It pays to google and actually read the results !

It is not hard to do better research than I did. I saw some advertisement and I looked up some more videos (which were well made, celebrity endorsements, nice music, colorful costumes, amazing dancers). I ended up reading a bunch of reviews on the Shen Yun website (now I know that I should have searched for an unbiased source of reviews). I asked my wife if she wanted to see the show - she didn't know either. We asked some friends if they were interested in seeing the show - they agreed because they were also not aware. There were several points where the truth about Shen Yun should have come to light if "everyone knew." People in our extended family knew, but we never consulted them before going to the show.

I didn’t know before this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are members of Falun Gong. Tens of millions of people in China practiced Falun Gong until there was an incident where the leader of falun gong protested something the CCP did - which resulted in 10,000 people showing up to protest. The ability of Falun Gong to organize a protest like this scared the CCP and then Falun Gong was banned and then anyone that practices it is basically imprisoned, turned into slave labor, tortured and even killed - there is even organ harvesting. The same thing has happened to the Uyghurs. I know this group has some weird beliefs but I am glad they have survived the CCP's attempt to completely destroy them and still speak out. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1999/04/26/silent-protest-draws-thousands-to-beijing/e0b7ee29-eec6-48ba-b6a6-5cd10980ec77/

I condemn China's human right violations. Does that mean that I have to accept Falun Gong's hateful message against atheism? Or their anti-science propaganda?

No, of course you don't have to accept it. I would go to the show and see it for what it is, however, I like that they use the money to further their cause which is resistance to the CCP. If you take the time to read a book like "Made in China" or "They have been harmonized," it may change your perspective. "Made in China" follows one Falun Gong member who is imprisoned, tortured, then freed, then most likely followed to another country and murdered. He explains why Falun Dafa appealed to him, and based on the repression of religion in China, I can understand this longing for some spirituality and Falun Gong was filling this role. I don't see any reason to be offended by the show; if anything it's a window into what is going on in another country.

I already got robbed when I paid for the Shen Yun show, why would I funnel extra money into the Falun Gong pockets by buying the book? I don't like that they use the money to further their hateful message against atheism and their anti-science propaganda. These are more important to me than their resistance to the CCP.

NP. Except what you're saying is a complete fabrication. The author of "Made in China" isn't in Falun Gong, the author is Uyghur, and an award winning journalist who wrote a book about China's human rights abuses (and the New York Times loved it). It does sound like you're unwilling to hear stories and experiences of those who are different from you and with whom you disagree regarding religion or politics. I think the correct term for this is close-minded.

I simply assumed that the book was published through Falun Gong. You cannot accuse me of being closed minded just because I am not interested in a cause that you seem to be very invested in. There is so much to read out there that I have to be selective with what I dedicate my time to. I will not apologize for not being willing to read about and sympathize with a fundamentalist religious sect that hates atheists and science.

You repeat your false narrative about the book, which you provide as your rationale for not reading it (or even just googling it). It's not about Falun Gong. But you won't read it because you assume it might possibly be about or sympathetic to someone from a persecuted religious group that has different beliefs than you. Yes, that makes you closed-minded.

https://www.amazon.com/Made-China-Prisoner-Letter-Americas/dp/1616209178

I did not repeat any false narrative. It was easy to accept that I may have been wrong in my assumption that Falun Gong was involved in publishing the book. But here is some flash news for you: people may refuse to read books that you highly recommend even if they are not closed-minded. You don't have a monopoly on deciding who is closed minded based on who reads a book that you like. I learned enough about Falun Gong through the Shen Yun experience and I don't feel like reading your book. I can invest that time doing something else that is more meaningful for me.

[Anonymous]

As soon as I saw the nutty Baldwin brother in the commercials endorsing it, I knew it had to be a super conservative religious show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are members of Falun Gong. Tens of millions of people in China practiced Falun Gong until there was an incident where the leader of falun gong protested something the CCP did - which resulted in 10,000 people showing up to protest. The ability of Falun Gong to organize a protest like this scared the CCP and then Falun Gong was banned and then anyone that practices it is basically imprisoned, turned into slave labor, tortured and even killed - there is even organ harvesting. The same thing has happened to the Uyghurs. I know this group has some weird beliefs but I am glad they have survived the CCP's attempt to completely destroy them and still speak out. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1999/04/26/silent-protest-draws-thousands-to-beijing/e0b7ee29-eec6-48ba-b6a6-5cd10980ec77/

I condemn China's human right violations. Does that mean that I have to accept Falun Gong's hateful message against atheism? Or their anti-science propaganda?

No, of course you don't have to accept it. I would go to the show and see it for what it is, however, I like that they use the money to further their cause which is resistance to the CCP. If you take the time to read a book like "Made in China" or "They have been harmonized," it may change your perspective. "Made in China" follows one Falun Gong member who is imprisoned, tortured, then freed, then most likely followed to another country and murdered. He explains why Falun Dafa appealed to him, and based on the repression of religion in China, I can understand this longing for some spirituality and Falun Gong was filling this role. I don't see any reason to be offended by the show; if anything it's a window into what is going on in another country.

I already got robbed when I paid for the Shen Yun show, why would I funnel extra money into the Falun Gong pockets by buying the book? I don't like that they use the money to further their hateful message against atheism and their anti-science propaganda. These are more important to me than their resistance to the CCP.

NP. Except what you're saying is a complete fabrication. The author of "Made in China" isn't in Falun Gong, the author is Uyghur, and an award winning journalist who wrote a book about China's human rights abuses (and the New York Times loved it). It does sound like you're unwilling to hear stories and experiences of those who are different from you and with whom you disagree regarding religion or politics. I think the correct term for this is close-minded.

I simply assumed that the book was published through Falun Gong. You cannot accuse me of being closed minded just because I am not interested in a cause that you seem to be very invested in. There is so much to read out there that I have to be selective with what I dedicate my time to. I will not apologize for not being willing to read about and sympathize with a fundamentalist religious sect that hates atheists and science.

You should be interested because I'm sure you own a lot of stuff made in China by Uyghurs and members of Falun Gong. They are used to help factories meet their quotas. The book starts out with a note a woman in the U.S. finds in a bag of Halloween decorations she buys at a local Walmart. It is from an imprisoned Uyghur begging for help.

[Anonymous]

"In June 2021, a group of U.N. independent experts expressed their concerns at allegations of organ harvesting carried out on minority groups including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Muslims and Christians, in detention in China. According to the statement, the experts, including Mr. Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues; Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Mr. Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, received “credible information that detainees from ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities may be forcibly subjected to blood tests and organ examinations such as ultrasound and x-rays, without their informed consent; while other prisoners are not required to undergo such examinations. The results of the examinations are reportedly registered in a database of living organ sources that facilitates organ allocation.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2021/07/08/united-nations-concerned-about-organ-harvesting-in-china/?sh=4c39e7dc42dd

I guess a person is lucky to be just slave labor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are members of Falun Gong. Tens of millions of people in China practiced Falun Gong until there was an incident where the leader of falun gong protested something the CCP did - which resulted in 10,000 people showing up to protest. The ability of Falun Gong to organize a protest like this scared the CCP and then Falun Gong was banned and then anyone that practices it is basically imprisoned, turned into slave labor, tortured and even killed - there is even organ harvesting. The same thing has happened to the Uyghurs. I know this group has some weird beliefs but I am glad they have survived the CCP's attempt to completely destroy them and still speak out. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1999/04/26/silent-protest-draws-thousands-to-beijing/e0b7ee29-eec6-48ba-b6a6-5cd10980ec77/

I condemn China's human right violations. Does that mean that I have to accept Falun Gong's hateful message against atheism? Or their anti-science propaganda?

No, of course you don't have to accept it. I would go to the show and see it for what it is, however, I like that they use the money to further their cause which is resistance to the CCP. If you take the time to read a book like "Made in China" or "They have been harmonized," it may change your perspective. "Made in China" follows one Falun Gong member who is imprisoned, tortured, then freed, then most likely followed to another country and murdered. He explains why Falun Dafa appealed to him, and based on the repression of religion in China, I can understand this longing for some spirituality and Falun Gong was filling this role. I don't see any reason to be offended by the show; if anything it's a window into what is going on in another country.

I already got robbed when I paid for the Shen Yun show, why would I funnel extra money into the Falun Gong pockets by buying the book? I don't like that they use the money to further their hateful message against atheism and their anti-science propaganda. These are more important to me than their resistance to the CCP.

NP. Except what you're saying is a complete fabrication. The author of "Made in China" isn't in Falun Gong, the author is Uyghur, and an award winning journalist who wrote a book about China's human rights abuses (and the New York Times loved it). It does sound like you're unwilling to hear stories and experiences of those who are different from you and with whom you disagree regarding religion or politics. I think the correct term for this is close-minded.

I simply assumed that the book was published through Falun Gong. You cannot accuse me of being closed minded just because I am not interested in a cause that you seem to be very invested in. There is so much to read out there that I have to be selective with what I dedicate my time to. I will not apologize for not being willing to read about and sympathize with a fundamentalist religious sect that hates atheists and science.

You should be interested because I'm sure you own a lot of stuff made in China by Uyghurs and members of Falun Gong. They are used to help factories meet their quotas. The book starts out with a note a woman in the U.S. finds in a bag of Halloween decorations she buys at a local Walmart. It is from an imprisoned Uyghur begging for help.

I condemn the human rights abuse in China. I can do that without reading your book or supporting Falun Gong / paying for Shen Yun shows.

[Anonymous]

Ewww, they will be in Baltimore on February 10-11. Friends don't let friends go to Shen Yun performances.

[Anonymous]

I don't care about religion unless they try to actively kill me or other people. That show is insanely expensive though, so I would never go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ewww, they will be in Baltimore on February 10-11. Friends don't let friends go to Shen Yun performances.

What are you, 12? "ewww"? try to control your own behavior and not the behavior of others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ewww, they will be in Baltimore on February 10-11. Friends don't let friends go to Shen Yun performances.

What are you, 12? "ewww"? try to control your own behavior and not the behavior of others.

Just out of curiosity: is it okay for you to try controlling other people's behavior?

[Anonymous]

Someone asked for an alternative show, here is something that I just learned about: https://cfa.calendar.gmu.edu/the-peking-acrobats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So I take it you're a man, and not bothered about the heavily misogynist musical offerings from western Europe that are also presented at the Kennedy Center?

Who do you choose to be offended by this particularly, and not other things? It's not like Carmen comes with a warning either!

The musical offerings from Western Europe are culture. Undeniable, now go fight amongst yourselves

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard really terrific things about this show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So I take it you're a man, and not bothered about the heavily misogynist musical offerings from western Europe that are also presented at the Kennedy Center?

Who do you choose to be offended by this particularly, and not other things? It's not like Carmen comes with a warning either!

The musical offerings from Western Europe are culture. Undeniable, now go fight amongst yourselves

Each show can be placed in the context of the century when it was created. We know the role of patriarchy in the history, we can appreciate how we evolved as a society, and we learn how much more work we have to do. Shen Yun pretends to portray the Chinese culture, but they turn the show into a hodge-podge by mixing in modern right-wing religious fundamentalism (denialism of evolution and hatred toward atheism).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard really terrific things about this show.

No you didn't.