Sacred Suicide,published by Ashgate Publishing Ltd. in October of 2014
(KAIWIND.COM) Sacred Suicide, an international academic symposium on historical and contemporary suicide cults (New Religion Movements), was published by Ashgate Publishing Ltd. in October of 2014. Death by Whose Hand? Falun Gong and Suicide, a paper presented by Helen Farley, a Senior Research Fellow in Studies in Religion at the University of Queensland, focuses on the issue of Falun Gong (one of destructive cults banned in China) and its suicide, was sorted in the section of Faux Suicide Cults in this book.
In her paper, Helen Farley examines the complex relationship between Falun Gong and Chinese government, exploring the reality behind the claims and counterclaims in relation to the former’s stated opposition to suicide. This will be contrasted with other Falun Gong writings which encourage adherents to refuse treatment and medication in order to rid themselves of Karma.
In her conclusion, Helen Farley points out that though Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong condemn suicide, certain philosophies and teachings predispose adherents to effectively commit suicide in certain contexts. The self-immolations of a number of Falun Gong practitioners in 2001 undoubtedly an act of protest against the Chinese government's crackdowns on the organization also became an appealing option for adherents because of Li's apocalyptic messages. Falun Gong’s teachings about illness have also encouraged large numbers of adherents to effectively suicide through their refusal of medical treatment.
Helen Farley’s research interests include the cultural history of various currents of esoteric thought, particularly tarot. She is actively involved in researching religion and technology and was the project leader of the Religion Bazaar project in Second Life. She also is Senior Lecturer at the Australian Digital Futures Institute at the Univeristy of Southern Queensland where she researches educational technology for teaching and learning.
Recently, Kaiwind.com published Helen Farley’s another paper on Falun Gong, Falun Gong: A Narrative of Pending Apocalypse, Shape-Shifting Aliens, and Relentless Persecution, which particularlyfocuses on the controversies inherent in Falun Gong and its leader Li Hongzhi, specifically its complex alien and anti-science theology. The paper was embodied in Controversial New Religionsrepublished by Oxford University Press on August 28，2014.
Sacred Suicide collects 14 piece of papers presented by 14 scholars of religion, sociology, history and criminology, who are from 7 countries such as Australia, Unites States, Sweden, British, Israel, Germany and Norway. The symposiumdeeply explores some contemporary cults (New Religion Movements) and its mass suicides, f.g. the Peoples Temple, the Order of the Solar Temple, Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, Branch Davidians and Heaven's Gate etc.
As a part of Ashgate New Religions Series published by Ashgate Publishing Ltd, Sacred Suicide is nearly sold out on Amazon.com.
