The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon

What are your views on the crime film “The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon” starring Ethan Juan?

This film’s release on the mainland without a classification system was a bit unexpected, particularly considering its major focus on the sensitive issue of cults.

1. Cults are not afraid of death.

Attempting to eliminate cults by physical extermination can ironically provide cult members the opportunity to demonstrate their fearlessness towards death. The result is often greater allure for those yearning to escape the fear of death and can unintentionally fortify their affiliation with such sects, causing them to continually rise from the ashes.

It’s not just about cults - any ideology promising triumph over mortality, be it religious, political, or societal, possesses this unique quality. In some aspects, it can be seen as a natural qualification for establishing a sect. That’s why suppressing such transcendental ideologies by force is never simple or effective.

Ultimately, reason and the long-term implications of historical changes hold key roles in confronting these issues. The ultimate conclusion for cults isn’t that all believers are purged, but rather that they face the challenges posed by historical and practical reality. Unable to produce changes in doctrine that are in line with their core beliefs and responsive to real-world challenges, cults face bare cupboards and internal collapse.

2. Personally, don’t believe in teachings that advocate the rejection of worldly existence.

The mundane aspects of life such as eating, drinking, socializing, and working for wealth and fame are not evils to be avoided but indispensable parts of life and society. Any ideology should confront these issues, navigate them, and obtain at least a passing grade. It should provide practical answers to questions such as how to date, how to defend oneself, how to participate in business competition, public affairs, and more.

The ideas of transcendence or non-attachment can only be elements of these answers, not excuses to escape facing life’s challenges.

For instance: If you ask a spiritual teacher how to engage in a relationship and they respond with “One should approach love with an attitude of non-attachment,” that’s acceptable. But if their response dictates “Romantic relationships are sinful and one should not harbor romantic feelings,” it becomes a clear case of evasion.

Likewise, if you ask about making money and you’re told “One shouldn’t solely focus on making money to make money,” this could potentially be sound advice. If you are told “Money is evil; you should avoid it,” it turns into evasion again.

Why so? Because such evasion is fundamentally antisocial. If used as a solution, it causes society to fall into functional dysfunction across hospitals, emergency centers, sanitary systems, factories, farms, and more.

About seven to eight billion people cannot exist in a “perfected evasion” state – unclothed, alone, practicing abstinence, surviving on wild fruits. Remember, only tangible suggestions on “how to effectively date, work, defend oneself, compete…” count as answers. An “advise to evasion” does not.

Does this mean all acceptable ideologies should essentially be a form of “success ideology” leading towards social prosperity? Absolutely. The societies that adopt these ideologies will thrive and win against those that follow conflicting, opposite ones.

A competent ideology should essentially be a guiding “success ideology” for society, providing solutions for personal happiness and satisfaction, on top of ensuring social success. Therefore, the definition of success is not about “defeating all other social members” or “hoarding the most societal resources,” but becoming a competent member of society.

In sum, the study of accountancy is the ultimate tool for discerning cults. A group that is financially inconsistent and relies on continual external wealth consumption to survive is invariably a cult by definition.