That and elections. I don't know why people on here are looking so hard for an alternative to elections.

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The story was broken by Southern Metropolis Weekly 南方都市报. NY Times just followed the lead. I don't think they bother much with issues that average Chinese consider as basic human rights, like not having a potential polluter in your backyard. I personally think that they're just trashy mouthpiece newspaper after Lee Wen Ho, and the run up to Iraq just confirmed this.

Hmmm, I heard about this, but not much about his acquittal. It is really sad that the US government destroyed this guy's life over a wrongful charge.

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Looks like 6 people did get arrested as a result of this incident. FYI, there's no English version of this, so use google translator to translate the webpage.

Make an defination about WHAT IS A CULT,and you will find that CCP and CHINESE GOVERNMENT is A CULT for SURE.........HEHE

I'm not sure that you would johnlss. Most definitions of cults have them as having some kind of religious affiliation or being outside the mainstream of the culture within which they can be found.

However it is possible that some of the criteria to describe a cult may fit in. I am thinking of mind control

'My mind control model outlines many key elements that need to be controlled: Behavior, Information, Thoughts and Emotions (BITE). If these four components can be controlled, then an individual's identity can be systematically manipulated and changed. Destructive mind control takes the "locus of control" away from an individual. The person is systematically deceived about the beliefs and practices of the person (or group) and manipulated throughout the recruitment process- unable to make informed choices and exert independent judgment. The person's identity is profoundly influenced through a set of social influence techniques and a "new identity" is created- programmed to be dependent on the leader or group ideology. The person can't think for him or herself, but believes otherwise. The cult system reinforces an "illusion of control."

You may see some similarities with this, though obviously this is describing a person being infiltrated into a 'cult' group.

Freedom of Mind Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)l

However to take it to anything further than control of what people think through Education and the media, I think you may find hard, though possibly during Mao's time this was more so
Freedom of Mind Articles and Links

I just met someone the other day, I asked her what her religion was and she said "I believe in our country and our party, [I didn't ask which came first!] and everything they stand for." She said she liked Jesus and Buddha, but just didn't believe in them.

I have to think that an officially atheist government is the only way a country like this could survive...

(Mao of course did create somewhat of a cult around himself, but the widespread perception is that he managed to currupt Communism in general.)

Is she from China? If she is, she is a very rare species, since I hardly knew anyone who still believed in the "party".

Definitely Chinese...

I don't perceive many people going out of their way to note their opposition to the party, though I haven't met too many who have made it their religion.