(Clearwisdom.net) Good morning! My name is S.J. I have been practicing Falun Gong for about five years. I am glad to share with you my cultivation experience, and to describe how my life in Europe has been affected by the persecution of Falun Gong in China in the past three years.

When I learned that Falun Gong was prohibited in China and heard about the first torture case against a Falun Gong practitioner in July 1999, I thought, "This has nothing to do with me. Falun Dafa is not involved in politics. Cultivation is a private matter." Half a year later, I started to realize that I could not feel justified to proceed in my cultivation in Germany when people in China were being persecuted to death simply because they persisted in practicing Falun Gong. I began to collect signatures and participated in Hong Fa (telling people about Falun Gong and the persecution) activities in the place where I lived, in the city where I worked, and in many other major cities. I was frequently asked, "Do you anticipate any changes because of these signatures?" At the same time, I heard again and again that the media frequently linked Falun Dafa to a cult. I felt that I was just like David fighting Goliath. I still do this task-- telling the human society the truth about Falun Gong, our firm belief in "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" and that we are innocent people who are persecuted ruthlessly. On one hand, is my unfaltering belief that the truth would eventually be clarified to the world. On the other hand, a lot of people encouraged us, and provided support in many forms. There were many occasions that young students stood in front of me, bearing tears in their eyes and asking me why such a peaceful cultivation should be persecuted in China. Elderly people appraised my behavior, saying that there aren't many people willing to do something for others nowadays. These candid people have shown me the real meaning of compassion. They did not believe the slanderous propaganda of the Chinese government against Falun Gong.

While we obtain support for the practitioners of Falun Gong in China, the pressure appears to build up, too. The persecution becomes more and more inhuman. I ask myself and am also asked by others again and again why Falun Gong is persecuted in China. Once upon a time, a Chinese told me, "the authority of the Communist Party suppressed their people for 50 years. But because of Falun gong, it is the first time that western people went to China, and called for human rights and an end to the persecution in Tiananmen Square. Jiang Zemin's group cruelly persecutes Falun Gong. But Falun Gong practitioners are responsible for justice; some of them even lose their lives because they firmly believe in the principles of the cosmos, 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance,' and because they believe in the compassionate nature of human beings!"

They were tortured and beaten merely because they believe in "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." Today, I would like to tell you that the whole world needs "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." Please endorse these principles with your sincerity so that the deception, murder and persecution in China and all other places can no longer continue.