In China, the freedom of religious belief is a basic legitimate right of all Chinese citizens, and protected by Constitution and laws. This is clearly documented in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China.
Article 36 of the Constitution states: "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organizations or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion." It continues: "The state protest normal religious activities. No one may make use of religion to engage in activities that disrupt public order, impair the health of citizens or interfere with the educational system of the state." The Regulation on Religious Affairs promulgated by the State Council also stresses that, legitimate rights and interests of religious organizations, spots and citizens, as well as normal religious activities are protected by law.
Both words and deeds of Li Hongzhi and his cult infringe upon the legitimate right of Chinese citizens, and are utterly opposed to principles mentioned above and in violation of laws.
Falun Gong deprives its followers of their freedom of religious belief.
Falun Gong claims to be the only upright Fa and deprives its followers of their freedom of religious belief under the name of "no second discipline."
Li Hongzhi said: "Right now I'm the only person in the world who is publicly spreading a true teaching." (Zhuan Falun)
"If I can't save you nobody can." (Zhuan Falun)
"We teach that in cultivation you need to commit to one discipline. It doesn't matter which cultivation you do, you shouldn't mix in other things and cultivate thoughtlessly...Cultivation is a serious matter, and you have to commit to one discipline." (Zhuan Falun)
"When spreading Dafa you should no longer mention at all what you learned previously, because you have already made a clean break with it. It doesn't belong to you, and it's not a part of what you want to attain." (Lecture at the First Conference in North America)
Li Hongzhi inveigles his followers into giving up belief in other religions and concentrating on Falun Gong practice.
Li Hongzhi said: "Such as Buddhas, the Western God Jesus Christ, and even Yahweh," "the Fa they preached was lesser." "Regardless of which religion a person chooses and how well he cultivates...it's only of 16 or 18-carat gold," "no longer of solid gold." (Lecture at the First Conference in North America)
"It won't do if you have your feet in two boats at the same time," "it's damaging both cultivation systems." "The master of neither side will look after you." (Explaining the Content of Falun Dafa)
"When spreading Dafa to the public, all Falun Dafa disciples can only use the statement, 'Shifu Li Hongzhi has taught that...' or 'Shifu Li Hongzhi says...' You are strictly forbidden to use what you experience, see, or know, or to use things from other practices, as if they were Li Hongzhi's Dafa. Otherwise, what would be promoted would not be Falun Dafa and it would amount to harming Falun Dafa." (The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa)
Li Hongzhi emphasizes that Falun Gong followers may regard other religions as jobs, not beliefs; they have no other alternative but believe in Falun Gong.
"Let me tell you that your work in Christianity is only a job. You can work there, for sure. I don't regard the current religions as cultivation anyway. I treat them as religious professions that are no longer capable of saving people. That's because they truly have become professions, not cultivation. All the same, to make sure you can truly improve and that I can take you home, I ask you to concentrate on only one cultivation way. That is definitely beneficial for you. I have spelled out the subject of 'no second discipline' in Zhuan Falun. This Fa is immense, but even so, you're still mixing things into it. Even mixing in low-level things is unacceptable, and doing so will mess up the body you cultivate with and everything you've developed by cultivating, and you won't be able to return home. You would be sabotaging your own path of advancement." (Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Europe)
On May 3, 1999, a Falun Gong practitioner asked Li Hongzhi: "I have religious beliefs and don't want to give them up. According to the requirement of Dafa, one must stick to a single cultivation. It's hard for me to choose between Dafa and religion. Please tell me what I should do."
Li answered: "At present, none of the upright religions have gods overseeing them anymore, and the people in those religions are fighting for money, profit, and status. Why people believe in religion is a big question. I have explained these principles very clearly. "
Falun Gong advocates "further advancement," and forbids its followers to believe in or read books on other religions. Li repeatedly asks Falun Gong practitioners to read, recite and even copy his scriptures and other teachings as much as possible. As a result, the minds of practitioners are full of Falun Gong fallacies, making them lose the ability to choose a religious belief.
Falun Gong threatens that those who dare to quit Falun Gong won't be able to return home, they are "demons" and will be eliminated or destroyed "flesh and soul."
Li Hongzhi said, those who "have had a negative effect on Dafa," would "have been weeded out."(Towards Consummation)
"During the Fa-Rectification, life and death depend on a flashing of idea about Dafa in the mind." (The Solemn Instructions)
"I've discussed the matter of 'no second cultivation way.' If one can't focus on cultivating Dafa exclusively, one cannot reach Consummation in our Dafa." (Lecture at the First Conference in North America)
"This Fa is immense, but even so, you're still mixing things into it. Even mixing in low-level things is unacceptable, and doing so will mess up the body you cultivate with and everything you've developed by cultivating, and you won't be able to return home. You would be sabotaging your own path of advancement." (Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Europe)
"Being attached to anything outside the Fa will make you fail halfway through." (Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Europe)
"No matter who you are, if I can't save you today, you will be a ghost in hell!" (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York)
"The Fa itself would send our Fa-Safeguarding Gods or other high-level beings to destroy them." (Teaching the Fa at the Assistants' Fa Conference in Changchun)
"After this test, all bad beings will be destroyed by God." (Eliminating the Evil)
"Once you are reduced to the level of an everyday person, no one will protect you and demons will also take your life. It's even useless to seek protection from other Buddhas, Daos, and Gods, as they won't protect someone who undermines the Fa. What's more, your karma will also be returned to your body." (Essentials for Further Advancement)
