(Minghui.org) Editor’s note: this is a sharing article written four years ago.
Not long ago, ABC News in Australia broadcast a program with negative coverage of Falun Gong. Some media in the U.S. also had negative reports about us. Our Facebook pages were heavily censored.
In some of the reports, one key point was that Falun Gong supports U.S. President Donald Trump. Fellow practitioners and I discussed our understandings on this. We all feel that it is extremely unusual for this to happen, when many Western countries are taking action against the Chinese Communist Party. We feel that there are two problems.
Don’t Blame Everything on the Evil Interference, Look Inward to Rectify Ourselves
Master Li, Falun Gong’s founder, told us:
“The other reason is that you’re being interfered with. When you’re interfered with you can’t always think, “I have to destroy whoever is interfering with me, no one can interfere with me.” (People laugh) Why don’t you stop and think about it: Why is someone interfering with you? Why is it able to interfere with you? Is it because you have an attachment, or because you have something you can’t let go of? Why don’t you look at yourself? The true reason lies with you yourself, and that’s the only reason it can exploit your gap!” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume III)
“I really have to ask you: Are you truly cultivating? Have you truly followed Dafa’s requirements? Are you clarifying the facts with the human mindset of disagreeing with the persecution of Falun Gong, or validating the Fa and saving sentient beings truly from the standpoint of a Dafa disciple?” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume III)
Evaluate Problems on the Basis of Saving People
To clarify the facts, Dafa practitioners established our own media and social media channels. Those who run the media outlets and channels have their own political stance and reporting angles. This is normal because they are facing the society at large and people can understand it. But we as regular practitioners have to keep in mind that their reports are not the standard for us to follow, especially in our truth-clarification efforts. However we decide to go about clarifying the facts, we need to consider how to save more people.
I noticed that some practitioners are keen on expressing their support for Trump, opposing this Party or supporting that Party. But the fact is, there are many people who oppose Trump. If they see a Falun Dafa practitioner supporting Trump, wouldn’t they immediately have a bad impression about Dafa? If practitioners oppose the Democratic Party, how would the Democrats view Dafa?
We are here to save lives. We should be responsible for all living beings. When people develop negative impressions about Dafa because of our views on politics and society, aren’t we harming them, instead of saving them?
Master warned us:
“The political instability and the changes that are now happening, or that may lie ahead, might really draw your attention. But I think that since you, as Dafa disciples, have come through the harsh tests of the last ten-plus years, you should be able to see things for what they are. The things that happen in the human world are natural changes that occur in the human world. And I know, of course, that all of those things are due to gods’ systematic arrangements. That is how it works. Don’t get involved in human political affairs, and don’t let yourself get stirred up by ordinary people.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIII)
In an article with Master’s comment, “The Only Thing Falun Dafa Disciples Have a Role in Is Saving People”, the author stated:
“First, we should clearly understand that Master’s Fa-rectification is saving all beings. No matter what kind of beings they are, as long as they do not commit crimes against the Fa-rectification, even the CCP, such an evil spirit that has committed so many crimes in history, as long as it did not commit crimes against the Fa-rectification, their situation can be benevolently resolved and they can be saved. How immense Master’s benevolence is! How inconceivably magnificent the Fa-rectification is! So during this special period in history, as Falun Dafa disciples who are helping Master in Fa-rectification, everything that we are doing should revolve around the needs of the Fa-rectification and for what is needed for saving all beings.”
We as Dafa practitioners all have great abilities. We can bring negative effects when our thinking isn’t right, without even needing to do anything. If individual practitioners think a certain way, it is only a matter of personal cultivation, but if more practitioners think this way, it will cause serious problems, such as negative media coverage.
Master revealed to us:
“Many people in history who spread a true faith died of persecution. When human beings’ ingrained beliefs are challenged or they feel something is threatening to them, they will respond in human ways. Shen Yun is just a performance, from the look of it, and it’s up to each person whether he wants to see it. And it’s not free, people have to spend money to see it, and quite a bit. People come of their own free will, and those who don’t want to see it are free to not buy tickets. So there should be no issue. We’re just putting on a show. But this is something that lives have been waiting for. Nobody would have imagined that this approach would be used to save sentient beings. But it’s because the world has become what it has, and there have been many unfortunate lessons from history. Whatever the case, Dafa disciples, we are trying to think of ways to save people, and that’s what this is about.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XV)
“The wicked CCP isn’t the only entity that is interested in Dafa disciples. I can tell you that many countries have grown increasingly interested, and are monitoring you.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference,”Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XV)
I understand that human society is riddled with negativity. Facing the social environment at this special stage of history, we need to be careful with our words and actions, and be responsible for all beings.
We shouldn’t concern ourselves with things that do not directly persecute Dafa right now, whether it is changes in the political situation, disputes between political parties, the struggle between traditional and modern culture, or the struggle between science or the divine.
We should not be fond of or be indignant about anything or any individual, but should focus on clarifying the truth. Whatever we do, we should evaluate the situation on the basis of saving people and avoid stirring up negative factors in certain individuals or communities, so as to save more people.
All life is precious, and practitioners should not get involved in worldly partisanship. There are good people in both parties.
Master told us:
“When Master looks at a living being, [what he considers] spans the entire course of that being’s existence. If someone did a lot of great things in history, and even had many great achievements in service of validating the Fa, can we not save him just because he has behaved poorly in this lifetime?” (“Fa Teaching at the 2008 New York Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume VIII)
The above discussion does not mean that when clarifying the truth, we should completely avoid mentioning political topics. We can still talk about it as long as it helps to save people. One critical thing is to have the right frame of mind–we are here to save people, not to express our views on politics or society. What we do, we should do it wisely and don’t let people develop a negative view about Dafa. For example, when we clarify the truth on Facebook, we can put political and social topics on a separate page and avoid mixing them with things about Dafa.
This is my understanding at my current level; please kindly point out anything not in line with the Fa.
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Category: Perspectives
