Is Falun Gong a religion; is it a sect?
There has been some confusion about how to categorize Falun Gong, but this is easy to clarify. Falun Gong is neither a religion nor sect – it has no temples, no rituals, no clergy or priests, and no ranks. It never collects money from people, and there is no initiation or membership. Practitioners lead normal lives and participate actively in their communities. The practice is an individual choice and is centered on the improvement of one’s self. As such, there are no obligations, and everyone is free to come and go as they choose. Q: Why has the Chinese government persecuted Falun Gong practitioners? A: Falun Gong has no political agenda or affiliation. However, the Chinese government has perceived Falun Gong as a threat, just as it has other groups that are popular or that involve principles not directly related to their Communist ideology. Starting in July, 1999, the Chinese government banned the practice of Falun Gong and started persecuting its estimated 70 million practitioners i
