Sometimes we forget...

We have it pretty good, ya know? I was randomly checking the internet TV stations on Winamp today, and came across a meditation video that looked like yoga. I was feeling tense, so I tried doing the exercises. I've never been able to meditate very well when I've tried, and I don't know if hypnotism could work on me. But these exercises were relaxing. I felt really refreshed after doing them, it was awesome. It's called Falun Dafa, or Falun Gong. It's one of many schools of meditation from China. This one, however, is different. Thousands of people are dying because they're doing it. After feeling refreshed and invigorated, I decided to read up on the net about this, and became tense again, and extremely depressed. Apparently, the Chinese government outlawed the practice of Falun Gong in 1999 because they feared it. It's popularity was growing exponentially, and the Chinese goverment thought it was a threat to their power or some bullshit. You may have heard the news story in 1996, I think it was (it's on the website), when 5 people lit themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Supposedly, they were followers of Falun Gong, and thought the fire would "lift them to heaven". There was a lot of controversy over this, however, because Falun Gong says killing and suicide are both sins. Plus, the policemen in the area just HAPPENED to all be carrying fire extinguishers at the time. Coincidence? Anyway, there are stories galore on these sites.. www.fofg.org and www.falundafa.org if you want to read something that will get your blood pumping and your sense of rebelion aflame. Stories of horrible torture and persecution. Beatings and detaining of practitioners of an innocent new religion that, technically, isn't completely a religion at all. Mostly, it's meditation to help you relax and feel peaceful. It seems to work well, and I think I'll see if I can keep up with it. And they don't even ask for money (unlike most religions). You can download the books with their philosophies, and videos of the exercises for free.

You see, what pisses me off most about this is that it's not a story of something that happened in the 1600's. It's happening NOW. What the fuck? It's amazing to live in a world where in one country (America) people like Howard Stern can get on the air and say anything they want, and American citizens are so saturated by free speech that hearing about naked, oiled-up lesbians doesn't even phase us anymore. And then in another part of the world, people have bamboo sticks shoved under their fingernails for doing some fucking stretches in comfortable robes! Holy shit.

And THEN, what pisses me off on TOP of that, is our "leader" isn't quite as apparent in his corruption and evil ways as China's, but it's still there. Why not send US troops over to China to "liberate" it? Why Iraq? I'll tell you why... Iraq has oil and China has good take-out food. And we need oil. Who the fuck is left in this world who doesn't have an agenda? You know, most of the time I'm a very positive person. I believe you make the most out of life while you're here and I don't often worry about things. But sometimes I take a step back and look. Look at everything. But I can't do it too often, 'cause it's too god damn sad most of the time. I think to myself, I give Earth another 300 years, tops.

Then I look at what's great in the world. And believe me, there's a lot. I don't mean to bum anyone out with this post, I just get to thinkin' sometimes, and it's good to know I'm not the only one thinking. I could be like the majority of "Idiot America" and just drown out the pain of the world with my television. Watching Nascar and eating fast food. But I can't. It's just not in my nature.