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How Should We Respond to Charges that We Are "Getting Political"?

June 4, 2005 |   By Dafa practitioner from Beijing

(Clearwisdom.net) When we clarify the truth to people, we should consider their level of acceptance, similar to when we urge people to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). To those who believe in Gods, we can just directly tell them that the most evil thing that the CCP does to Chinese people is to guide them to be atheist with absolutely no trust in matters related to cultivation. Thus people's path to salvation has been blocked. But Gods and Buddhas offer salvation to human beings; therefore the CCP has committed monstrous crimes against Gods and Buddhas who will eliminate it in return. Whereas, to those atheists who have been mentally poisoned by the evil CCP, if you directly tell them about Gods and Buddhas and the elimination of the CCP, they will most probably not accept what you say. On the contrary, they might consider you fanatical and not rational. Therefore we should be considerate of others' perspectives during our conversations.

When urging people to withdraw from the CCP, we not only need them to listen, but also hope they will eventually make the correct decision. Recently when talking with some people about the issue of resigning from the CCP, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers, I found that the most difficult point is they normally claim that we are getting political. Even some people, who originally knew the truth of Dafa, also say that before when the CCP claimed that we were political, they did not trust it. Yet, now, what the CCP had claimed seems to be true and that we really intended to be anti-CCP. When people say so, I did not know how to respond. It troubled me for a while. Nevertheless, I knew that my way of thinking then was not right.

When studying Teacher's "Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Manhattan International Fa Conference," I came across this paragraph,

"Since the publication of the Nine Commentaries, many ordinary people who have been influenced by the lies of the malevolent Party's evil specter have been saying that we are getting political. But as you all know, we haven't "gotten political." Even if people who are being persecuted do get political, that's not something to be ashamed of; it's only logical and natural. But none of what we have done has a political motive behind it; we don't do things with political motives. How could true cultivators possibly get involved with worldly politics?"

After reading this, I suddenly realized that once we hear ordinary people say that we are getting political, we start to worry. This is actually also the long-term poisonous teaching that the CCP culture has forced on us that has made us be afraid of the term "politics." Thus we fall into a trap and try our best to "defend ourselves" anxiously. This has affected our truth clarification. Hence, I have come up with some suggestions for how to urge people to withdraw from the CCP, the Communist Youth League and the Young Pioneers. I'm writing this down here to share with everyone.

We may discuss this matter at three different levels. When people insist that we are getting political, do not be concerned. Ask them not to jump to the conclusion that Falun Gong is getting political. If they still insist that we are truly involved in politics, do not begin with denying it. Tell them that first of all that there is nothing to be ashamed of for being political. In ancient China and the Western society, it is only those with insight who are willing to share the political responsibility for the nation, and the society; hence their participation and deliberation over governmental affairs. Why are Chinese people so afraid of politics? Isn't it because the CCP's politics (forming cliques, internal purging within themselves, persecuting dissidents, applying violent suppression etc.) is corrupt which has caused us to scorn the term, "being political?" Let's first look at the matter from the political perspective. We can ask: For the benefit of a country, is it a good thing to have a political party in power that has been depending on military force to establish its power, and using violence and lies to maintain and strictly control people's thoughts? They would naturally reply that it is not good. Then isn't it right to encourage people to withdraw from this political party, which has brought disasters on the nation and its people so that the people can have a good and peaceful life?

By now, we can start discussing the second question, which is whether Falun Gong is involved in politics, because in discussing the first question, we have guided them to the affirmative conclusion. Therefore, they will not terminate the conversation just because they believe that we are being political. We may tell them that normally people get involved in politics with political pursuit. Hence, they usually will adopt some political means. For instance, normally people would preserve their strength in the disadvantageous times in order to stage a comeback in the future. However, Falun Gong practitioners have taken the initiative to appeal to the government, trying to clarify the truth. Many practitioners know clearly that they will be arrested and sentenced to jail terms, but they still go to appeal. Besides, ask them to look at the practitioners around them and see if they seem political at all? Perhaps they will say that maybe the practitioners do not want to be political, but how about your Teacher? We may tell them that except giving lectures to practitioners on the principles of the Fa, our Teacher has never participated in any sort of ordinary people's activities. Does that seem like what a politician normally does?

Then they might ask the question that we most want to explain: why we are asking them to resign from CCP? We may tell them that both the universe and human beings are in the critical moment of the transition from the old to the new. Everyone has to choose between good and evil. One may choose to be eliminated together with the evil force, or choose a bright future. Perhaps some people will argue that it is unreasonable that kind-hearted people would be eliminated simply because they are members of the CCP or the Communist Youth League. They may say, "Aren't Gods and Buddhas merciful?" By now we can tell them an example that some practitioners often use. A train is heading for hell. No matter how hard people urge those on the train to get off, they still will not get off that train. Even if you are a very kind person, (We should not argue with them about whether they are really kind or not since generally ordinary people cannot see their own shortcomings) what can Gods and Buddhas do? At this critical moment people have to choose their own destiny. In the meantime, we can also tell them some prophesies to strengthen the persuasive power.

Certainly no matter how hard we try to convince them, there definitely will still be some people who will say some unpleasant things. By now, we should not be affected by them. Instead, we should believe that as long as we have clarified the truth in line with our pure hearts, there certainly will be positive effects which may not be obviously seen immediately. Like what Teacher says,

"When she cured a patient's illness, the patient might not appreciate it. When she treated the patient, she might have removed a lot of bad things from this patient's body. Although she healed this patient to such an extent, there might not have been any obvious changes at that time. The patient, however, would not be happy in his mind. Instead of expressing gratitude, he might accuse her of cheating. With these problems, she was undergoing psychological tribulations in this environment." (Lecture Three, "Reverse Cultivation and Gong Borrowing," Zhuan Falun, 2000)

Clarifying the truth and urging people to withdraw from the CCP and its associated groups is a process of cultivation for us. So long as there are still people to be saved, Teacher has infinite mercy and will give them other chances. Perhaps one day they will understand. We should not worry about people's attitude then. Master says,

"In offering salvation to people, there is no condition or consideration for cost, reward, or fame." (Lecture Two, "The Issue of the Celestial Eye," Zhuan Falun, 2000)

Please mercifully point out anything inappropriate.