Well we are into the second part of the last story and the daughter of Ms. Chen is obliged to go to Beijing and bail out her mother after Ms. Chen was arrested for protesting against the crackdown of Falun Gong in Beijing. Ms. Zhang (the daughter) is admitting that Falun Gong had seemed to hep her mother since she started the exercises, but the daughter is unable to understand why her mother just won't give up the practice now that the government has banned it as an "evil cult". Ms. Zhang had to pay a month's wages to get her mother out of holding in Beiing and then pay another month's wages for her mother's room and board while she was held in jail for two weeks in their local town. The problem for Ms. Chen is that Falun Gong taught her that it is wrong to not proclaim the beliefs that you hold dear. Do you think that it is wrong to protect yourself by lying about what your true beliefs are? I mean, in reality, it doesn't affect what you actually believe, but it does feel wrong inside. What do you think?
The book postulates that the fall of communism as a religion has started a religious revival in China. Do you think that people need religion? I admit that many people seem perfectly fine being agnostics and atheists, but the thing is that when religion is suppressed for many years and you would think that the younger generation had just moved on and did not even remember, as soon as they have the opportunity, many people are back to searching for a spiritual home. I think that people are just looking for a stability in something and spirituality is needed by everyone. Do you think there is a difference between religion and spirituality?
The communists (in both China and the Soviet Union) elevated science to a god-like status. Do you think that we do the same thing in the United States?
Have a good night and keep safe. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
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