The Hidden Hand of CIA?

Usually I prefer to stay clear of politics, especially of the Malaysian variety - for obvious reasons, lah!

But we have been finding this flier sandwiched in our copy of The Age every morning. We had seen the advertisements many times elsewhere, but we just didn't quite bother, since there were so many of these performances coming from China nowadays.

To me, they obviously have very deep pockets!

What? No, they are not from China! It is funded by CIA!!! A friend exclaimed to me.

I took a harder look at the flyer; at bottom corner, it says: Presented by Falun Dafa Association of Australia, Victoria Branch Inc.



No wonder my friend says it is a CIA's sponsored do!

I know Falungong is very active in Melbourne. You could always spot an old lady or two meditating in front of China's consul-general's residence at Toorak once or twice a week. (My "taxi" service for my grand kids passes through the street a couple of times a day!) A banner Falun Dafa would be prominently hanged to announce their presence. They sit very upright and still, even if the weather is very foul, which happens often than not in Melbourne. You would take your hat off to them - unless you know what Falungong of Falun Dafa is all about!

Falungong in Helsinki

Falun is "Wheel of Fa" and Gung is "attainment in martial arts" or something like that. Fa is trickier to translate. It can mean law and order, but in this case, it carries a cult-like connotation, which to me is a little like "magical power". Readers may have heard of the Taiping Rebellion which took place between 1850 and 1864 in China. The leader was Hong Xiuquan who claimed that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ. His was the heavenly kingdom he wanted for China.

I would equate the founder of Falun Dafa to be something like Hong Xiuquan, (Some readers who are sympathizers of this movement may take offence with my analogy, though.)

Falun Dafa is everywhere now. The above picture was taken by me in one of the parks in Helsinki and the picture below, in Vienna. The stuff that was displayed had only one common message: Anything Mainland China does is bad!

Falungong in Vienna

I am not a great fan of China Chinese. They still have a great deal to catch up if they want to be truly First-World. But I must say that the leaders there have certainly done much to make Chinese all over the world proud. They have transformed the country from dirt-poor to a generally prosperous society within a generation.

I am just wondering what this Falun Dafa has done to save the world?