Christian leaders in China are criticizing the Falun Gong cult and its founder Li Hongzhi and saying that the ban will not affect the country's freedom of religious beliefs.
Ding Guangxun, the vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and honorary chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches of China, said that he was outraged by Li Hongzhi and his conduct and how he took advantage of people's worry about aging and death. Li dreamed up Falun Gong and deceived a lot of naive and innocent people, he said, and Li's " Doomsday" idea conflicts sharply with patriotism and the current drive to build a socialist country with Chinese characteristics.
Banning Falun Gong will not affect the country's freedom of religious beliefs and the ban has shown the government's protection of religious activities, he said.
Han Wenzao, the president of the China Christian Council, said that Falun Gong is actually a cult. It preaches about "Doomsday" and denies that it is an organization and forbids followers to see doctors and take medicine, he said, and council members hope that religious people will learn a lesson from this and increase their ability to recognize various cults.
Chen Zemin, the vice-president of the council, said that the ban on Falun Gong was necessary and came at a good time and that the council supports the government's action.
(China daily 1999/08/03)
