(Clearwisdom.net) In China the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been trying to eliminate Falun Gong for over seven years. Fueling the persecution are lies and slander about Falun Gong meant to drum up hatred in the populace and justify the government's persecution. In order to inform people of the true facts of the persecution (vicious torturing and murder, and complete denial of human rights) and stop the systematic persecution of Falun Gong, some Falun Gong practitioners have occasionally tapped into TV signals in China and broadcast the true facts. Falun Gong practitioners also make phone calls to clarify the truth, send out emails, and hand out truth-clarification materials to tourists from Mainland China when they travel overseas. Some people from Mainland China say, "Why do Falun Gong practitioners interfere with others’ rights of being informed? How can they tell others to read their truth-clarification materials? Practitioners (just like those Buddhists or Christians) should tolerate and endure, instead of opposing the persecution. Falun Gong may be good, but Falun Gong practitioners are opposing the CCP, which makes me unsympathetic toward them." With this kind of irrational thinking, some people start to resent Falun Gong.
With regard to the above-mentioned concerns, I want to say a few words:
1. The media in Mainland China is entirely under the control of the CCP. Ordinary people can only hear one voice, which comes from the CCP-controlled media. The CCP voice consists of carefully crafted lies, which have the effect of poisoning people's kind-hearted and good natures. Therefore, for Chinese people especially, factors such as truthfulness, justice, etc., have become more and more distorted. If it is true that the ability of life to continue flourishing requires that people maintain some basic human qualities, then doesn't the future of the Chinese people look very bleak? The CCP's lies have no effect on Falun Gong practitioners, so Falun Gong practitioners can understand many things. What if Falun Gong practitioners thought only of themselves? What if they did not tell the truth to others? What kind of future would those people who have unconsciously accepted and embraced the lies and viciousness have? From this perspective, when Falun Gong practitioners clarify the truth, it's not simply because they have suffered injustice that they speak out. They also do it for others. They are trying to inspire ethics such as truth, compassion, justice and so on into people’s lives, thereby helping others to have better futures. Are the above mentioned methods of spreading the facts not the least they can do?
2. In society it should be ensured that truthful information is circulated. A truthful society is by all means better than a society where lies proliferate. In China, Falun Gong practitioners objectively safeguard people’s rights to information. Even though Falun Gong practitioners do not have the purpose of getting involved in ordinary affairs or politics, through revealing the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong, they have effectively brought the basic human rights of free speech, and other human rights to people. Isn’t this safeguarding the ethics of humanity?
3. Since 1992, Falun Gong has brought society numerous benefits, without doing any harm. In 1999, the CCP started its relentless nationwide persecution. If your family is persecuted to the point of not being able to have a home, will you not tell others about how much injustice you have suffered? When Falun Gong practitioners clarify the truth, they are appealing to others in order to stop the persecution. On the other hand, they are refusing the harm caused by this genocide. One thing that practitioners are firm about is that having a tolerant heart does not mean that one should be killed. Practitioners are cultivating themselves according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. If they are killed, then how can they still cultivate without a human body? How can they live in a genocidal situation? This kind of truth-clarification is peaceful and non-violent. Therefore anyone who argues with the following kind of logic: "It is cultivation, they should exercise great forbearance, and should not expose such horrendous persecution" is not right.
4. Living in this terrifying environment, enduring tremendous harm, Falun Gong practitioners have no hatred or resentment, nor do they react impulsively. They have never used any weapons in order to fight back. As practitioners, with peaceful and rational hearts, everything they do is for appealing to people and putting an end to the persecution. Is there anything more compassionate than this?
5. Falun Gong practitioners don’t fight with the evil CCP. Some ordinary people from Mainland China say that Falun Gong is powerful enough to go against the CCP. Therefore they no longer support Falun Gong practitioners. They think that if Falun Gong practitioners were in possession of weapons or armies, that they would abandon their peaceful methods? They think practitioners are poor and do not have a choice. This mindset is based on hatred, and "an eye for an eye" kind of logic. Practitioners do not think that way. Falun Gong's teachings do not allow the use of violence. Falun Gong practitioners only clarify the truth peacefully, and they will never harbor hatred towards people. In fact, the statement that practitioners are "opposing" is not exactly true either.
6. Safeguarding human ethics and justice is different than any action done for fame, profit or politics. Falun Gong practitioners are suffering from tremendous harm, yet what they are protecting is not just their physical bodies, more importantly it is the principles. Is there anything more worthy of being respected by the people in the world than these principles? When people support Falun Gong practitioners, are they not protecting their own human rights? Are they not supporting themselves? Falun Gong practitioners have never and will never ever ask for any profit from ordinary people. Even though they won’t accept your help, they are still helping people to gain better lives. They are not like any group in society which bends down for profit or power for the sake of personal gain. Falun Gong practitioners safeguard conscience, justice and human rights. They are bringing to the people of the world happiness and beauty.
7. If one witnesses someone falling into the river and ignores it or does nothing to save the person, this would be considered a problematic ethical issue, and others would surely criticize this person. Then, when Falun Gong practitioners, who are facing certain risks because they want to inform people about the killing of innocent people, make use of all kinds of peaceful means and shout loudly to stop this crime, isn’t this highly virtuous and selfless of them?
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Category: Perspectives
