‘In China, Falun Gong practitioners continue to follow their beliefs despite facing severe persecution and the threat of death,’ Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said.
Texas federal and state lawmakers have denounced the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its ongoing decades-long persecution of Falun Gong, as its practitioners marked 25 years of the communist regime’s suppression of the spiritual practice.
“In China, Falun Gong practitioners continue to follow their beliefs despite facing severe persecution and the threat of death. The CCP’s antagonism towards religious freedom is emblematic of communist regimes and is deeply ingrained in their ideology,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in his letter to the practitioners, condemning the CCP’s treatment of Falun Gong practitioners.
“This is why we must stand together in the face of such persecution and intolerance. Inaction is not acceptable.”
“Events like today’s remind us that our enemy persists in the shadows and thrives in silence. By raising your voice and telling your stories, evil loses its cover, and the truth sways hearts and minds,” Texas state Rep. Jacey Jetton said in his letter. “As you gather to remember the lives lost and destroyed for their religious beliefs and practices, know that I stand with you in pursuing religious freedom wherever you are in the world.”
Condemning Organ Harvesting
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, and features gentle, slow-moving exercises. The practice was first introduced to the public in China in 1992.
The meditation practice was embraced by people from all walks of life and quickly gained popularity across the country. Chinese authorities initially welcomed the practice for its benefits to citizens’ physical and mental health, and founder Mr. Li Hongzhi received multiple government awards for his contributions to society.
With an estimated 70 million to 100 million people taking up the practice by 1999, then-CCP leader Jiang Zemin viewed its immense popularity as a threat to the regime’s authoritarian control over Chinese society.
In their letters to the adherents, Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) and state lawmakers condemned the forced organ harvesting from the CCP.
“Falun Gong prisoners of conscience are being killed to support illegal organ trade. This is absolutely unacceptable. The United States must stand up against such transgression and advocate for the human rights of Falun Gong,” Mr. Babin said.