Cherish the Opportunity to Clarify the Truth to Friends

(Minghui.org) When I was clarifying the facts recently, I found that many people know about Falun Dafa, but only a little bit. Because we sometimes don’t do a thorough job, people do not understand and may even refuse to hear more. I’d like to share my experiences with fellow practitioners.

I talked to a Chinese friend who left China many years ago. She told me that she talked with a Falun Dafa practitioner in the street and was sympathetic to those who are persecuted. This practitioner urged her to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organizations but didn’t fully explain why she should. She couldn’t understand and felt uncomfortable. The practitioner didn’t tell her that she could use a pseudonym. Her parents still live in China and her company does a lot of business there. She was concerned that it might cause trouble if she used her real name and the CCP found out.

I explained to her the importance of quitting the CCP: on the one hand, it would help stop the persecution if many good people stood up and made a choice. If more people quit the CCP, it would be a deterrent to the Party. It would show that an increasing number of people know about its crimes and are abandoning it. On the other hand, it is a way to show we are good people and take a stance against the evil persecution. We will be able to face history with pride when the persecution is over.

For example, when the Jews were persecuted, many Germans kept silent. They refused to admit there was persecution until World War II was over when they could no longer hide from the truth. The Germans paid a huge price for the crimes they committed during the Holocaust. Afterwards, they had to rebuild their reputation. It might have been a different outcome if many Germans were brave enough to stand up against the persecution. Today we are faced with a similar situation.

I told her that she could use a pseudonym to quit the Party if she had privacy concerns. I said withdrawing from the CCP is a way to take a stance and show that she rejects the persecution. She said she understood now.

A few years ago, my wife went to Philadelphia for a fun weekend. She met a practitioner at a tourist attraction. The practitioner only briefly explained some facts before asking her to quit the CCP. She didn’t understand what was going on. We had not yet married. She and I had just met, and I didn’t have a chance to clarify the truth to her. I realized this was a good opportunity. I talked with her for several hours. She understood everything. She not only quit the CCP herself but also helped me to clarify the truth to my friends. She has been very supportive of Falun Dafa.

Sometimes I invite my friends, colleagues, and international students to my home for dinner on weekends. I take the opportunity to explain the truth to them. My wife does the cooking and housework so I can focus on talking with them. One of my international students understood the truth very quickly. He started to read the media run by fellow practitioners and recommended it to his girlfriend.

I learned that we don’t always have to rush to persuade people to quit the CCP and its youth organizations—this might sound like we’re just fulfilling a task. We need to be mindful and explain the truth to people more thoroughly. When we put our hearts into it, people will not only understand the truth but will also tell others.

Of course, the situation might be different at those tourist sites. Fellow practitioners do not know most of the people they meet. Time is limited. We may not have the opportunity to talk to strangers for as long as our friends. We should cherish the opportunity to chat with our friends. Because friends trust each other, it’s easier to have longer conversations and we can explain the facts in more depth.

These are my own experiences and thoughts. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Editor's note: Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions, for which the author is solely responsible. Readers should evaluate the article's merits on their own.