為了維護社會穩(wěn)定，保護人民利益，保障改革開放和社會主義現(xiàn)代化建設的順利進行，必須取締邪教組織、防范和懲治邪教活動。根據(jù)憲法和有關法律，特作如下決定：
一、堅決依法取締邪教組織，嚴厲懲治邪教組織的各種犯罪活動。邪教組織冒用宗教、氣功或者其他名義，采用各種手段擾亂社會秩序，危害人民群眾生命財產(chǎn)安全和經(jīng)濟發(fā)展，必須依法取締，堅決懲治。人民法院、人民檢察院和公安、國家安全、司法行政機關要各司其職，共同做好這項工作。對組織和利用邪教組織破壞國家法律、行政法規(guī)實施，聚眾鬧事，擾亂社會秩序，以迷信邪說蒙騙他人，致人死亡，或者奸淫婦女、詐騙財物等犯罪活動，依法予以嚴懲。
二、堅持教育與懲罰相結合，團結、教育絕大多數(shù)被蒙騙的群眾，依法嚴懲極少數(shù)犯罪分子。在依法處理邪教組織的工作中，要把不明真相參與邪教活動的人同組織和利用邪教組織進行非法活動、蓄意破壞社會穩(wěn)定的犯罪分子區(qū)別開來。對受蒙騙的群眾不予追究。對構成犯罪的組織者、策劃者、指揮者和骨干分子，堅決依法追究刑事責任；對于自首或者有立功表現(xiàn)的，可以依法從輕、減輕或者免除處罰。
三、在全體公民中深入持久地開展憲法和法律的宣傳教育，普及科學文化知識。依法取締邪教組織，懲治邪教活動，有利于保護正常的宗教活動和公民的宗教信仰自由。要使廣大人民群眾充分認識邪教組織嚴重危害人類、危害社會的實質，自覺反對和抵制邪教組織的影響，進一步增強法制觀念，遵守國家法律。
四、防范和懲治邪教活動，要動員和組織全社會的力量，進行綜合治理。各級人民政府和司法機關應當認真落實責任制，把嚴防邪教組織的滋生和蔓延，防范和懲治邪教活動作為一項重要任務長期堅持下去，維護社會穩(wěn)定。
Legislative resolution on banning heretic cults
The 12th Session of Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) today adopted a resolution concerning the banning of heretic cult organizations, prevention measures against them and punishment for cult activities.
The following is the full text of the NPC resolution
To maintain social stability, protect the interest of people, safeguard reform and opening up and the construction of a modern socialist country, it is necessary to ban heretic cult organizations, and prevent and punish cult activities.
Based on the Constitution and other related laws, the following decision is hereby made
1. Heretic cult organizations shall be resolutely banned according to law and all of their criminal activities shall be dealt with severely.
Heretic cults, operating under the guise of religion, Qigong or other illicit forms, which disturb social order and jeopardize people's life and property, must be banned according to law and punished resolutely.
People's courts, people's procuratorates, public security, national security and judicial administrative agencies shall fulfill their duties in carrying out these tasks.
To be severely dealt with according to law are those who manipulate members of cult organizations to violate national laws and administrative regulations, organize mass gatherings to disrupt social order, and fool others, cause deaths, rape women, swindle people out their money and property or commit other crimes with superstition and heresy.
The principle of combining education with punishment should be followed in order to unify and instruct the majority of the deceived public and to mete out severe punishment to the handful of criminals.
During the course of handling cult groups according to law, people who joined cult organizations but were unaware of the lies being spread by the group shall be differentiated from criminal elements who organize and take advantage of cult groups for illegal activities andor to intentionally destroy social stability.
The majority of the deceived members shall not be prosecuted, while those organizers, leaders and core members who committed crimes shall be investigated for criminal conduct; those who surrender to the authorities or contribute to the investigations shall be given lesser punishments in accordance with the law, or be exempt from punishment.
3. Long-term, comprehensive instruction on the Constitution and the law should be carried out among all citizens, knowledge of science and technology should be popularized and the national literacy level raised.
Banning cult organizations and punishing cult activities according to law goes hand in hand with protecting normal religious activities and people's freedom of religious belief.
The public should be exposed to the inhumane and anti-social nature of heretic cults, so they can knowingly resist influences of cult organizations, enhance their awareness of the law and abide by it.
4. All corners of society shall be mobilized in preventing and fighting against cult activities, and a comprehensive management system should be put in place. People's governments and judicial bodies at all levels should be held responsible for guarding against the creation and spread of cult organizations and combating cult activities. This is an important, long-term task that will ensure social stability.
(China Daily, October 30, 1999)