(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioners inside and outside China have been resisting the persecution with peaceful appeals ever since the persecution began on July 20, 1999. Many practitioners outside China distribute flyers in various places and appeal at Chinese embassies and consulates. People often ask, "Do you get paid for doing this?"
When our sisters and brothers are suffering in China, and we call out to the world for help, why would we ask for a reward? Falun Gong practitioners outside of Mainland China suffer right along with those inside China, and as a result appeal for them and protest the savage acts of Jiang's group. How could we ask for money?
The early Christians did not renounce their faith in the face of persecution, even when they were thrown into an arena and mauled to death by lions. Did the early Christians do this because someone paid them? Similarly, Falun Gong practitioners in China go to Beijing to appeal and distribute flyers to people even though there is a great risk of arrest, torture, imprisonment and even death. How can this be measured with money? How much would one have to be paid to risk being jailed and tortured by extremely savage methods?
In fact, many things can't be judged by money. For example, the love that parents have for their children, the commitment between a husband and a wife--these can't be measured with money. Mencius once said, "A gentleman takes responsibility very seriously, whereas a vicious person takes personal interests as the most important thing." Yi (responsibility, loyalty to others) or kind-heartedness exists in everyone to varying degrees.
When we know that Falun Gong practitioners in China are being persecuted ¨C and there are almost daily news accounts of someone dying as a result of the persecution ¨C we would not have a clear conscience if we did not condemn the persecution and ask people from all walks of life to help stop it. Our cries for justice are certainly not motivated by money!
If people require rewards for every act of kindness, then their beliefs are little more than the pursuit of fame and self-interest. The truth is, we simply do not have any funding. All costs for any and all activities practitioners participate in come from their own pockets. The media in China are state-controlled, and spew the propaganda contrived by the ruling Party and its behind the scenes controller: Jiang Zemin. Jiang's propaganda machine constantly tells China's people the story that the American government funds Falun Gong as part of some kind of underhanded scheme to destabilize and attack China. But that simply isn't the case. It is just one of the many ways Jiang uses to deceive the Chinese public, demonizing Falun Gong as a diversion and scapegoat for the multitude of social and economic woes the country faces. He is taking advantage of people's ignorance about the Western world and Falun Gong to stir up fear and hatred, so that he can maintain his tight control over the Chinese government and people. If someone wanted to harm China or any society, would they promote or suppress the belief in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance"? What Jiang's group fears most is for the Chinese people to learn the truth ¨C that Falun Gong benefits society and it is his policies that are destabilizing China, conducting genocide against millions of innocent Falun Gong practitioners right under people's noses. If the people knew the truth and were allowed to judge the situation with all the facts, would they allow it to continue?
July 17, 2004
