[Respond] Freedom of Religion vs. False Religion: The real motivation behind Falun Gong

Selecting an Artifact:

The chosen artifact is pentadic criticism. By adapting Burke’s method, we can have more objective view of the motive behind the author.

Analyzing the Artifact:

There are two parts of the speech consisted with the discussion of Dafa disciple's long path of pursuing Dafa and the explanation of mythologic behind Dafa as a divine force combined with ideas from Christian, Buddhism, and Taoism. This response will be concentrated on the reality appeal that Li Hongzhi presented in his speech.

Act: Li Hongzhi meet with disciples and clarifies the mission of disciples

Agent: Fa Master as a leader and victim of persecution

Agency: Sympathy, courage, faith

Purpose: To encourage disciples to continue following Dafa

Scene: A conference that took place in Manhattan, NY ten years after Falun Gong has been

banned from China.

Ratio List:

Scene-act: no

Scene-agent: no

Scene-agency: no

Scene-purpose: yes

Act-scene: no

Act-agent: no

Act-agency: no

Act-purpose: yes

Agent-scene: no

Agent-act: no

Agent-agency no:

Agent-purpose: yes

Agency-scene: no

Agency-act: no

Agency-agent: yes

Agency-purpose: yes

Purpose-scene: no

Purpose-act: yes

Purpose-agent: no

Purpose-agency: yes

After analyzing the ratio, the dominant term is agency in this essay. According to Foss, if agency is featured, pragmatism become the means necessary for the attainment of a gaol--instrumentalism or concern with consequences, function, and what something is “good for”(Foss p365). This suggests that in Li’s speech, the agency is the controlling factor. The existence of Falun Gong has its own paradox as the one who is being persecuted and also being saved by the true Dafa master. The numerous self-immolation incidents that happened in Tiananmen Square in 1999 were controversial and became important argument point for Li to accuse Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s attempt to destroy the reputation of Falun Gong. According to some videos and articles in Falun Gong’s official website, Li states that those people had no direct relationships to Falun Gong, but people who were anti-Communism. As Li states, “the persecution of Falun Gong has backfired on the regime”(Li p1). The investigation of the truth still remained ambiguous. This paper will talk about the disputes that Li made according to this event.

In Li’s speech, evoking people’s sympathy of the suppression of Falun Gong has been used ubiquitously in his speech. As a religious leader, Li states that the Falun Gong practitioners are suppressed by Chinese Communist Party (CCP). After greeting with his disciples, Li begins talking about the regime of CCP as evil, violent, and bogus perpetrators who persecuted Falun Gong followers. He mentions that “From the very day it gained political power it has been gangsters building themselves up, and ever since, it has employed lies and falsehood to dupe the people, and violence to establish its dictatorship”(Li p1). This statement emphasizes the untrustworthy and violent features of CCP. By attacking the legitimacy of the Party, Li accused that the Party tried to demolish Falun Gong. He argues that the Party brought down the reputation of Falun Gong as harmful and dangerous by creating scandals. However, Li as a victim of the misconduct of the Party, he wishes to seek international sympathy to Falun Gong.

Li further explained that “But people everywhere, and especially in China, are coming to see its true face”(Li p1). This Anti-CCP position establishes Li a reputation for being honest and courageous to speak out the misbehaviors of the Party. It attracts not only people who are by in nature against the Party, but also evokes sympathy to people who know little about the Party besides what Li has described, such as foreigners, human rights group, and anti-communists. Li well understands that many western countries have suspicions and different values which are contradictory to the current Chinese government. His strategy potentially had a great impact on international sympathy and legitimize the opposition to current Chinese government.