China is facing more than enough crises at present. From the economy to tensions with Taiwan, these are the problems on which the Beijing leadership should be focusing.
Instead it has chosen to launch a massive crackdown against a group which has never done anything more harmful than organise peaceful protests. Like it or not, the Falun Gong is a by-product of today's more materialistic China.
The collapse of the ideological basis for communist rule in the rush towards a free-market economy has left a spiritual void. It is inevitable that those thrown out of work or otherwise unsettled by the sweeping changes on the mainland should seek solace in some form of religious-like activity.
Had it not been this group then some other would have emerged. In fact, Beijing should consider itself fortunate that the popular desire for spiritual inspiration took such a benign form as the Falun Gong.
Like all such groups, it may have its warts. Even if some of the charges yesterday hurled at its leaders turn out to be true, this would only put its behaviour on a par with other cults of this size.
But few will put much faith in the full extent of the accusations now being used to blacken its name. Xinhua may claim the Falun Gong has made some people mentally-ill and turned others into cold-blooded killers.