1994年8月，53歲的李樹林在李洪志舉辦的“學習班”上聽李洪志“教功”，當場突發(fā)腦血栓。李洪志說這是練功的正常反應，不用打針、吃藥，并稱李樹林在練高層次的功。幾天后，李樹林去世。
這是已知的法輪功練習者在李洪志的“教功”現(xiàn)場發(fā)病死亡的一個典型事例，但不是第一個，也不是唯一一個。
“學習班”是法輪功創(chuàng)建初期，李洪志掙錢的主要方式。其主要形式是：每人交一筆學費（30至50元不等）即可進入“學習班”學習法輪功，李洪志在“學習班”上教授法輪功的動作，并當場“發(fā)功治病”——即用他聲稱自己擁有的“能量”來為學員治病。
辦“學習班”、“發(fā)功治病”，不是李洪志的發(fā)明。在20世紀八、九十年代，許多自稱擁有“超級能量”、“特異功能”的氣功師，利用中國民眾強烈的強身健體需求和氣功健身的傳統(tǒng)，將氣功的作用和氣功師的能力離奇地夸大，以此掙錢。
在“教功”、“發(fā)功治病”現(xiàn)場或之后不久發(fā)生的死亡事例，促使李洪志決心放棄“辦班教功”和“發(fā)功治病”這些流行但風險極高的掙錢方式，轉而靠“講法”掙錢。
“講法”應當是法輪功的獨有發(fā)明。
“講法”的主要形式是：李洪志在幾百甚至數(shù)千人的大會上——李洪志稱其為“法會”——傳授他逐步完善的“法輪大法”。
“法輪大法”的核心是：人類是宇宙高級生命墜落后被降到地球上的，地球是宇宙的垃圾站，美國是地球的垃圾站，人類道德在敗壞，地球終將爆炸，人類終將毀滅；李洪志用一個他在無數(shù)年前——人類毀滅了好幾次的幾億年前——就準備好的“大法”即法輪功來拯救人類；學了“大法”，不僅能消除所有疾病煩惱，所有練習者都將成為宇宙的高級生命——神、佛、王等；所有不相信法輪功的人都將毀滅。
1994年12月李洪志的言論集《轉法輪》出版，這是李洪志和法輪功轉變的重大標志。
在這之前的法輪功非法出版物的描述中，李洪志基本上只是具有“特異功能”的神奇氣功師，他具有“用意念搬運物體、用意念定物、控制他人思維、隱身”四大功能。而在《轉法輪》出版之后的所有出版物，包括《轉法輪》，則將李洪志描繪成全宇宙甚至宇宙之外最大的神：“宇宙再大，也沒有我大”，“多少人我都能管，全人類我都能管。”（李洪志原話）。
被神話的李洪志
但是，這一轉變帶來了規(guī)模更大的死亡現(xiàn)象。到法輪功被中國政府取締前的1999年7月，約有1400多名練習者死亡。而大量的法輪功人員死亡，正是法輪功被中國政府作為邪教而取締的最主要原因。
因修煉法輪功致死的1404人分布圖
令人震驚的是，所有法輪功練習者的死亡具有極為相似的原因和方式：自殺，以及拒醫(yī)拒藥導致病情惡化而死。李洪志的“法輪大法”所倡導的思維方式和行為方式，是這一大量死亡現(xiàn)象的直接原因。
※ 1998年1月，黑龍江省66歲的退休工人王成祥從六樓的家中跳下身亡，目的是為了飛升。
王成祥
※ 同年，河北省54歲的退休工人馬建民，為了尋找李洪志聲稱安裝在所有法輪功人員腹部的“法輪”，在家里用剪刀剖腹自殺身亡。
馬建民
※ 27歲的留學生楊秋貴，于1998年5月30日專程從英國到德國法蘭克福參加法輪功的“法會”。李洪志在這次“法會”上將法輪功同基督教作了比較，稱前者是“非常富麗堂皇的大宮殿”，后者只是“一個非常小的、簡陋的房子”?！爸v法”后發(fā)表的《歐洲法會講法》，是所有法輪功人員必須學習的21本經(jīng)典著作之一。6月1日，楊從當?shù)匾患屹e館的2樓跳下身亡。
風華正茂的楊秋貴
※ 1999年7月3日，27歲的常浩馳和50歲的李進忠確信自己已經(jīng)“功成圓滿，可以升天”，在村外以法輪功特有的姿勢相對而坐，自焚而死。
常浩馳 李進忠
在法輪功被中國政府取締前，有300多名法輪功練習者自殺身亡。即使在被取締后，這一悲劇仍在繼續(xù)。
※ 2001年1月23日，7名法輪功練習者——包括5名婦女，其中還有一名年僅12歲的女童——在北京天安門廣場集體自焚，造成一名婦女當場死亡，她12歲的女兒劉思影于1個月后死于因嚴重燒傷引起的并發(fā)癥。
劉思影 劉思影只能用雙臂碰玩具熊
相對于自殺，更大的死亡群體是拒醫(yī)拒藥者。1000多名法輪功人員因遵從不得看病、吃藥的要求，導致病情惡化而死。
※ 遼寧省21歲的張金生不慎燒傷胳膊，他認為這是師父李洪志在給他消業(yè)，拒絕就醫(yī)治療，于1998年11月因傷口感染惡化造成敗血癥死亡。
張金生
※ 1998年10月，58歲的李巧英身體不適，但拒絕丈夫去就醫(yī)的建議。同年12月，李死于腦血栓。死前兩天，四肢癱瘓、不能說話的李巧英望著丈夫，丈夫對她說：“是法輪功害了我們，要是早一點治療，不會到今天?！崩畈蛔×鳒I、點頭，后悔莫及。
※ 41歲的中學教師吳希根，患肺結核近20年，經(jīng)醫(yī)治病情穩(wěn)定。1998年8月他練習法輪功，從此拒醫(yī)拒藥，并以自己為典型向人們宣傳法輪功的好處：“練法輪功不能到醫(yī)院看病，去看病是罪孽，不去能消業(yè)，我練法輪功后病已經(jīng)好了。”1999年2月26日凌晨，吳因病情惡化病死在家中。
※ 2001年1月，59歲的上海市退休工人胡廣英，染上了普通皮膚病，作為一名法輪功練習者，胡堅決不去就醫(yī)，結果患處化膿感染，導致死亡。
胡廣英
除了普通國內(nèi)法輪功修煉人員拒醫(yī)拒藥死亡外，近兩年來，多名境外法輪功骨干接連病死，致使許多境外法輪功學員陷入了迷茫和彷徨之中。
※ 2006年3月，美國法輪功骨干李國棟因肝癌在紐約病死。
※ 2006年6月22日，美國法輪功骨干封莉莉因胰腺癌在美國休斯敦病死。封莉莉長期到處講學，聲稱“法輪功在強身健體方面具有神奇功效”，被稱為“法輪功在醫(yī)學界的領軍人物”。
※ 2007年元旦，德國法輪功骨干朱根妹因患有糖尿病，由于癡迷法輪功而拒絕就醫(yī)，治療不及時，引發(fā)血液感染，突然死亡。
如果說自殺者、拒醫(yī)拒藥死亡者愿意聽信李洪志的理論而選擇了死亡之路，那么另外一些人的死亡，尤顯無辜。他們不是法輪功練習者，他們只是法輪功練習者的親屬甚至同法輪功毫不相干的人。
※ 1998年2月25日夜，江蘇省的吳德橋在家練功，妻子予以勸阻。吳用菜刀將妻子殺死。
吳德橋和他的妻子
※ 1998年4月8日，山東省一名工人王安收在練功時被父親勸阻。王用鐵鍬將其父打死。
王安收
※ 2002年4月，10歲的戴楠在40多個法輪功練習者面前，被她的母親關淑云當成“魔”掐死。在場者無人阻攔，均雙手合十祈求盡快把魔除掉。
戴楠
當我們翻閱法輪功創(chuàng)始人李洪志的言論，可以很簡單地找到這些人死亡的原因。
這些法輪功練習者為什么要自殺？
李洪志告訴他們：
“放下生死你就是神，放不下生死你就只是個人。”
“我想在你們圓滿的時候給人類帶來一個壯舉，叫所有大法弟子飛上天?！?/em>
這些法輪功練習者為什么拒醫(yī)拒藥？
李洪志告訴他們：
“練功吃藥就是不相信練功能治病，信你還吃什么藥！”
“我們修煉人哪個地方不舒服，我告訴過大家，它不是病。病就是一種業(yè)。醫(yī)院是不能消業(yè)的?！?br> “戰(zhàn)爭、瘟疫和天災人禍，那是給人消業(yè)的一個辦法?！?/em>
這些法輪功練習者為什么殺人？
李洪志告訴他們：
“人類在敗壞，到處都是魔。”
“有魔在干擾，不讓你練功?！?br> “家里人也有魔控制著。”
“大逆之魔就是該殺的了?！?/em>
悲劇從來都有原因。
文章下載：
Life faded in our memories
-- Death Cases Caused by Falun Gong
Li Shulin, 53-year-old, suffered from outburst of cerebral thrombosis at a Falun Gong training course held by Li Hongzhi in August, 1994. According to Li Hongzhi's explanation, it was a normal reaction as Li Shulin was practicing higher-level Falun Gong and there was no need to take medicines or injection. A couple of days later, Li died.
This is one but not the first and only case of death of Falun Gong practitioners who died at Li Hongzhi's training courses.
To hold training courses is the main method for Li Hongzhi to make profits at the initial stage of Falun Gong. Each disciple paid around 30 to 50 yuan to be permitted to practice Falun Gong at the training course. Li Hongzhi taught Falun Gong and treated diseases at the course with Gong, a kind of energy healing system he claimed to have for curing the illness.
It is not the innovation of Li Hongzhi to hold training courses and treat diseases by Gong. In the 1980s and 1990s, many qigong masters who claimed to own supernatural power and special energy made use of the strong public demand for building up bodies and the tradition of exercising qigong to exaggerate the function of qigong and the ability of qigong masters to an uncanny extent for the purpose of making profits from qigong.
The death cases occurred at the training courses and Gong treatments or soon after the trainings, impelled Li Hongzhi to make money by giving lectures on Fa instead of such high-risky methods as teaching Gong and curing diseases with Gong.
Fa-teaching can be regarded as the unique invention of the Falun Gong cult.
Li Hongzhi spread his gradually complete theory of "Falun Dafa" step by step at Falun conferences where hundreds, even thousands, of people assembled. This is the main method taken by Li Hongzhi to teach Fa.
The core of "Falun Dafa" theory: Human beings are superior lives from the universe falling on the earth. The earth is the garbage station of the universe and America is the garbage station of the earth. Since the morality of the human beings was ruined, this would further lead to the blast of the earth and the extermination of human beings. It is Li Hongzhi who will save the human beings with Falun Gong theory prepared by him many many years ago when the human beings had been destroyed already several times. Learning Dafa can not only eliminate all the sickness and trouble, but also turn all the practitioners into superior lives of the universe such as god, Buddha and the king. Whoever disbelieves Falun Gong will be exterminated.
The representative book by Li Hongzhi, Zhuan Falun (Turn the Dharma Wheel), was published in December 1994, which was a significant sign of the conversion of Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong.
As described in the Falun Gong books before Zhuan Falun, Li Hongzhi was just a magic qigong master with special energy. He possessed four kinds of abilities including "moving objects with ideas, fixing objects with ideas, controlling others' thinking and invisibility". But Zhuan Falun and the other books thereafter described Li as the greatest god of both the universe and the outer world of universe. According to a quotation from Li Hongzhi, "No matter how big the universe is, it cannot be bigger than me", "I can supervise the whole world and the human beings no matter how many there are."
Mystified Li Hongzhi
However, this conversion brought about death in a larger scale. Before Falun Gong was banned in July 1999, over 1400 practitioners died from exercising Falun Gong, which was the key reason for the Chinese government to ban it as a heresy organization.
The Distribution Chart of 1404 people who died from practicing Falun Gong
More astonishingly, all these Falun Gong practitioners died in similar ways, i.e., committing suicide and deterioration of illness due to rejecting medicine and medical treatment. The way of thinking and the behavior mode initiated by the theory of Falun Dafa was the direct cause of the massive death cases.
※In January 1998, Wang Chengxiang, a 66-year-old retired worker in Heilongjiang Province, jumped from the sixth floor and died just for the purpose of going up to the heaven.
Wang Chengxiang
※Also in 1998, Ma Jianmin, a retired worker at the age of 54 in Hebei Province, killed himself with scissors in order to seek for the wheel of law which Li Hongzhi claimed was installed in the abdomen of each Falun Gong practitioner.
Ma Jianmin
※Yang Qiugui, a 27-year-old Chinese student studying in the UK, made a special trip from UK to Frankfurt to attend a Falun conference on May 30, 1998. At that meeting, Li Hongzhi made a comparison between Falun Gong and Christianity. The former was described as a splendid palace while the latter was viewed as a small and shabby house. Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Europe published after that meeting was among the 21 representative books which were the compulsory reading materials for the Falun Gong practitioners. Yang jumped from the second floor of a local hotel and died on June 1.
Yang Qiugui
※On July 3, 1999, Chang Haochi (27-year-old) and Li Jinzhong (50-year-old) from Shanxi Province affirmed that they had achieved consummation and were able to go up to the heaven, hence they sat opposite to each other in a special posture of Falun Gong and burnt themselves to death.
Chang Haochi Li Jinzhong
Over 300 Falun Gong practitioners committed suicide before Falun Gong was banned by the Chinese government. Even though it was banned, such tragedies continued.
※ On January 23, 2001, seven Falun Gong practitioners, including a 12-year-old girl among the five females, burnt themselves at Tiananmen Square, which caused one female to die on the spot. One month later, her 12-year-old daughter Liu Siying also died of serious burn complication.
Liu Siying Liu Siying could only touch teddy bear by her arms
Compared to those committing suicide, an even greater number of people died because of rejecting medicine and hospital treatment. Over 1,000 Falun Gong practitioners died of deterioration of illness due to complying with the principles of not seeing doctors or taking medicines.
※Zhang Jinsheng aged 21 in Liaoning Province burnt his arm incautiously. But he refused medical treatment because he thought this was his master was eliminating karma for him. Consequently, he died of septemia in November 1998 caused by the wound infection.
Zhang Jinsheng
※Li Qiaoying (58 years old) felt sick in October 1998. But she refused to be treated at hospital and died of cerebral thrombosis in December of that year. Two days before her death, she was suffering from paralysis and lost the ability of talking. Her husband said to her, "It is Falun Gong that has brought us misfortune. If cured earlier at hospital, you would have been saved." Li kept nodding her head but too late to repent.
※Wu Xigen, a 41-year-old teacher, suffered from tuberculosis for nearly 20 years. His illness maintained stable by virtue of medical treatment. Since he started to practice Falun Gong in August 1998, he refused medicines. Instead, he propagandized the advantages of Falun Gong with himself as an example. He said to the others, "Falun Gong practitioners can not accept hospital treatment because it is sin and can not eliminate karma. Practicing Falun Gong can cure my illness." However, on the wee hours of February 26, 1999, he died at home due to the deterioration of the illness.
※Another Falun Gong practitioner Hu Guangying, a retired worker in Shanghai aged 59, caught an ordinary dermatosis in January 2001, but she resolutely refused to accept medical treatment, and finally died caused by purulent infection on the affected part.
Hu Guangying
In recent couple of years, several overseas Falun Gong core members died of illness.
※ In March 2006, Falun Gong core member Li Guodong died of liver cancer in New York.
※ On June 22, 2006, Falun Gong core member Feng Lili died of pancreas cancer in Houston, US. Feng had been giving lectures everywhere, and advocating that, "Falun Gong had magic power in keeping people fit and strong". She was claimed to be "a leading figure of Falun Gong in the medical community".
※ On the New Year's Day of 2007, Falun Gong core member Zhu Gengmei who lived in Germany died unexpectedly because of blood infection resulted from delayed treatment as she refused to have medical treatment for her diabetes.
If those who committed suicide and refused medical treatment took a road to death because they believed Li Hongzhi's theory, then the rest deceased, who were not Falun Gong practitioners but their relatives, died in a particularly innocent way.
※Wu Deqiao from Jiangsu Province killed his wife with a kitchen knife on the night of February 25, 1998 because his wife dissuaded him from practicing Falun Gong.
Wu Deqiao and his wife
※Wang Anshou, a worker from Shandong Province, killed his father with a shovel on April 8, 1998 just because his father advised him not to practice Falun Gong.
Wang Anshou
※In April 2004, ten-year-old Dai Nan was regarded as a demon and was choked to death before over 40 Falun Gong practitioners by her mother. All those present just prayed for quick dispelling of the demon.
Dai Nan
As we look through the theory of Li Hongzhi, it is easy for us to find out the reasons for their death.
Why did the Falun Gong practitioners choose to commit suicide?
Mr. Li Hongzhi said:
"If you can let go of life and death, you're a God; if you can't let go of life and death, you're a human."
"My followers who achieve nirvana can fly to heaven with their bodies. Those who do not want to keep their bodies can transform them into rainbows and fly away."
Why did the Falun Gong practitioners refuse to take medicine or medical treatment?
Mr. Li Hongzhi said:
"Taking medicine while practicing Falun Gong means not believing that Falun Gong is able to cure illness. If you believe, why do you need to take medicine? "
"I tell you, if one of our practitioners has some bodily discomfort, it is not disease. Disease is a manifestation of "sin," and hospitals are unable to get rid of your sin. "
"Wars, plague and natural and man-made disasters are ways to get rid of human sin."
Why did the Falun Gong practitioners kill others?
Mr. Li Hongzhi said:
"Human beings are deteriorating, devils are everywhere."
"With disturbance by devils, you cannot practice."
"Your family members are also controlled by devils."
"These devils should be killed."
Each tragedy has its origin.
(China Anti-cults Association, May, 2008)