在“大师”的营垒中呆了九年，又杀出来反伪打假十年的司马南先生，会怎么看待“法轮功”事件？
司马南像一个老练的猎人，又像一个机敏的警犬，更像一个忠于职守的刑警队长。《神功内幕》、《太功黑幕》等百多万字揭露神功大师的著作是他的工作手记。当“法轮功”万余信徒围攻中南海，“法轮功”突然间被舆论关注，大家始问为什么时，司马南已与其交手多年了。
大自然中，每种动物都有天敌，司马南就是神功大师们的天敌。
司马南鹰一样的眼睛透视“法轮功”及其幕后，让我们作出了这篇值得深读再读的别样文章。
记者（以下简称记）：你怎样看待李洪志和他的“法轮大法”以及最近的“法轮功”事件？
司马南（以下简称司马）：“法轮功”在４月２５日后突然之间变为海内外媒体关注的事件了。法轮功的出现引起了很多人的困惑。科学技术发展到了今天，像这样低档的巫术居然能大行其道。如果是普通老百姓，五短布衣练练功也就罢了。但有很多知识分子，包括一些有名望的知识分子：还有的老干部，信了一辈子马克思、列宁主义，怎么到了今天，成了鬼神的牺牲品？我们到底在什么地方出了错才导致今天的被动局面，发动这样一场大规模的严肃的政治斗争，来解决一个只有初中文化的江湖骗子的事情？我们究竟应把握一种怎样的政策分寸才能趋利避害，把麻烦减少到最低限度，提高全党乃至全国人民的科学水平？总之，很多很多的问题引起大家的思考。
记：李洪志到底是个什么样的人？
司马：最近人们从报纸上、电视上对李洪志有一个大概的了解：改生日、吹牛、撒谎啦等等。我多年致力于和伪气功的斗争，所以对李洪志有进一步的了解。１９８８年李在长春参加了两个学习班的学习，到了１９９１年，他将这两个学习班学到的功法和泰国佛教寺院的少女佛家舞蹈拼凑在一起，演化成了中国法轮功。在他宣布出山的第三天，就开始出去赚钱了。他还宣称自己有搬运、隐身、定物和思维控制四大功能。
李洪志在宣扬法轮功的时候，鼓吹他自己的功法最高。他说有一个“大师”叫陈林峰，传授佛家功法，佛家以慈悲为怀，他却杀生，背着枪下乡打狗，吃狗肉，所以他功法不如我。他又说香功的田瑞生，小手那么一抬，像个黄鼠狼，拜太阳，就那么几个动作，说什么灵体转动，结果走下坡路。还有一个气功师叫刘汉文，整天喝酒，喝得醉熏熏，他迟早要走下坡路。这些“大师”们之间也是充满了矛盾，相互掐个没完，但是对待科学，他们却是“众志成城”。他们的公式是：别人都是假的，只有我是真的。
李洪志吹牛说，这次地球大爆炸是他定的。他花了最大的力气，也只能把爆炸时间推迟３０年。他胡说江泽民、李鹏找他谈话，要他推迟地球大爆炸的时间。
李洪志还吹过一个牛，说１９８４年小平同志在北戴河疗养，找他去看病。他说：“我一到北戴河，发现有一个台湾的气功师正在给小平同志看。我就不给小平治了，我就回了北京。”
李洪志还吹过许多牛，说跟宋世雄有点关系，跟伍绍祖有点关系。他说伍下令说中央新闻电影制片厂要把法轮功拍成纪录电影，由宋世雄担任解说。这些全都是为了欺骗下边那些学员说的鬼话。
１９９３年，李洪志在长春说，“我在北京上千人学习班上传法讲法，国防科工委的人偷偷摸摸进会场，对我进行考核，他们把胶卷放在铜盒里来考验我功能的大小，结果胶卷全曝光了，用科学仪器测试我的功能的数值，结果超过严新十几倍、几十倍。他们检测前对我保密，检测后对我十分满意，而且惊讶，想不到我李洪志有这么大的功能。”
李洪志有个女儿，李洪志把她弄到美国。利用自己女儿来进行欺骗。
１９９４年，李洪志到贵州去讲法，组场的人对他说，大家普遍反映没什么感觉，气感不强。李洪志大发雷霆，说：“我对佛也不错，关键时刻不帮我，我要把佛捆起来，杀了，砍了。”
李洪志在讲课时大讲舍与得的关系，然而他自己却为了１０块钱而撒谎。
通过这些事可以有助于我们了解李洪志，到底是一个什么样的人。
记：你是怎样和李洪志斗争的？
司马：１９９５年有人给我写信，说李洪志给人做带功报告时说，“北京有个司马南，他骂了那么多人，就不敢骂我。为什么呢？我遥距给他装一个法轮，只不过这个法轮是逆转的。今年他会双目失明，明年会被汽车轧去双腿。有一次我做报告他来捣乱，我给他加个意念，他立刻像狗一样趴在地上。”这位同志跟我说，“李洪志厉害得很，你要小心点。”
９５年之前，我确实没有揭露过李洪志，但不是怕他。是因为他李洪志，还算不了什么“大师”。１９９８年夏天，我们跟他有了正面冲突，原因是北京电视台约几个人访谈，何祚庥院士谈了法轮功练习者有得精神病的，有跳楼的；我不记得我讲了法轮功什么。６月４号之前，他们围攻北京电视台，先是几百人，后追加到三千多人。说是弘扬大法，纪律很好，温文尔雅。但暗含杀机。北京电视台挺不住了，请示领导之后，退！记者开除，制片人撤职，又正面报道法轮功！法轮功在这地方得胜后，紧跟着挥师《健康报》，前后门堵住，围了好几天，原因是登了一篇文章，说练法轮功走火入魔等等。
去年７月，国家体委李力研先生写了一本书，登在《生活》杂志上，其中引用了我的话，说司马南先生称法轮功为“法轮党”。当然文中有评击法轮功的话，我确实很藐视他们。这下子可麻烦了。法轮功的弟子们对这家杂志社采取了和对北京电视台一样的办法，杂志社顶不住了，在紧跟着新的一期第一页登了一篇认错的文章，说是编辑把关不严，还说其实法轮功是一个怎么怎么好的功法等等。
记：你认为法轮功的本质是什么？
司马：我觉得法轮功有个本质，这个本质由５个东西组成：
第一，末世论。他说什么地球要爆炸，地球末日到了。
第二，绝对服从。信法轮功的人不得有自己的思想。
第三，组织非常严密。
第四，收钱。不是什么不收钱的问题，只不过是婉约派风格的，间接地、聪明地收，只不过不是赤裸裸地敛财。
第五，反政府、反社会、反科学、也反宗教。
美国有个人民圣殿教，头头叫琼斯。他说世界末日就要到来了，于是３０多个人跟着他死了：１９６８年又有９４名集体自杀。６０年代到８０年代在美国这是一个很轰动的新闻，１９９４年，有个加拿大人搞了个太阳神教，在他练功的地方着了一场大火，２３具尸体，后来又追加了２５具，后来又追加了１６具，后来又追加５具。世界末日到了，所以咱们大家在烈火中永生嘛！
美国还有一个大卫教。大卫１９９５年死了，１９９３年枪战５１天，横生枝节，跟军队发生冲突，最后在残垣断壁、硝烟大火之中找出３８１具尸体。日本的麻原彰晃大家很熟悉。他曾到中国传过教，后来发现与中国国情不符。他说他的奥姆真理教一般人不敢信。他干了一件事很轰动。在东京地铁站扔了沙林毒气，第二代神经毒气，芥子气。为什么这么干呢？心情不好，４０多岁了，议员当不上，一个眼睛又几近失明。但成立教派后有很多人信奉他，其中有教授和博士。麻原说他有升腾的感觉。他还专门到达赖那儿修了一段，说自己是“得道的雪山奇人”，他得了达赖的“真传”。他要装神弄鬼，就得发出一些预言，大到说某年某月某日日本将发生一起震惊世界的事。牛吹出去了，那天日本没什么事，一定得闹出点事，要不大师就栽了，所以派弟子去扔沙林毒气。
李洪志的本质是不是这样？有没有这种可能呢？我以为，有。
记：为什么会有那么多人，甚至不少领导干部和科技人员信法轮功？
司马：为什么有这么多人信？我们说群众素质低，这些年放松了思想教育，有些人老糊涂，对科学知识知道不多，等等等等，还可以说封建迷信卷土重来。但细想想，是这么回事吗？
除了吃穿这些东西之外，人人都有追求信仰这一特性。他可能信神、信上帝，追求这些东西后，他以为他达到了终极真理，弄明白了很多事。这原本是人们很正常的一种心态，这种东西通常存在人们的潜意识当中，当官当不上是自己命不好？得了癌症以后想我死了以后什么样？你杀了我，老子１８年后又是一条好汉！如果他是唯物主义者，他就不这么想了。人们潜意识当中有追求信仰的特点，心理失调的时候，潜意识容易浮升出来，变成显意识。２０年来，我们整个中国发生巨变，利益关系重新调整，整个社会急速变化。出现种种心理不平衡，出现种种解决不了的认识问题。这样的环境当中，人们追求信仰的念头容易变得顽强起来。
过去搞迷信的都是中老妇女、老婆婆、拜一拜，消个灾去个病。现在呢，跟着跑的有计算机人才、教授、专家、知识分子、革命一辈子的老干部，这些人怎么了？为什么这些人会去信呢？美国人最近写了一本书《超级大脑》，这是一本神经科学的著作。书中谈到了“洗脑”，就是把原来正常人头脑里的东西，统统给他抹掉，植入一些他从来没有接受过的东西。洗脑过程中，被洗脑的人常常伴随着一种快感、麻醉感、舒服感。生活当中突然充满阳光，人生突然有意义，觉得自己非常欢快。
记：法轮功在社会上造成了很大的危害，在这方面你能不能给我们介绍一些情况？
司马：有一位朋友在给我的信中讲到，他的一位北京来的密友，一个非常好的人，对法轮功如痴如醉。信中说：“我拿出您写的书给他看，他竟不敢看，怕李老师怪罪他，我强迫他看了几眼，仅翻到书的目录，忽然浑身不适，说李老师已在制裁他了。如果法轮功是欺人之谈，那么众多像我密友这样的好人如此迷醉，练法轮功不就是害了他们吗？我想请问您，给指点迷津，我想挽救这些朋友们，这些好人。”
这位朋友信中还说：“听北京有人讲，司马南因为写反对法轮功的文章，还没定稿，就鬼使神差地被逮捕入狱。
这是我的老朋友给我的信，很有正义感，对法轮功这些东西看不惯。
一位在中央机关工作的干部在１９９９年５月７日给领导的信中说“法轮功是个好东西。”其中有一段煽情的文字，读后估计你们会留下深刻的印象：“宇宙大法从上到下，直至整个人类社会都是贯通的，常人社会是宇宙大法最低一层的体现。他们（指４月２５日到中南海静坐的法轮功的信徒，———编者）到中南海的根本目的，说穿了，就是想把这个大法告诉中国最高决策层，让中国最高决策层的人包括更多的人受益啊，对他们来说别无他求。他们中的很多人明知这样做要冒风险，可能会被误解，被批判，被指责为大逆不道，有些人在去中南海之前给家人留下遗言，做好事也要付出啊。但是为了弘扬宇宙真理，个人生死算不了什么？！”一位党员领导干部痴迷到这样的地步，叫人哭笑不得。
记：你认为我们应当怎样看待科学与反科学的斗争？
司马：要正视这个问题，不要很肤浅地认为自己就拥有真理。我读过恩格斯的《自然辨证法》当中的一篇文章《神灵世界中的自然科学》，最近我在新华社内参上建议由中央发出号召，全党的同志都来学习这篇文章。当时像培根、华莱士、克鲁克斯等这样的大科学家也曾信鬼神，相信桌子会跳舞，相信灵魂会变成人生前的样子过来和我们会面。恩格斯痛斥他们极端蔑视理性思维，痛斥他们成了鬼神迷信的牺牲品，经验论的牺牲品。
我认为对一些有理论素养的同志，文化程度比较高的同志，重新读一读１００年前恩格斯的这篇文章，会发现恩格斯所写的东西就跟针对我们当前反对法轮功写的一样。
被“洗脑”之后，有可能产生种种反社会的行为，这种现象很危险，为什么这么多人信？过去是因为贫穷，因为疾病，因为和别人抗争心理不平衡。由于认识上的原因，一些人相信“大师”的邪说。我看第一条原因是，这些人大多数是去治病的，希望不用吃药，练了就好，速效。这是很多很多人最初的动机。第二个原因是，练了功以后，“眼功”开了，“悬”起来了，这种人认为我革命一辈子没特异功能，跟“大师”练功３个月，特异功能出来了。第三个原因是找到了人生的一种归宿感，原先不知道自己活着是为什么，现在知道了，要弘法啊，要渡人。第四，我房子没分到，无所谓，这是“大师”考验我的天性，我不能再增加自己的负担。第五，成功感，我要成功，我一定要成功，昨天我还是下岗女工，今天我已是法轮功北京地区玉泉山辅导站的副站长了。这东西能带给人成功的刺激。
由于环境污染等等问题的出现，科学在世界上似乎弄得很没有面子，所以反科学的思潮比比皆是，学术名词叫“后现代主义”。可是他在电视里看东西，在互联网上发东西，回家吃麦当劳，拿日本产的彩色摄像机，照像机也是数码的。反科学也离不开科学，这种人内心深处存在着一种矛盾。
记：信法轮功的人除了社会原因外，是否也有个性方面的原因？
司马：当然有三种人很容易陷进去变成“大师”的牺牲品。一种是自我陶醉型性格的人。第二种是热衷于幻想成功的人。第一种人很容易成为“大师”的骨干弟子。第二种人属于分裂症型的性格，这种人一是老认为自己有第六感觉，二是过分留意人际关系，有妄想性的观念，在社会性这一点上，这种人比较孤立，不太与人交往，内心世界呈封闭状态，他能感觉到实际不存在的状态。这种人语言比较暖昧，不直说，常处于分裂状态，常能感受“大师”说的那种状态。第三种人叫边界型人。这种人常常把握不了自己，不知道自己是什么角色，常处于莫名状态，情绪多变、多动，容易抱怨，是条件论者，发泄完之后又觉得空虚、乏味。这些人在交友、价值观等等方面无法保持同一性。这三种性格的人非常容易出问题。还有一种人比如说更年期的女同志也很容易受到“大师”的神功暗示的影响。
有几个小实验可以说明心理暗示的影响。在一个黑黑的屋里点燃一柱香，屋里就出现一个小火光，然后你找来一个人，让他描述一下火光移动的情况。香火根本没动，但有人却说移动了２厘米，甚至有人说移动了５厘米以上。这就是在心理暗示作用下这些人有游动错觉。
记：为什么有这么多人走火入魔？
司马：走火入魔在精神病学上是心因性精神病的概念。我们从８０年代气功兴起后，走火入魔的人就多起来。在国外这种事例很少，中国的精神病学家专门为此起了一个病名，原来叫“东方健身术所致精神障碍”，现在叫“气功所致精神病障碍”。就是练气功导致心理失衡，进入精神病状态。
为什么这么多人走火入魔？练气功练到这种地步是什么问题？两种情况，一种是精神病态，一种是非精神病态。无论哪种状态都叫做非正常意识状态。这帮“大师”，包括李洪志这些人可恨，就在于你凭什么让这些人走入非正常的意识状态？这种状态下你给他暗示，你说好话还罢了，你给他恶性暗示，你给他“开天目”，你给他“罩法轮”，你是害他！他不能把握自己，就是自伤伤人啊，拿刀往脑袋上砍，抱着孩子跳楼，孩子可怜不可怜？非常意识的滥用就一定会造成社会危害。
气功所致的精神障碍多半是心因性精神病。这种病表现是什么样子呢？频频出现幻觉：“老师来救我了”、“老师要带我走”，“老师不带我玩了”，“老师明天到火车站”……幻想、妄想，平时没有实现的愿望全部都表现出来了，这种状态有一个词儿。叫“附体综合症”。附体综合症有５个标志：一、高度的受暗示状态，“大师”说什么就信什么。二是自己的角色混乱，他搞不清自己是谁。是正常人吗？是神的使者吗？是“大师弟子”吗？是“往高层次奔”吗？三是幻觉，“李老师又在讲法，又在讲我呢”。四是为了成仙成佛，便发生一系列自残行为，行为障碍。第五呢，情感障碍亲情淡漠，只顾去追大法，不理会亲人了。
在这样情况下，我们不能简单从事，有些人我们可以给他们做一些心理鉴定，精神病学的鉴定，给他们一些人道主义的关怀。
记：“大师”是怎么给造出来的？他们怎样才能形成这么大的气候？
司马：“大师”有各种各样，光有“大师”他玩不转。“大师”身边有信众、徒弟，还有处于“大师”和徒弟之间的那类人，类似促销员、记者、经纪人这样素质的人。他们巧舌如簧、滔滔不绝。他们写很多东西，包装这个“大师”，这种人是最可恨的。所有的“大师”都有描写他神乎其神的几本小册子，李洪志也是。如果没有这类人，所谓“大师”成不了气候。
“信仰”确立了，相信了李洪志、张洪志、马洪志的胡说，自认知道了现在生存的意义，就是要跟“大师”走。现在要做三件事，一是听信“大师”的话，渡人，长功夫。二是“新我行动”，就是要做一个全新的自己，逢人便讲我的类风湿好了，我的胆结石好了，我的胃溃疡好了，我所有的病都好了。这叫“新我展示”，也叫“成功展示”。三是确有善良的老百姓进入这个组织以后，说我变得高尚起来了，严格要求自己，过去我和别人闹别扭，现在我练正功，我修练，我心理特别平静。这次评职称，爱怎么样就怎么样，都一样对待。老百姓是真善良，可“大师”他不是这样子，但你如果跟这种人这样说，他还跟你急，说你不理解他。
有个问题不能不讲，就是宗教问题，宗教从本质上来讲它是有神论的，但现阶段经典意义上的宗教，和法轮功这类的非法组织根本不一样。
宗教不是人为制定一个规范、它也不是外在的不可知的力量。我倒觉得它是人渴求解释这个世界的内心的创造，是来自内心世界的一种需求。
记：通过法轮功事件，确实看出我们社会有一个构建信仰的问题。
司马：信仰是个全社会的问题，这是应该引起中央到地方各级负有责任的同志、对中国前途命运关心的有识之士思考的一个问题。正因为有这么多的信仰的真空地带，加上老百姓有很多实际问题需要解决等等，所以李洪志这样的小毛贼就想把自己打扮成全知全能的神，有些人不辨究竟就跟着信起来了。
由于信仰问题没有解决，所以很多人没有敬畏感。这种信仰危机如果说只是民间的，我觉得也不完整，在很多身负重任的领导干部身上，其实也是很严重的。如果没有虔诚之心，没有敬畏之心，谋而无忠，当官的怎么能不贪赃枉法？像玉宝森这样的人，官做到这么大了真实的内心世界中，到底是什么样的信仰？所以这不是一个飘浮的空中楼阁问题。多少有识之士提出，要重建中国人文精神。大家还记得当年中央人民广播电台播放通讯《县委书记的好榜样———焦裕禄》时全国城乡人民驻足倾听泪流满面的情景吗？大家还记得十里长街送总理，我们曾经怀有怎样的境界和情怀吗？大家还记得一曲《我的中国心》、一曲《龙的传人》，是怎样拨动我们的心弦，让我们感受悲怆与古老的同时是怎样的热血澎湃吗？我们靠什么东西来凝聚我们的１２亿人啊？用什么东西来捍卫我们祖国的统一完整啊？换言之，连结１２亿中国人的信仰纽带是什么？我们中华民族有共同的信仰，才会产生非常强大的凝聚力。我不知道该怎么回答这个问题。但我认为悠悠万事，唯此为大。解决这个问题，整个中华民族就能进入到一个有着伟大进取心的时代，才能振兴中华民族的文明，全面推向２１世纪。
记：你对那些对法轮功一类东西至今仍迷信的人，有些什么劝告？
司马：我想说，这些人大都是善良的，只是处于非正常意识状态一时还不能摆脱。但对那些心里明白脑子不糊涂的法轮功弟子，我想坦率地说，如果还不觉悟，你们拍心自问，是不是不好意思承认错了？面子值多少钱？中华民族的江山社稷在你那里真的就不重要？那么什么事情在你那里才重要啊！
说到这里，其实涉及到一个很关键的问题———中国人的国民性问题。儒家学说是士大夫文化，是文化人的宗友，而下层老百姓只好按自己的认识能力随意解释回答现实生活中的实际问题。问问开出租车的师傅，他们也讨论政治，也议论法轮功，我相信“焦点访谈”如果访问他们，肯定有和“新闻联播”调子一样的地方，但肯定也有不一样的地方。老百姓是各种各样的，他们可能会介入各种运动，但生活中依然故我，多数人是这样的。有个记者问我，说这么多人都知道法轮功胡闹，你为什么要站出来非要跟那些“大师”过不去呢？何祚庥是学科学的，你是学科学的吗？我不是学科学的，我就是在这一点上不想像祥林嫂、吴妈那么麻木，那么循规蹈矩。我们需要有积极、主动、自信的民族精神，阿Ｑ这样的人有没有灵魂？有。他的灵魂孤零零地游荡，他没办法，没地位、没姓、没家、没房。老太爷不让他姓赵。没家，就在庙里自己睡。他自己有个小天地，自己随意解释一切。在这种人身上什么都可能发生，这种人极具革命彻底性，同时又容易成为流氓无产者。这种人又由于科学知识缺乏，有几千年鬼神迷信文化的传统。所以在国民性上，阿Ｑ表现得最充分。
“封建迷信，”我们用的多了，在阿Ｑ身上，更多的不是封建迷信残留，而是原始思维，这种东西的历史比封建迷信早得多呀。
再来说李洪志。他只是冰山之一角，海面上它是一小块，其实下面是一座巨大的冰山。还有很多“大师”没有浮出水面。我们更要警惕这些“大师”们。他们的危害和李洪志是一样的，甚至危害更烈。
Sima Nan exposes the past of Li Hongzhi
Interviewed and edited By: A Jing
After living with the Qigong "masters" for 9 years and exposing the hideous nature of them, what does Mr. Sima Nan think of Falun Gong?
Sima Nan is like a captain of criminal police who is strongly committed to his job. He has finished several works, such as the Secrets of the Magic Power of Qigong and the Inside Story of Qigong, to disclose the secrets of the so-called Qigong masters. He has been fighting with Falun Gong long before it was brought into the sight of the masses of people after thousands of Falun Gong practitioners besieging Zhongnanhai.
Each kind of animals in nature has their natural enemies and it is Sima Nan that is the natural enemy of the "Qigong masters".
Sima Nan's sharp insight of Falun Gong enables us to finish this special article that is worth reading and reflecting again and again.
Journalist (J for short): What's your opinion on Li Hongzhi, his Falun Dafa and the recent incident of Falun Gong?
Sima Nan (Sima for short): After the incident of April 25, 1999, Falun Gong suddenly became the focus of media at home and abroad. The emergence of Falun Gong confused a great many people. They cannot figure out why such low-grade sorcery like Falun Gong could exist and develop when science and technology have reached such a high level. It is understandable that the ordinary people may be fooled by the fallacies of Falun Gong. However, why so many intellectuals, including famous ones, are deceived by Li Hongzhi? There are even some veteran cadres who used to be faithful to Marxism and Leninism falling into the trick of Li Hongzhi. What's the leading cause of these phenomena? Why do we have to launch such a nation-wide serious political movement to solve the problem caused by a charlatan? What shall we do to solve the problem of Falun Gong and elevate the scientific level of people without damaging our society? All in all, there are lots of things we need to think about.
J: What kind of person is Li Hongzhi?
Sima: Actually, you have learned something about Li Hongzhi such as changing his birthday, boasting and lying etc. in TV and newspapers. It has been years for me to fight against fake Qigong, therefore I know more about Li Hongzhi. He studied in two Qigong classes in Changchun in 1988. Later in 1991, Li Hongzhi made up Falun Gong by adding Thai dancing to the exercises learned from the two classes. On the third day after he came out for preaching, he began to collect wealth by Falun Gong. He alleged that he has the super power of transiting things without touching them and thought control and so on.
In the propaganda of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi boasted that he has no superior in the area of Qigong. He took a "master" named Chen Linfeng as an example. He said that Chen was not as good as him because he violated the doctrine of Buddhism by shooting dogs and eating dog meat. Li Hongzhi compared Tian Ruisheng, the "master" of Xiang Gong, to a weasel because of certain gestures in Xiang Gong. He also predicted that Liu Hanwen, another "master" who was always drunk, would go downhill sooner or later. The Qigong Masters are all in conflict with each other and often stab others in the back. Yet when it comes to science, they unite tightly to contradict with it. The formula they follow is: all is wrong but my theory.
Li Hongzhi boasted that he decided the coming explosion of the Earth. He said that when President Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Peng asked him to postpone it, he tried his best to put it off by 30 years.
Li Hongzhi also bragged that Comrade Deng Xiaoping used to send for him in 1984. At that time, Deng was convalescing at Beidaihe. Li Hongzhi clamored, "When I arrived at Beidaihe and discovered that Deng was being treated by a Qigong master from Taiwan, I decided not to interfere and returned to Beijing afterwards."
Li Hongzhi used to claim connected with Song Shixiong, a famous sports commentator, and Wu Shaozu, the director general of the General Administration of Sport. He said that Wu would like to have Falun Gong filmed and to let Song Shixiong narrate it. Such lies were all made up to deceive the practitioners.
Li Hongzhi clamored in Changchun in 1993, "When I was teaching Fa in a class of about 1,000 people in Beijing, investigators from the Commission in Charge of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence entered secretly to assess my power. They put the films in a copper box to examine my magic power, and all the films were exposed because of me. They used scientific equipment to measure my super power and the mark I got was far better than that of Yan Xin, another Qigong master. After the secret examination, the commission was very satisfied with me. It also surprised them to find the strength of my power.
Li Hongzhi has a daughter who has been sent to the USA. He then began cheating by using his daughter.
When teaching Fa in Guizhou Province in 1994, Li Hongzhi became furious after the organizers told him that the practitioners could not feel his power. He soared, "Since the Buddha refuses to help me in such critical moment despite my kindness to him, and I will lash him and kill him."
Li Hongzhi often talks about the relation between abandonment and achievement, yet he lied for only 10 Yuan.
We can know more about Li Hongzhi and what kind of person he is from the above mentioned incidents.
J: How did you fight against Li Hongzhi?
Sima: In 1995, Li Hongzhi once bragged in a Falun Gong conference, "There is a Sima Nan in Beijing who scolded many people except for me. Why doesn't he dare scold me? Because I installed a wheel of law in him and the wheel is reverse. He will be blind in this year and lose his legs in a car accident next year. Once he wanted to make trouble in my conference, I added an idea onto him and he bent over like a dog immediately." Li Hongzhi's braggart was later reported to me in a letter and I was warned to be cautious because it was said that Li Hongzhi was powerful.
I did not begin to expose the lies of Li Hongzhi before 1995. It was not because I was afraid of him but that until then, he could not be labeled a "master". In the summer of 1998, the conflict with Li Hongzhi came into being. At that time, Academician He Zuoxiu and I were invited to a program by Beijing TV station. In that program, Mr. He said that there had been several Falun Gong practitioners who suffered from mental diseases and others who jumped from a height. Yet I forget what I said then. At the very beginning of June, Falun Gong practitioners started besieging Beijing TV station. The number of the mob grew quickly from hundreds to three thousand. Although they were well disciplined, their aggressiveness was under cover of promoting the Fa. Beijing TV station was forced to surrender to the evil forces. The journalists and the production manager were all fired and Falun Gong was reported as a beneficial Qigong again. Encouraged by this victory, they then besieged the office building the newspaper "Health" for several days. The cause of this attack was that one article on "Health" disclosed that Falun Gong could make people infatuate.
Mr. Li Liyan from The State Sports Commission wrote a book and published it in Life Magazine in last July. One of my sentences that branded Falun Gong as "Falun Party" was quoted in this book. There did exist some verbal attacks in that article because I deprecated the cult. The practitioners then played the trick of besiegement again. The magazine office surrendered, as the Beijing TV Station, and then apologized on the first page of the following copy of the magazine. They fixed the blame on the editor's carelessness and began flattering Falun Gong by saying that it was a very good thing.
J: What's the essence of Falun Gong in your opinion?
Sima: In my opinion, it is composed of five parts.
First, it is the doomsday theory. It advocates the explosion of the earth and the doomsday of human beings.
Second, it is total obedience. The practitioners are not allowed to have their own thoughts.
Third, it is the strict organization.
Fourth, it is collecting money. Falun Gong collects money in an indirect way instead of accumulating wealth openly.
The last but not the least is anti-government, anti-society, anti-science and anti-religion.
Jones, founder of the People's Temple in America, predicted that the doomsday was coming and more than 30 people died after him. In 1968, another 94 Jones' followers committed cluster suicides. The news made a noise in the America during 1960s and 1980s. In 1994, a Canadian named Luc Jouret founded the Solar Temple. Afterwards, a big fire was set in the place where he practiced, and after that 23 bodies were found in the ruins. The number of the deaths soon increased to 69. Those people committed suicides because they were afraid of the doomsday.
There was another cult in America named the Branch of Davidians, the founder of which died in 1995. The followers of this cult created incidents by gunfight for 51 days and came into conflict with the army in 1993. The number of the deaths in this incident was 381. We are familiar with the Japanese Shoko Asahara, founder of the Aum Doomsday Cult, who tried to spread his faith in China. He used to clamor that few people dared to believe this cult. Before founding the Aum Doomsday Cult, Shoko Asahara was only a frustrated middle-aged man who could not enter the council and had one almost-blind eye. However, after the foundation of the cult, Asahara felt satisfied because a lot of people, including professors and doctors, had faith in him. He even went to Dalai Lama to cultivate himself. He clamored that he had got the essence of Dalai and called himself "an extraordinary man from the Snow Mountains". He said that there would be a shocking accident in Japan as he predicted. Since there was no disaster that day, he had to make something out to cover his lie. Therefore, his followers were sent to make trouble in the subway of Tokyo by using mustard gas.
Is it possible that the inbeing of Li Hongzhi is similar to that of these people? I believe the answer is "yes".
J: Why so many people believe in the fallacies of Falun Gong? Why so many leaders and scientific personnel, who are well-educated, still have faith in such cult?
Sima: why Falun Gong poisoned so many people? There are many excuses such as the ignorance of ideological education, the silliness of some people and the come-back of superstition. Well, what's the real cause of this phenomenon?
Everyone will seek for a kind of faith after the satisfaction of living necessities. They may find their faith in God or Buddha and by doing so, they believe that they have come to the ultimate reality. It is normal for ordinary people to pursue faiths and it exists right in the sub-consciousness of everyone. If one's psychology is disordered, the sub-consciousness will turn to consciousness. When a man could not get promotion, he might blame his destiny; when a man had cancer, he might think about the life beyond his death; when a man thought about being killed, he might have the faith that he would come back again in a future life to take revenge. However, such ideas seldom occur to the true materialists. In the past 20 years, great changes took place in China and the interests of different social classes have been re-adjusted. A lot of ideological problems that cannot be solved emerge day after day. The psychological imbalances of some people are becoming more and more severe. Under such circumstance, the urge of pursuing faiths can easily become stronger.
In the past, the middle-aged and old women that were not well-educated made up the majority of the group who believed in superstition. Their purpose was no more than protecting their families and themselves from diseases and disasters. Yet the Falun Gong practitioners also include some professors, experts, intellectuals and veteran cadres. What is wrong with these people and why they have faith in such cult? There is a book named Super Brain published recently in America concerning neuroscience. The word "brainwash" is explained in this book as to erase the original things in a man's mind and to add something brand new to it. In this procedure, the one who is brainwashed will feel happy, intoxicated and comfortable. He feels joyful because his life is filled will sunshine and it becomes meaningful again.
J: Falun Gong has done serious harm to the society. Can you give us some examples?
Sima: In one of my friends' letter, one of his intimate friends in Beijing who was crazy about Falun Gong was mentioned. Here I quote several lines from the letter: "I asked him to read one of your books. To my surprise, he dared not to read fearing that Master Li would punish him. When I forced him to take a look at the catalogues, he felt unwell and said that the punishment from Mater Li has come in to being. If Falun Gong is deceptive, it will surely be harmful for the people like my friend. My friend is such a sweet guy that I don't want him to be hurt. Can you give me some advice to rescue him and the other practitioners of Falun Gong?"
It is also written in the same letter: "It is said that Sima Nan has been put into prison immediately after writing articles against Falun Gong."
The one who wrote this letter is one of my old friends who are too righteous to endure the fallacies of Falun Gong.
In a letter written to his leader by a cadre working in the central organs on 7th, May, 1999, it was said that "Falun Gong is really good". There was one paragraph that can be really impressive. It reads: "The Fa is universal and the society of human beings is the lowest layer that can be testified by Fa. The ultimate purpose of the people (the practitioners who besieged Zhong'nanhai on 25th, April, 1999 -- added by the editor) are only to inform the central government leaders about Fa and to ensure its benefit to more people. Most of the people know that they would take risks of being misunderstood and criticized, and some of them even leave a will for his family before going there. They really let go life and death for the sake of spreading universal truths." It is both funny and annoying to find a Communist party member and cadre to say such things.
J: How shall we treat the fight between science and anti-science?
Sima: First of all, we should not be biased to say that the truth is in our side. I've read one of Engels articles named "The Natural Science in Supernatural World" in his work Dialectics of Nature, and lately I suggested that the article should be read and learned by the whole party. Such famous scientists as Bacon, Wallace and Crookes used to believe that there were Gods and the deaths would come to visit us, looking exactly like what they had been when they were alive. In his article, Engels denounced their extreme distain of reason and their surrender to superstition and empiricism.
I believe that for those who are well-educated and strongly armed by materialist theories, it is meaningful to read this article again. It will be found out that we are facing the same problem with Falun Gong just as the one Engels was dealing with.
After being brainwashed, the practitioners may do some anti-social things that are very dangerous. In the past, people believed in Falun Gong because of poverty, illness and the psychological imbalance towards other people. The initial reason for people to believe in the Master's fallacy is, in my opinion, to cure their diseases without taking medicine. The second reason is the supernatural power. Some practitioners believe that after practicing for three months, they have got extensive eyesight that can never be achieved without practicing. The third is the sense of belonging. Those who do not know the purpose of their living now obtain the sense of belonging by promoting Fa. The fourth is to get rid of jealousy. They will not bother themselves by being jealous of the success of others because they believe the frustration is for the "Master" to testify their nature. The last but not least is the sense of success. The stimulation will be great if one laid-off worker becomes the vice director of the Yuquanshan Tutorial Station of Beijing.
Science is not so reliable these days because of the environmental pollution and other problems faced by the world, and trends of anti-scientific thoughts can be found everywhere. This phenomenon is called "post-modernism" in academic community. However, the one who fights for anti-science still uses TV, Internet, and digital camera and eats McDonald's. He still depends on science, so there is an orthodox in the deep soul of such people.
J: Besides the social causes, does it have anything to do with the personality of the practitioners?
Sima: Of course it does. Three kinds of people will easily be deceived by the fallacies of the Masters. The first kind refers to those who are self-complacent. They could be the ringleaders in the organization. The second kind refers to those who are schizophrenic. They are crazy about being successful and they like creating illusions. They are isolated and do not usually contact with others. They refuse to share with others and can feel the fantasies that do not exist at all. Their expressions are ambiguous and they can reach the state the "Masters" clamor. The third refers to those who live in a marginal condition. They cannot be self-controlled and cannot find their position in the society. Their moods change quickly and their complaints are annoying, yet they feel bored after abreaction. They cannot find an identity in friendship and view of values. Besides these three kinds of people, another group, that is the menopausal women, can be easily fooled by the hints of the "Masters".
I can give you an example to explain the influence of psychological hint. If we light incense in the center of a dark room, there will be a light spot in it. Then we ask a person to describe the movement of the light spot. Even though the incense stays still right where it was, different person has different feelings. Some of them may say that it has moved for 2 centimeters and others more than 5. It explains the illusion resulting from the psychological hint.
J: why does Falun Gong infatuate so many people?
Sima: It is a kind of mental disease to be infatuated. The number of people suffer from this disease has been growing since 1980s when Qigong became popular. Since there are few examples in the foreign countries, the psychiatrists of China named this disease first as "mental disorder resulted from oriental health preserving actions" and now changed to be "mental disorder resulted from Qigong". It refers to the psychological imbalance, a kind of mental disease, resulted from practicing Qigong.
Why so many people became infatuated? Because all of those people are in an abnormal psychological state, some of them are psychopathic, while others may be sick in other ways. The "Masters", including Li Hongzhi, should be responsible for the problems. They give evil hints to the people, such as opening the heaven eyes and giving them the wheel of law, and worsen their conditions. It leads to the tragedies of those people who are harmful both to themselves and to others. It will do harm to the whole society to abuse abnormal consciousness.
Those who suffer from "the mental disorder resulted from Qigong" will frequently have illusions such as "the Master's coming to save me", "the Master's going to take me away" and so on. The ideals that can never be realized all rush out of their minds in the form of illusion and fantasy. This condition is named "ghost possession syndrome". There are five symptoms of this disease. Firstly, the patient is highly alerted to accept hints from the "Masters" and is willing to believe whatever they say. Secondly, the patient is confused by his different identities. He does not know who he is, an ordinary person, a messenger of God or a follower of the "Master". Thirdly, the patient will have illusions. Fourthly, he will have behavior disorder such as hurt himself to reach consummation. Finally, he will suffer from affective disorder. What he cares is the Fa instead of his family members.
In that case, we shall never treat them abrasively. For some of the practitioners, we should give them medical and psychological appraisals and care for them tenderly.
J: How can the "Masters" be created? How can they be so popular and influential?
Sima: To create a "Master", it takes more than one man. There are followers, practitioners and others like sales promoters and brokers who help expand the influence of the "Masters". They write pamphlets to put the best face on the "Masters". It is these brokers that boast the magic powers of "Masters" and make them popular.
After believing in the fallacies of the "Masters" and realizing the real meaning of life, the next step of the practitioners is to follow the "Masters". The first step should be to save people following the master's guide. The second step is to become a brand new person. That is to display the brand-new self by telling others the diseases were all cured after practicing Falun Gong. Some of the practitioners may reach the third layer. They become nobler and more disciplined with themselves. They are absorbed into the practicing and stop being jealous. However, they do not know that the "Masters" are not as kindhearted as they are.
Here I want to say something about religion. Although the nature of religion is also theistic, the classical religions are totally different from Falun Gong and other illegal organizations.
Religion is neither a criterion established artificially by human beings nor an exterior unknowable power. It is created by human beings to explain the existence of the world and is an inner demand of people.
J: It can be seen that we are facing the problem of constructing faith in our society.
Sima: It is really a social problem. The central and local governments should consider about it. The reason that Li Hongzhi and the other "Masters" can have so many followers is that the masses have problems to solve and they do not have firm faiths.
Many people do not have the sense of awe because they have no faith at all. The faith crisis that we are confronting covers not only the mass but also the officials. The corruption that exists in the team of civil servants can be traced back to the lack of faith. It is not unnecessary for us to solve the problem as soon as possible. It has been proposed by many insightful people that we should rebuild the sense of humanity in China. Can you still remember the tears you shed when you listened to the story of Jiao Yulu, a selfless magistrate in the poor area of China in the 1960s? Can you still remember the magnificent picture of standing on the side of Chang'an Street to mourn for Premier Zhou Enlai? What is the thing that binds all the Chinese people together and what can assure the unity of our country? It is only when all Chinese people have the same faith that there will be powerful national cohesion. Even though it is hard for me to make it clear, I believe that it is a very important problem. We can have great enterprise to rejuvenate the civilization after the construction of such faith.
J: Do you want to say something to the people who still believe in Falun Gong and other cults?
Sima: I'd like to say that the majority of these people are kind. They are in an abnormal conscious state and probably cannot get rid of it now. Whereas for those who know clearly what they are doing and continue to do so, frankly speaking, I want them to make confessions as soon as possible. It is not ashamed to admit the mistakes they made and there is the whole country for them to consider.
Here comes one of the most important questions for us to think about, that is the national character of China. It is said in Confucianism that the culture of China is that of the scholar-bureaucrats and the mass have to explain things at random according to their own understanding. If we ask taxi drivers about their opinions on politics and Falun Gong, the answers would not be the same as that given in the news reports. The mass may take part in some movements, but most of them will go on living as they did before. Once I was asked by a journalist who wondered why I, not a scientist, stood out to fight against Falun Gong. I only do not want to be so indifferent and conventional. We need to be active, vigorous and self-confident. Lu Xun, one of the greatest writers in modern China, portrayed a man named A'Gui in one of his works. He is a proletarian with no house, no residence, no social status and even no family name because the landlord forbade him to use the same family name Zhao. He lives in an abandoned temple and explained things as he likes. Do such people like A'Gui have soul as we have? Actually, anything possible can happen to him. They possess revolution thoroughness, while they can also become lumpen-proletarians. They are lack of scientific knowledge and are born in the traditional cultural environment of superstition. A'Gui is a good example to exhibit the national character of China.
Seriously speaking, it is not superstition in A'Gui, it is the original thoughts of human beings that appeared far earlier than superstition.
Let's come back to Li Hongzhi. He is nothing but a tip of a huge iceberg, of which the most part is hidden beneath the sea level. There are other "Masters" in China we do not know yet. They are as dangerous as Li Hongzhi, and we should keep an eye on them.
(Facts.org.cn, June 19, 2006)