Scholars, scientists, educators and former Falun Gong practitioners gathered in Beijing on November 30 for a seminar to expose the anti-science nature of the Falun Gong sect.

Zhou Guidian, a professor and dean of the Philosophy Department of Beijing Teachers University, said that what Falun Gong sect leader Li Hongzhi advocated was not based on science, and that the main reason so many Falun Gong practitioners, even some intellectuals, had no doubt about Li Hongzhi was a lack of understanding of science and the humanities.

Zhou Zhuping, a graduate student at the People's University of China, attributed his 10-month practice of Falun Gong to three elements. First, the sect acted under the cloak of scientific research. Second, Falun Gong said it stood for "truthfulness, benevolence and tolerance." And third, he and many other intellectuals had buried themselves in professional research and neglected political study.

Liu Shulin, a professor at Qinghua University, said Falun Gong is similar to sects in other countries which oppose the government and society and spread the fallacy of doomsday. It is entirely correct that the government banned the activities of Falun Gong he said.

Gu Fangzhou, a research fellow of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that it is imperative to raise the scientific and cultural awareness of the entire nation, since this has a bearing on China's development, stability and ultimate destiny.

Zeng Hongying, a graduate student at Beijing University, said the May 4th Movement of 80 years ago helped the Chinese people embark on the road to revolution and science, and that it is a long and arduous task to raise the public's awareness of scientific method and see that they are able to reject superstitions and sects, both old and new.

The seminar was jointly organized by the People's Daily and the Guangming Daily.