In the past few months, the Chinese people have exposed Li Hongzhi and the "Falun Gong" organization under his control in an all-round way, and the nature of "Falun Gong," an anti-science, anti-mankind and anti-social cult, has become known to all. As Li Hongzhi often says one thing but does quite another, and says and does things differently at home and abroad, at different times, and in front of and behind people, it is difficult for honest people to know the facts. This article shows what Li Hongzhi says at different times and in different places, and exposes his lies through his own boasts, and his own praises and lies through his own acts.
Does Li Hongzhi really believe that he has "countless law-bodies" and "boundless magic power"?
(1) "My law-bodies are so numerous that they are beyond calculation. I have countless law-bodies to look after you--I can look after as many people as I wish. When someone asked me: 'Can you look after me when you are in a foreign country?' I answered: 'I can look after you even if you go to the moon. I can always protect you wherever you go."' "If I cannot save you, no one in the world is able." (" Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching in Sydney")
Since the Chinese government banned "Falun Gong" as a cult, Li Hongzhi has sought protection in foreign countries. He said, "I am appealing to the governments of various countries, international organizations and kind people in the world to support and help us to solve the crisis that is happening in China." (Interview with Li Hongzhi released as an item of evening news by the CBS of the United States on July 24, 1999.)
Is it true that Li Hongzhi, a self-styled master who claims that he can not only look after all the people in the world, but people on the moon as well, cannot protect himself now?
Has Li Hongzhi never said that "practicing 'Falun Gong' can cure diseases, and practitioners are forbidden to take medicine"?
(2) "Practicing 'Falun Gong' can cure diseases, and practitioners are forbidden to take medicine." ("Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching in the United States")
"It is said that I forbid my followers to take medicine. In fact, it is not true." ("My Statement" by Li Hongzhi on July 22, 1999)
(3) "When practitioners take medicine, they will push back 'karma.' In this way they cannot cleanse their bodies, or cure their diseases." "Reading my books will help practitioners get rid of 'karma.' When reading my books, they will acquire gong (merit or energy) and fa (law) to get rid of 'karma."' ("Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching in the United States")
Zhang Erping, Li Hongzhi's assistant and interpreter in the United States, said when interviewed by a reporter from the Reuter's News Agency on August 2, 1999: "All Li Hongzhi's video tapes and books support medical science. When people are ill, he suggests they go to see a doctor. He also suggests that sick people should not practice 'Falun Gong."'
(4) "I have never been to a hospital, and have never been sick." (Li Hongzhi in an interview with a reporter from the News Day of the United States on July 25, 1999)
Li Hongzhi once had an operation at the People's Hospital of Jilin Province. Its medical records read: (He) entered the hospital on July 18, 1984; was diagnosed as suffering from acute festering appendicitis; the name of the operation: removal of appendicitis, with the signature of Li Rui, Li Hongzhi's wife. The doctor in charge said that after the operation Li Hongzhi took some penicillin, streptomycin, glucose and other medicines.
According to a survey, Li Hongzhi sought medical advice and bought medicines at seven hospitals in Changchun.
Is it true that "Falun Gong" does not have an organization?
(5) "'Falun Gong' absolutely does not have any organization, and does not have people in positions of authorities." (Li Hongzhi in an interview with a correspondent of the Voice of America on July 23, 1999.)
After creating "Falun Gong," Li Hongzhi founded the "Falun Dafa Research Society" in Beijing. He appointed himself president, and under the society there were the Organization, Promotion, Research and Public Relations departments, with distinctive divisions of work and specially responsible persons. In addition, a hierarchy of 39 general instruction stations, 1,900 ordinary instruction centers and more than 28,000 practice sites was set up throughout the country, under the unified leadership of the "Falun Dafa Research Society." Li Hongzhi issued orders to this hierarchy through Internet and other modern telecommunications means. In this way, a well-organized body engaging in surreptitious acts was formed from top to bottom. It was so well organized that it was able to assemble more than 10,000 practitioners at Zhongnanhai, the seat of the Chinese government, overnight without anybody knowing.
(6) "I preached 'Falun Gong' in China for only three years. In the past nearly four years, I have virtually not had any direct contacts with practitioners. What they did has nothing to do with me. I have not promoted 'Falun Gong.' I haven't done anything to promote it." (Li Hongzhi, in a July 1999 interview with a correspondent from the Times magazine of the United States.)
A great number of facts prove that in the past few years Li Hongzhi has never stopped controlling and instructing the "Falun Gong" organization. For instance:
On June 5, 1997, through the "Overseas Liaison Group of the 'Falun Gong' Research Society" under Li Hongzhi's control, Li Hongzhi issued an "Announcement": "None of Master Li Hongzhi's speeches or letters that have not been published and approved by the master should be transmitted through the Internet in any form. If anyone does so, he or she will be regarded as showing disrespects to the master or indulging in law breaking. The data for spreading 'Falun Gong' sent via the Internet by various countries and regions shall be checked by the responsible person of the local Falun Buddhist Society or instruction center of "Falun Dafa" [Great Law of the Wheel of Law]. If there are any issues counter to Dafa, please inform Li Chang or Ye Hao, so that the Overseas Liaison Group of the Research Society can check them promptly."
On July 5, 1998, when he learned that on the way to Sanya to preach, seven practitioners had died and one had been injured in a traffic accident, Li Hongzhi wrote a letter to Jiang Xiaojun, who was in charge of the Haikou instruction center, saying: " My eight disciples have achieved all-round fulfillment, and now are living in a different world."
On March 30, 1999, the "Dafa Society" issued to all instruction centers throughout the country a "Circular on Strictly Checking Non-Dafa Materials Spread Without Authorization," on which Li Hongzhi wrote: "Agree. Issue it immediately!"
Didn't "Falun Gong" interfere with government's work?
(7) "Before 'Falun Gong' practitioners went to Zhongnanhai, I knew nothing about it. I was on my way from the United States to Australia." "...When I passed through Beijing, I stayed there "only a few hours. I knew nothing about it, and heard nothing either. Because I didn't have contacts with anyone." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a reporter in Sydney on May 2, 1999.)
As a matter of fact, Li Hongzhi made a special trip to Beijing to work out a plan and orchestrate the incident. On April 23, when discussing the matter with his key followers in one of his residences in Beijing, Li Hongzhi encouraged practitioners of "Falun Gong" in other places: "Go to Beijing!" "Go to the central authorities and the State Council." "A small number of people will not do; more people should go. Last year, only a small number of people went to the Beijing TV Station. If more people had gone there, the issue would have already been solved." "The more the better. It is our last chance."
(8) "Four years ago, I preached 'Falun Gong' to many people. In the past four years, I have not got in touch with anyone." "We have not been concerned about power and politics for quite a long time. In the past seven years, we have not done anything to interfere with the government or the Communist Party of China." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a reporter from Reuters in the United States on July 24, 1999).
"In China, 'Falun Gong' does not have any organization, let alone any aim of participating in politics. We have never engaged in any anti-government activity." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a BBC correspondent on July 22, 1999).
On April 23, 1999, Li Hongzhi made a special trip to Beijing to work out a secret plan for organizing 10,000 practitioners to besiege Zhongnanhai. Then Li left Beijing. On April 25, Li contacted with the key members of the "Falun Gong" organization through 29 long-distance telephone calls, orchestrating the incident from a distance.
According to statistics, in recent years, the "Falun Gong" organization has engineered more than 70 incidents involving attacking government institutions and news agencies, with each incident involving more than 300 people.
Li Hongzhi is not concerned about politics, is he?
(9) A practitioner should "return to his or her original nature" and should cultivate "truthfulness, benevolence and tolerance". "We are truly cultivating ourselves! We have forgotten the fame, gain and love sought for by the main in the street. Does the social system have anything to do with you? Only if you practice with great sincerity and without missing anything, can you achieve all-round fulfillment. A practitioner shows no interest in politics and political power, except for doing his or her work well." "You should never participate in politics, nor interfere with the state affairs. Cultivate yourself in earnest and be kind." ("Falun Buddhist Law")
"Existing human society has deteriorated to its extreme point. Others just watch you being destroyed, and do not care."
"Now social problems are emerging one after the other. No government can solve them. The national issue, the problems between countries, the contradictions between ethnic groups and a great number of social crimes are attributed to various causes. They are headaches for all governments, and no government can solve them."
"The laws formulated by human beings restrict and isolate people in a mechanical way… Like animals, human beings are under control, without a way out. No one can find a way out." ("Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching in the United States")
"At present, only I, alone in the world, preach the orthodox law." "I have law-bodies so numerous that they are beyond calculation. Therefore, I can look after as many people as I wish, maybe the entire human race." "If I cannot save you, no one in the world is able to." (Li Hongzhi & His "Falun Gong" Deceiving the Public and Ruining Lives)
Li Hongzhi advocates that sciences are "erroneous," government is useless, and the law can only restrict and isolate people. He is wiser than Lao Zi, Sakyamuni and Jesus. It is only he who can "take people to Heaven," "prevent the earth from exploding," "realize a fine society for mankind," and "build a fine soul paradise." To realize his political ambitions, Li Hongzhi and his ilk have not only "theories," but also organizations and acts. A large number of facts prove that it is only a facade that Li Hongzhi erects by saying that he is not concerned about politics.
Is it true that Li Hongzhi "does not charge his disciples a cent"?
(10) "I don't charge my disciples a cent, and don't allow the responsible people here to put by money." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a reporter of the Asia Weekly in Sydney on May 2, 1999)
"I help the people get rid of diseases without conditions; I don't collect fees or materials." ("Some of My Thoughts" written by Li Hongzhi on June 2, 1999)
According to a report by China's CCTV, one day when an old lady took out five yuan and offered it to Li Hongzhi, asking him to treat her, Li retorted with scorn: "You want to be treated for only five yuan?"
A survey shows that from May 1992 to the end of 1994, Li Hongzhi and his followers collected more than three million yuan by running "Falun Gong" training classes. The Wuhan Shenshen Group Corporation run by a person in charge of the Wuhan "Falun Gong" General Station collected more than 90 million yuan by illegally publishing books and audio and video materials on "Falun Gong." According to the contract signed between the corporation and Li Hongzhi, the corporation paid Li fees for writing and proofreading the books, as well as eight percent of the total listed price of the books.
According to preliminary calculations, the illegal business volume of this case and two other illegal "Falun Gong" industrial cases reached 160 million yuan-worth, including more than 40 million yuan in illegal profits. It has been proved that Li Hongzhi has huge savings in overseas banks; he bought villas, cars and green cards, and visited gambling dens and places of ill reputre abroad, spending money like water.
At the beginning of 1999, Li Hongzhi bought a house of 600 square meters in the name of his wife Li Rui near the Princeton University in New Jersey, the United States. In May he began to spend a large amount of money in decorating it. The swimming pool alone is valued at US$ 24,000. (According to a report carried in the Wall Street Journal on November 1, 1999)
Did Li Hongzhi not forecast "the end of the world?"
(11) "I have found after careful checks that mankind has experienced 81 calamities in the past." "It is a rule that after long intervals serious calamities afflict the earth. The next calamity will destroy everything in space, and all the planets will be destroyed. All life in the universe will be destroyed." (Zhuan Falun or Turning the Wheel of the Law)
"Human beings are confronted with destruction, complete destruction. It is called the destruction of both the form and the spirit, and will be really horrible. ("Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching in Sydney")
"If visitors from another planet cannot replace human beings, the society will destroy itself. Modern sciences cannot rescue human beings from being destroyed. I can forecast that in the future, the four limbs of human beings will become deformed; the joints of the body will become immobile and the internal organs will lose their functions. I am working hard to save those who can return to the high moral standards. Modern science cannot understand this, and the Chinese government will be of no avail. In the whole world, only I alone know about it. Modern sciences are destroying mankind." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a correspondent from the Times magazine of the United States before the "April 25 Incident.")
On July 23, 1999, in an interview given to a U.S. correspondent, Li Hongzhi flatly denied that he had forecast the end of the world. He quibbled: "I never mentioned great calamities." Instead "I made it clear on many occasions that there would be no doomsday." "The China Central Television criticized me for spreading a rumor about doomsday, but I never did."
Is Li Hongzhi an "immortal" or a swindler?
(12) "At the age of eight, Li Hongzhi attained the supreme Great Law with great supernatural powers, such as the ability to move objects (without lifting a finger), fix articles (at whatever spot), control other people's thinking and make himself invisible… His energy potency reached an extremely high level. He understands the truth of the universe, has insights into life and can see both the past and future of mankind." ("Profile of Li Hongzhi"--an appendix to Zhuan Falun)
"I can look after as many people as I wish. I can look after all mankind."
"So far I, alone in the world, truly transmit the Gong to higher levels." "I have made available a ladder for people to climb up to Heaven." "If I cannot save you, no one in the world is able to." ("Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching in Sydney")
"I can guide or stop an incident with my will." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a correspondent of the Time magazine of the United States before the "April 25 Incident")
"Some believe I am an immortal, some think I am a Buddha, and others call me Master. But I have never asked people to regard me as me as a god, nor have I asked them to regard me as a Master. I have never said you must call me Master. ...I am only an ordinary person." (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a reporter in Sydney on May 2, 1999)
When a disciple of Li Hongzhi asked him why he had made up his life story, Li answered, "No one would believe me if I did not exaggerate a little bit." Once, when he was asked to demonstrate his "four great abilities" (to move objects without lifting a finger, fix articles at any spot, control other people's thinking and make himself invisible), Li Hongzhi retorted angrily: "Do you want me to make an exhibition of myself, so that you can make fun of me?" ("Li Hongzhi, the Man and His Deeds")
On May 2, 1999, in an interview given to reporters from Asia Weekly and the Chinese media in Sydney, Li Hongzhi continued to boast, "I began to cultivate myself at four years old," and "I have been instructed by more than 20 teachers." When the correspondents asked him to perform his "magic powers" on the spot, Li made an excuse: "I am not in the mood today."
Once, Lu Shuzhen, Li Hongzhi's mother, said to Li's "disciples": "Xiaolai (Li Hongzhi's childhood name) is talking nonsense, inventing a story, and cheating you. Please don't believe him. He did not have any gong in his childhood, let alone received training in Buddhist cultivation." ("Modern Lies")
Is "Falun Gong" Qigong, Spiritual Cultivation or a Cult?
(13) "'Falun Gong' is not Qigong (traditional breathing exercises) for building up people's health, but spiritual cultivation." (Li Hongzhi when preaching in Beijing on December 25, 1998)
In May 1999, in an interview given to a reporter in Sydney, he said, "'Falun Gong' is not a religion, nor a heretical religious school, but a high-level Qigong activity."
(14) "'Falun Gong' is neither heretical, nor religious. How can it be called a cult?" (Li Hongzhi in an interview given to a correspondent in the United States on July 24, 1999)
Li Hongzhi has slandered science as a "cult." ("Falun Buddhist Law--Preaching at a European Religious Assembly") As a matter of fact, the "Falun Gong" organization under the control of Li Hongzhi is a cult with all the important characteristics of cults. A great amount of facts mentioned above have proved how the "Falun Gong" organization worshipped the founder, worked out heretical ideas, amassed money, formed organizations secretly and did harm to society. To control the minds of the practitioners of "Falun Gong," Li Hongzhi adopted the measures of enticing, brainwashing and threatening them, step by step. Under his spiritual control, thousands of practitioners lost their spouses and children, suffered mental disorders, and some even died. But they still believed that they had achieved "all-round fulfillment." Like the "People's Temple," the "Branch Davidians," and "Aum Shinrikyo," "Falun Gong" is a an out-and-out cult.
