【美国《时代周刊》亚洲版1999年8月2日，记者：Anthony Spaeth】电话采访李洪志——我只不过是一个普通人
问：你对取缔法轮功这件事怎么看？
答：这没道理。中国政府不了解法轮功和气功修炼。他们不该禁止法轮功。
问：你认为北京政府为什么要这么做？
答：也许他们认为练法轮功的人太多了吧，很多中共党员也练。
问：他们是否害怕人民都追随你而不是共产党？
答：我不认为那样有什么不对。我不知道政府为什么要反对它。我只知道我是为国家和人民而努力的。并且，我认为法轮功对社会有好处。如果人人都健康有道德难道不好吗？
问：你在中国有亲戚吗？他们有麻烦吗？
答：我妈、我妹妹以及她的孩子在中国。他们被当局监视了。但我不知道他们是否被警察审问了。
问：你是否认为可能有人利用法轮功从事违法活动？
答：一个真正的法轮功成员是不会做任何违法的事情。他们大多数都是老实人。就像中国人说的“打不还手，骂不还口”。发生冲突时他们首先会向内找。一个真正的法轮功成员是不会犯罪的。
问：你是否认为你应该为中国目前发生的一切负责？
答：我在中国传法轮功才传了三年。我和法轮功学员四年来没有直接联系。他们自己练。我从来不逼他们。人们到处散发我的书进行练习并且通过口头交流了解法轮功。
问：但是法轮功成员之间看起来有组织并且有密切联系。
答：他们仅仅是相互间询问是否要一起锻炼。并不是很有组织的。
问：如果你有机会向中国政府讲话，你会说什么？
答：我要诚恳地告诉他们：如果我做错了什么，我改。如果法轮功有什么错误，也可以改。不要打击法轮功。那样对社会不利，对政府也不利。
问：政府指控你将生日篡改为释迦牟尼的诞辰。
答：在文革期间政府把我的生日弄错了。我只不过是改回来了。在文革期间有很多身份证搞错了的事情。一个男的变成女的，女的也可能成了男的。在别人想要诬蔑你的时候，他们会找出一切可能的事情来诋毁你。和释迦牟尼同一天生日又怎么了？好多罪犯也是那一天生的。我从来没有说过我是释迦牟尼，我只不过是个普通人。（完）
Time: I am just a very ordinary man
As Chinese authorities were arresting his followers on the mainland, the founder of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi, spoke by phone from New York City with TIME reporter Isabella Ng. Excerpts from the interview:
TIME: How do you feel about the crackdown?
Li: This is unfair. The Chinese government has no understanding of Falun Gong, the practice of qigong or the masses. They should not impose such a ban on Falun Gong.
TIME: Why do you think the Beijing government is doing this?
Li: Probably they think there are too many people practicing Falun Gong, or that some Communist Party members are practicing as well.
TIME: Are they afraid people will listen to you instead of the Communist Party?
Li: I don't see anything wrong with that. I don't know why the government is so against it. I only know that I am working for the country and the people. And I think Falun Gong is good for the community. Isn't it nice if everyone can be virtuous and healthy?
TIME: Do you have relatives in China? Are they in trouble?
Li: My mother, my sister and her kids are in China. They are watched by the authorities. But I don't know if they have been interrogated by the police.
TIME: Do you believe that someone may have tried to use Falun Gong to engage in illegal activities?
Li: A true Falun Gong member will not do anything illegal. Most of them are people of good nature. As Chinese say, "They don't hit back when you hit them, and they won't answer back when you scream at them." They will always look into themselves first when a conflict occurs. A true member of Falun Gong will never in his life be a criminal.
TIME: Do you think that you should be held responsible for what is happening now in China?
Li: I taught Falun Gong in China for only three years. I have not been in direct contact with the members for almost four years. They practice on their own. I have never forced them. People passed my book around, and the practice got known through word of mouth.
TIME: But Falun Gong members seem to be well-connected and always seem to be in touch with each other.
Li: They just call each other and ask if they will practice. It's not very organized.
TIME: If you were given a chance to talk to China's leaders, what would you say to them?
Li: I would sincerely tell them, "If I have done anything wrong, I will change. If there is anything wrong with Falun Gong, it can be changed. Don't hit Falun Gong. It's no good for the community, and no good for the government."
TIME: The government has accused you of changing your date of birth to when Sakyamuni [Siddhartha Gautama] was born.
Li: During the Cultural Revolution, the government misprinted my birthdate. I just corrected it. During the Cultural Revolution, there were lots of misprints on identity. A man could become a woman, and a woman could become a man. It's natural that when people want to smear you, they will dig out whatever they can to destroy you. What's the big deal about having the same birthday as Sakyamuni? Many criminals were also born on that date. I have never said that I am Sakyamuni. I am just a very ordinary man.
Original text from: http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990802/li1.html