The China Anti-Cult Association was established in Beijing Monday, grouping renowned personnel from various circles of the country, including scientists, doctors, lawyers, religious leaders and journalists.

Cults that have run rampant in the world in recent years have become obstacles to social progress and brought tragic disaster for numerous families and individuals, according to a written proposal launching the association, which was read at the founding ceremony.

The proposal says that the Falun Gong and other cults pose a grave threat to social stability as they cheat and fool the masses through the worship of cult leaders and the evil theories they have fabricated, which are strongly opposed by governments and people of the world.

To safeguard social stability and maintain order, the Chinese government has banned the Falun Gong cult. The move has received popular support from the people and most former Falun Gong practitioners have realized the evil nature of the cult.

However, there are still a handful of staunch Falun Gong members who wish to stage a desperate fight against the people and the government, the proposal says, adding that the purpose of setting up the association is to mobilize social forces to fight against Falun Gong and other cults.

At Monday's meeting, the chapter for the association was passed and leaders of the association were elected, with Zhuang Fenggan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as the president.

It was decided at the meeting that a seminar on anti-cult efforts will be held in Beijing in December this year.

(Xinhua 2000/11/14)