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Fo Guang Shan and affiliated organizations have partnered with Mainland China's government to spread pro-China, anti-Tibetan, anti-Taiwanese/Hong Kong independence, and pro-anarchist/socialist/communist propaganda while infiltrating Western Buddhist organizations by recruiting and training spies through the WoodenFish Foundation and Fo Guang Shan University.
Justin Whitaker, who publishes articles on Patheos.com, is one such astroturfer for China. The astroturfers can also be seen on social media and are attempting to orchestrate political pressure/instability in Western countries for China under the pretense that they are independent Buddhists. In addition, the astroturfers are attempting to take over Buddhist discussion forums online, such as on reddit, in order to direct the dialog.
It is very important to understand that these are not genuine Buddhists, but yet another manifestation of China's ill conceived Trojan Horse Buddhism strategy that has included things such as China's appointment of their own Panchen Lama and front organizations such as the New Kadampa Tradition and Kechara House.
Mar 07, 2017 01:37 AM
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