How Falun Gong Practice Undermines Li Hongzhi's Totalistic Rhetoric

Bibliographic Data

ID20199649
AuthorsCraig Alan Burgdoff (corresponding author)
Year2003
Volume6
Issue2
Pages332-347
Publication date2003-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNova Religio The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1092-6690 • E-ISSN: 1541-8480
PublisherProject MUSE (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1525/nr.2003.6.2.332
OpenAlexW1973004988
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited1

This article is based upon participant-observation of a Falun Gong group in Columbus, Ohio and includes a descriptive account of the exercises and local organizational structure. The totalistic rhetoric of Falun Gong founder, Li Hongzhi, is undermined by the non-hierarchical organizational structure of the movement. The privileging of orthopraxy over orthodoxy at the local level further undermines Li's totalism. However, the persecution of Falun Gong and the vilification of Li Hongzhi by the government of the People's Republic of China have resulted in an escalation of Li's totalistic and apocalyptic rhetoric. The ongoing persecution is currently the greatest threat to the structural stability of the Falun Gong movement. Nonetheless, barring external pressure, Falun Gong organizational structure and orthopraxy sufficiently counterbalance Li's totalistic tendencies

Disenchantment · Persecution · Political science · Politics · Rhetoric · Sociology · Theology · Academic Freedom and Politics · Chinese history and philosophy · Law · Philosophy · Rhetoric and Communication Studies

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