Chinese Religious Leaders Support Falun Gong Ban

Chinese religious leaders have shown their support for the campaign against Falun Gong and say they will help maintain social stability.

Memet Seylay, vice-president of the Islamic Association of China, said that Falun Gong had to be banned and that Moslem leaders in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region support the decision of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and the Chinese Government.

The true face of Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong have been exposed, he said, and people now have a clear understanding of Li's true motive, which is to defraud people of their money and undermine social stability, but that they will fight against any behavior that undermines social stability, ethnic unity, and national reunification.

Ming Zhiting, president of the China Daoist Association, accuses Li of feudalism and spreading superstition under the guise of teaching qigong and of taking advantage of people's desire to stay healthy, he cheated many practitioners, causing some to go insane, and has ruined many families.

And, when he got his followers to attack Party and government headquarters and press organizations, Li violated the law and caused serious damage to social stability, Ming said.

Bishop Fu Tieshan of Beijing Parish praises the Falun Gong ban and calls it a "wise decision". Li and Falun Gong have interfered in normal religious activities and ruined the image of legitimate religions, he said, and the ban is the Party's and government's way of protecting legitimate religious groups and normal religious activities.

(China daily 1999/08/02)