1999年8月1日，生病住院的全国政协副主席、中国佛教协会会长赵朴初对中央果断处理“法轮功”问题感到十分高兴，他在医院表达了对“法轮功”问题的看法。
赵朴初说，我坚决拥护中共中央关于处理“法轮功”非法组织的决定。这个决定是十分必要，非常及时，完全正确的。这是一件大快人心的大好事，它为人民消除了一个大祸害，为国家清除了一个大隐患，为社会割掉了一个大毒瘤，为科学扫除了一个大障碍，也为佛教清除了一个最大最毒的附佛外道。这是我们党和国家在思想政治战线上的一个伟大胜利。
赵朴老说，对“法轮功”问题，中国佛教协会早有觉察，因为它打着佛法的幌子，窃用佛教的一些名词术语，欺骗社会，蒙蔽群众。对佛教来说，它是一种邪教，一种魔道。中国佛协的会刊《法音》杂志及佛教各地有关刊物，都曾陆续作过一些批判，也曾遭受到李洪志及其“法轮功”非法组织的恐吓、诬告。在去年佛协召开的专题座谈会上，大家一致认定，“法轮功”不是佛法，不是正式宗教，也不是真正的气功，而是一种道道地地的歪理邪说，它与佛教是根本对立的，是和宗教界根本对立的，同党和国家的宗教信仰自由政策也是根本对立的。对这种歪理邪说，我们宗教界要特别提高警惕，绝不能让它们兴妖作怪。
赵朴老说，建设有中国特色的社会主义，必须加强社会主义精神文明建设，要看到精神市场的重要性，必须加强科学教育，提高全民素质。若让“法轮功”这种带有邪教性质的非法组织发展起来，对国家必将构成一种潜在的危险。通过对中央决定的学习，佛教界和宗教界都应加强自身建设，发扬爱国爱教的优良传统，与全国人民一道，自觉地维护来之不易的安定团结的大好局面，把我们祖国伟大的社会主义建设事业全面地、健康地推向21世纪！
Zhao Puchu: Falun Gong is an evil cult and demon's teaching
On August 1, 1999, Rev. Zhao Puchu, Vice-chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of Buddhist Association of China, was pleased to hear the decision of Central Government to ban the illegal Falun Gong. He expressed his views on Falun Gong during his stay in hospital for treatment.
Rev. Zhao said that he firmly supported the ban on the Falun Gong. The decision was very essential and completely correct while it came at an extremely right time as well. It was a good news satisfactory to the people. He also said in the hospital that it was highly necessary for the government to get rid of this big disaster for the people and remove this "hidden peril" for the country as well as cutting off this big cancer for the society. The decision removed this "big obstacle" for the science and cleared away "the biggest and most harmful heretic adhering to Buddhism" for the right faith of Buddhism as well. It was a great victory by our Party and nation in the ideological and political front.
Rev. Zhao said that the Buddhist Association of China had been aware of problems of Falun Gong at early time before, because it deceived its followers by misusing Buddhist terminologies. Compared with the belief of Buddhism, Falun Gong was completely an evil cult and demon's teachings. He said that the publications of B.A.C., like "Voice of Dharmma" and some other Buddhist magazines in other parts of the country, had criticized Falun Gong's fallacies in the past few years, and the articles were attacked by Falun Gong devotees, headed by Li Hongzhi, and some other illegal organizations. During a symposium held by the Association last year, the participants said Falun Gong run counter to Buddhism and the Communist Party of China's policy of freedom of religious belief. He also said that the Chinese religious circle should be alert to false theories and evil sayings and never let it stir up trouble.
Rev. Zhao stressed the importance of promoting cultural and ethical progress in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He urged the strengthening of science education and improvement of the quality of all the people. He called on religious circles to pay attention to self-building and unite with people from other walks of life, in an effort to help maintain social stability and soundly push forward the socialist cause into the new century.
(Chinanews, August 1, 1999)