Ever since Falun Gong practitioners' daily peaceful appeal at Tiananmen Square was frequently reported by newspapers abroad, particularly after the self-immolation incident occurred during this past Spring Festival, many people view Falun Gong as a political movement. Hence Falun Gong practitioners are considered involved in politics even though they insist that they will never participate in any political affair.
Let's look at several non-Falun Gong issues. If an unarmed honest person was beaten by ruffians; an innocent family's home was ransacked by the red guards (an organization prevailing in cultural revolution) and were knocked to the ground and stepped on; an innocent child was kidnapped by terrorists; an unfortunate woman was raped, would they be considered involved in (i.e. a willing participant in) the violence? The answer is no, otherwise one should really check whether his/her brain is still logical as well as if any humanity and conscience still remains in his/her heart.
Therefore, if a political power wants to start a political movement, or a nation's leader wants to achieve a political goal through some political maneuvering, why should the citizens who are persecuted and sacrificed in this political movement be labeled as "political"? If the victims in the above cases appealed, rather than being passive, would they be considered to be disturbing social order, or being against the government, or endangering the social stability and public benefits?
China once had a society that promoted high moral standards for a short period time before the Cultural Revolution. At that time, people had a noble and pure spirit. They endeavored to be selfless and to "serve people." As a result, people did not have to close their door at night and would not pick up any money (lost by somebody else) on the street. People respected the elderly and liked to help each other. Nowadays, however, every family has an anti-theft gate. People are looked down at or cursed and considered losers if they are cheated. They are denounced as fools if they don't look after their stuff at all times in this chaotic world. However, those who are corrupt and seek personal gains using their government power (as well as the Mafia heads) are admired as winners, simply because they are willing to bully people to gain money and personal enjoyment. What's the result? Everyone is in danger. The government officials are trying hard to make money by corruption, fearing their power will no longer exist tomorrow. Commoners are very cautious in making purchases to prevent getting phony wine, medicine and other goods. Children are escorted to and from school by their parents who do not even have the respect of their children. People are enemies before they even speak to each other. Name-brand anti-theft locks and gates still cannot prevent entries by robbers and murderers...
The Chinese people have been through many disasters of social disorder and poverty. Who doesn't want a bright future for themselves, and particularly for their children? Yet who could dare to say, however, that they themselves do not bare some responsibility for such a society? How many people quietly accept the degenerate morality and even make personal gains in the process thus accelerating the degeneration?
When a nation's social order, constitution, and laws collapse rapidly, the initial victims may just be certain groups. When the social order, law, human rights, and morality no longer exist, no one can escape the ensuing disasters. Human history has proven this despite the fact that people quickly forget and are unwilling to look back to learn from the tragic lessons of the past.
Falun Dafa teaches compassion. Ever since its introduction to the public in 1992, Falun Dafa has brought health benefits and uplifted the morality of one hundred million people in more than forty countries. According to my friend, a veteran Falun Gong practitioner, Falun Gong enables one to return to their original, true self, thus cultivating moral nature. In the beginning of human society, the country was ruled by virtues. Xiao and Shun's period (Xiao and Shun were emperors in ancient times in China) did not have politics, and people were not as backward and uncivilized as we may imagine. In short, Falun Gong practitioners have no desire to be involved in politics simply because their hearts and concerns are beyond this world.
Even though there are people who do not understand the principles of Falun Gong; even though there are people who have no interest in cultivation practice; even though there are people who do not want to participate in this filthy political movement because they know that everything occurring was set up by Jiang Zemin to secure his own political position, how many people would choose to treat Falun Gong practitioners with compassion abiding by one's own conscience? Is Falun Gong involved in politics? Or is it rather that ambitious politicians and power hungry individuals are merely taking advantage of the Falun Gong issue? Who's to say that those ten thousand people who followed others to sign the petition to denouncing Falun Gong did not participate in politics and help the biggest movement since the Culture Revolution? Politics only cares about interest, not about relations. This is because it is a product of the declining human morality. What was the outcome for those who helped the "gang of four" to persecute people? The "gang of four" itself did not show appreciation and thanks to those who helped them. Who knows who the next target of the person whom you are helping to persecute others may one day be? This may be one of the reasons why many Falun Gong practitioners, seeing through politics, kept it at a distance to protect Falun Gong -- the pure land in human world -- with their lives during today's brutal persecution.
February 22, 2001
