1) These are the original words of Mr. Li Hongzhi: "I can proclaim here to everyone in all earnestness that all of those alleged catastrophes on earth, the doom of the universe, and things of this sort in the year 1999 are absolutely nonexistent." (line 3 from the bottom, the last paragraph, page 16, Falun Buddha Fa---Lecture at the first conference in North America)
In several speeches, Mr. Li Hongzhi stated that it is only the evil cults that claim that the end of the world is near. However, on CCTV (Chinese Central TV Station), the sentence, "The doom of the universe (is) . . . absolutely nonexistent" was shortened to "The doom of the universe". Jiang Zemin's overseas diplomats then used these distorted words as the No. 1 evidence to malign Falun Gong. This is yet another example of the lies and deceptions of the Chinese Communist Party .Even the Washington Post has commented on China's handling of the truth, saying, "China's response of bluster, denial and deception over being caught with its hand in the cookie jar of international misbehavior is business as usual. ?" and further that, "What sets China's government apart is not that it lies -- what government does not? -- but that it demands that its lies be actively accepted, first by its public and then by governments that want its 'friendship'."
(please refer to http://www.clearwisdom.net/eng/2001/Mar/10/NMR031001_3.html for the sentences cited above from Washington Post)
2) Falun Gong encourages people to be good and to respect the truth. Falun Gong also teaches that bad people will suffer adversity..
Mr. Li Hongzhi encourages Falun Gong practitioners to "Inform people of the truth, tell them about it--this is also offering people salvation." (Speech by Mr. Li Hongzhi at the Western US Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference of Falun Dafa) Falun Gong practitioners have been spreading the truth and exposing the vicious slandering of Jiang Zemin and his accomplices with unshakable determination. Their actions continue to remove misunderstandings and enmity towards Falun Gong caused by these vicious lies. While Falun Gong practitioners have suffered greatly in order to keep spreading the truth, their efforts have awakened countless insensitive hearts. Those awakened now know who is right and who is wrong.
Many people with religious faith believe that "Good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil." Falun Gong points out that virtue is the only substance that comes with one's birth and goes with him after death, and it determines one's future existence. As a result, Falun Gong has very high moral standards for its practitioners. These noble moral characters are summarized in three words that are easy to remember. They are "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance".
Jiang Zemin sent diplomats and other puppets to Geneva to convince people that his view of Falun Gong was correct. They alleged that Falun Gong's teaching was that practicing Falun Gong was the only way to survive the end of the world. This is clearly wanton and irresponsible distorting of Falun Gong.
3) The countless medical miracles created by Falun Gong
Those sent by Jiang Zemin said that Falun Gong practitioners were prohibited from taking any medicine and that this prohibition has caused 1,600 deaths. Of course Falun Gong practitioners denied this allegation. Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power in China, slandering innocent people has become commonplace. People who were wronged have often been redressed afterwards. Thus, this death number provided by CCP to attack Falun Gong is highly doubtful. In fact, Falun Gong practitioners pointed out, "Before the persecution, there were Falun Gong practitioners all over the country doing the practice together every day. [If it's bad for one's health,] how come we always saw examples of improving health?"
(Please refer to http://www.faluncanada.net/world/health/survey98_1eng.htm for a health survey regarding the effect of Falun Gong improving people's health.)
According to the official documents released by CCP to attack Falun Gong, as well as information provided in Falun Gong websites, most people who started to practice Falun Gong during 1992-1999 were old people who either had retired or were near retirement, or who had chronic, difficult, or deadly diseases. For such a group of people, no matter what they tried, the death rate would be expected to be very high. However, the death rate of Falun Gong practitioners is extremely low compared to the average for the whole nation [reported on the Chinese Statistical Almanac in Year 1998]. What was even more surprising was that many of the ailments of Falun Gong practitioners disappeared shortly after they started the practice. To see whether or not "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" can improve health and increase longevity, scientists in Yale University, University of California, and University of Michigan have carried out many related studies. Their conclusion was "Being good or bad will affect one's longevity."
(Please refer to http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2000/11/21/754.html for the Chinese article)
Even if the 1,600 deaths claimed by CCP propaganda was accurate, let's look at it further. CCP first declared that Falun Gong had 80 million practitioners. Of these 80 million, only 1,600 died in 7 years. Isn't it that miraculous? That's only .002 per cent!
Distorting such figures to attack Falun Gong only shows how desperate Jiang Zemin really is.
4) About the "self-immolation" incident on Tiananmen Square, the best way to know the truth is to watch the detailed analysis of the videotape broadcast by CCTV. It is better to see it once than to hear one hundred comments. (http://www.clearwisdom.net/eng/2001/Feb/25/VDO022501_1.html)
5) What is the real reason for Falun Gong practitioners to go to appeal at Tiananmen Square?
In a recent speech, Mr. Li Hongzhi said in public that, "When being treated unfairly, people should be allowed to speak--this is a human being's most basic right." (Speech by Mr. Li Hongzhi at the Western US Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference). Falun Gong practitioners will always speak the truth. Since all channels for Falun Gong practitioners to appeal were blocked, they tried first to appeal to local government officials, then to the Chinese Central Appealing Center in Beijing and eventually, to Tiananmen Square.
Why would they go to Beijing again and again jeopardizing their lives and families? Why do they risk being detained and tortured and ultimately killed? Can anyone possibly believe the allegation of the CCP that they are mentally unstable or that some external force mentally controls them? A person who has faith would sacrifice everything for his beliefs. Falun Gong practitioners believe that "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance", are principles they can count on for the improvement of physical and mental health. Anyone who is familiar with the early Christian martyrs will easily understand the sufferings that Falun Gong practitioners are enduring now.
In a religion, saving oneself and offering salvation to others are closely related. Although Falun Gong does not consider itself a religion, its essence closely resembles the spirit of early Christian martyrs. It might be true that the efforts of "clarifying the truth" by Falun Gong practitioners is also a process for them to achieve salvation themselves and to offer salvation to others.
March 29, 2001