(Clearwisdom.net)
Three years ago today, the world was shocked by an earth-shattering event. People still cannot comprehend its broad and profound historical impact. After this, everyone familiar with the incident was forced to make a conscious choice between "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" and "Falsehood-Evil-Violence."
Looking back on human history, from Gandhi, to Dr. Martin Luther King, to Nelson Mandela, all the initiators of large-scale anti-violence movements demonstrated peaceful resistance while leading a level of society. On April 25, 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in over 30 countries from every level of society were forced onto the world stage. In Mainland China, 100 million practitioners became the target of an evil persecution that killed people without regard. Facing the cruelest suppression and slanderous propaganda that covered heaven and earth, Falun Gong practitioners have continued to clarify the truth of the persecution to the general pubic with rational calm. This great peaceful movement is unprecedented in scale. The number of countries involved, the levels of society reached, and the sheer numbers are extraordinary. Falun Gong practitioners are creating a huge historical painting with their freedom, blood and lives.
Condemning "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is telling people that they are not allowed to be good, blatantly opposing common moral standards. Arresting and beating people who cultivate "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is declaring the guilty to be good. Under such circumstances, what should Falun Gong practitioners do? Should they accept it passively or oppose it with violence? They did neither. Their choice was surprising. There was no shouting, no slogans, no blocking traffic, and no protesting. They quietly went to Zhongnanhai (the central government compound), to report their difficult situation. Finding that their fellow practitioners were released in the evening, they left quietly.
Their noble, peaceful manner and high self-discipline disturbed the corrupt leader. The evil persecution then began. Ridiculous lies, fabricated evidence, mass arrests, torture, brainwashing, implication of family members, abuse at mental hospitals, even rape are all means to physically torture and mentally damage Falun Dafa practitioners. Hundreds of people have been beaten to death, hundreds of thousands are being tortured in jails, and countless families have been torn apart by Jiang and his regime.
Facing such bloody evil persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have never fought violence with violence. Falun Dafa disciples with their immense Compassion and Forbearance steadfastly endured all forms of hardship, while spreading the truth throughout China and the world. People have never seen violent actions taken by Falun Gong practitioners, nor have they heard words of grievance or discontent.
How many people have considered what this peaceful Falun Gong means to them?
Just as people take for granted the sun and rain, even the fresh air that they breathe every minute, people hardly notice the security and happiness of everything they have, and hardly consider where it comes from. Even looking from the surface at the present time, we can be sure the peaceful spirit of Falun Gong is one reason for our happy existence. The cost is what Falun Gong cultivators have endured out of immense Benevolence and selfless Forbearance.
Maybe someone would say, if all Falun Gong cultivators were quietly taking the persecution passively, the world could still be stable. But in fact, the world would be unstable. The most obvious example would be the effect on human virtue, threatening public security and the existence of society. Should the evil persecution against "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" prevail, China will fall to "Falsehood-Evil-Violence," and we would be forced to raise our children in a cruel, deceitful world that was devoid of peace.
Dr. Martin Luther King said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. From its first day, the persecution of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" was destined to awaken world concern. Attempting to damage human virtue is never one country's internal affair, but an open challenge to justice and the conscience of all humankind. Last Thanksgiving 36 Westerners went to Tiananmen Square to appeal peacefully for Falun Gong, clearly marking the international status of Falun Gong's peaceful movement .
Mengzi [a famous ancient Chinese philosopher] once said that if he looked at himself and verified that he was on a righteous path, even with thousands or hundreds of thousands of people against him, he would strive forward, ignoring all obstacles. [Based on Mengzi and Gongshunchou, Volume 1 -- a historical book on the deeds of Mengzi] Facing jail and cruel torture, facing state-sanctioned violence perpetrated by Jiang, Falun Dafa disciples step out of their homes with determination. This is the heart of a sage, this is the nobility of a saint, and this is the Compassion of an enlightened being. The hardships they are enduring are beyond comprehension. It would be torture for ordinary people to even hear of their hardship. But they endure calmly, without any regret. What they think and do is a monument to the highest virtue in human history.
"Lies written in ink can never cover the truth recorded with blood." [In Memory of Lady Liu Hezhen -- a book written by Luxun, a famous contemporary Chinese writer] No matter how the Chinese government slanders Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners, the whole world has witnessed the cruel, cold-blooded nature of Jiang, and validated the peaceful spirit of Falun Gong. After the storm, the sunlight can be seen. When history has turned this page, people will come to realize that April 25 signified the beginning of the contest between righteousness and evil. It was the turning point to restoring human virtue.