A group of famous Chinese scholars on November 12 lashed out at the Falun Gong cult, stressing that the fight against it will be a long and complicated one.

At a forum here sponsored by the People's Daily, Qiushi Magazine and Guangming Daily, the scholars noted that people should not underestimate the damage done by Falun Gong to the Party, the state and the people.

It is imperative for the nation to be thorough in exterminating the evil influence of the cult, the scholars maintained.

Prof. Hao Lixin of the People's University of China said that cults are cancers in modern society, and that the Falun Gong organization has every feature of a cult.

Only when this cancer is removed can the Chinese nation enjoy long-term stability and the people a happy life, Prof. Hao said.

Huang Nansen, a philosophy professor at Beijing University, theorized why some Falun Gong practitioners were still clinching to leader Li Hongzhi's heresies. One of the major reasons is that Falun Gong has waved the banner of religion and claimed that its founder is a great god, Huang said.

In fact, Falun Gong has never been a religion: Religions are characterized by tolerance and harmony, while the Falun Gong cult is self-absorbed and dangerously aggressive, Huang noted.

Academician He Zuoxiu of the China Academy of Sciences said that like every cult, Falun Gong has undermined social stability and endangered people's spiritual health.

As a pioneer fighter against Falun Gong, He noted that there are some political forces at home and abroad that are using the cult as a means of expanding their own selfish interests.

"We must be vigilant against this matter in our fight against the Falun Gong cult," he said.