Shared at 2005 Washington DC Falun Dafa Conference
(Clearwisdom.net) Greetings Respected Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
I am a practitioner from Washington DC, and I would like to share here some of my experiences in clarifying the truth over the Internet.
Two years ago, a fellow practitioner who was living in our house at the time told me she had just learned a new way to clarify the truth via the Internet. She later gave a live demonstration in which she communicated for one hour with a girl in China. I was so excited; what a great way to personally interact with the precious Chinese people! I wanted to try it out myself, but it was a public Internet chat room, and everyone had to wait his or her turn to before getting the microphone, and with it the chance to speak to others in the chat room. Sometimes, when it was finally my turn, the chat room supervisor would inform me that the microphone did not work for me, and on several occasions I stayed up all night without being allowed a chance to speak. I was worried âˆ' so many people were waiting for me, yet I was denied the opportunity to communicate with them.
A few months passed before another practitioner told me about the option of privately chatting in chat rooms, and I was elated upon hearing this. Yet my husband warned me on this matter, saying it was not safe to download software from websites originating in China. I was again disappointed because I knew little about computer-related matters, and I wondered about how I could solve this problem: on one hand, I wanted to use my computer to clarify the truth, but I also wished to avoid being taken advantage of by those vicious people who could hijack this machine that I also use for other Dafa projects!
The practitioners who are computer experts were all quite busy, and my husband did not have the time to help me either. I found that my computer's sound system did not work very well. Also, we had a high speed connection, yet our IP was not dynamic. So I had to keep consulting practitioners knowledgeable in computer use to help me with those issues. It took a few months before I came to know that it was actually very easy to make everything work - I just needed a separate computer and a separate IP, which I could buy from my Internet service provider. Soon enough I had everything needed installed. Every day there would be one or two dozen people contacting me, hoping to chat with me one-on-one. I did not want to miss any calls, so I could no longer maintain a regular schedule. Sometimes, the phone (computer) would ring during a meal. I then immediately left to take the call. At other times, the phone rang just before I was about to make dinner. My husband and children would then wait until I finished the call. Fortunately, they are all practitioners, and they understood. Sometimes there were calls one after another at night, and I had no time to sleep. So I put a sleeping bag next to my computer to lie down and rest on while continuing to talk to people. Generally, the more people I spoke with, the more energetic I became. One time, though, I fell asleep during a call, probably because I was too tired. When I woke up, I found it was morning and I was still wearing earphones. I felt awful, so I called the person whom I was talking to when I fell asleep to apologize. He said, "Yes, I was wondering why I couldn't hear you during our conversation."
Every day I talked to people from China. Some of them once held wrong impressions of Dafa. Some of them did not understand us, and some of them even cursed Dafa. After hearing the truth, they changed and became sympathetic towards Dafa practitioners because they understood the facts, and some started to support what we are doing. Others even wanted to learn Dafa. I felt so glad for them, and I will never stop using this approach to clarify the truth.
One person I talked to sent me a message saying, "I'm so glad to talk to you. You made me see hope in my life. I don't know how to thank you. I hope I can talk to you again in the future, since it's fortunate for anyone to talk to you."
Another person said, "I learned more from talking to you than what I've learned in the past ten years at school. Today is the highlight of my whole life. I'm looking forward to talking to you again."
A person from Harbin told me, "I used to hold misunderstandings toward Falun Gong. After talking to you, I've changed. I want to read your [Dafa] books."
Another person from China was deeply moved. He told me, "I didn't understand Falun Gong before. I used to run away out of fear whenever I saw a person who practiced Falun Gong coming in my direction. However, after talking to you, I've totally changed my mind. I'm no longer afraid. Falun Gong is wonderful. I want to be a Falun Gong practitioner today."
Chatting over the Internet is also a cultivation process. Initially, my heart was pure and the effects were good. I was not skilled at communicating with others; however, when I rid myself of all everyday people's notions when clarifying the truth, wisdom simply came to me. Gradually, more and more people praised me. "Wow, you are so knowledgeable! You are so good at communicating your views and ideas to others," and I came to enjoy those praises more and more. I started to try to persuade others in a few sentences, and I did not pay attention to their responses any more. Sometimes I even raised my voice, trying to win the argument. One day, when I finished what I wanted to say, I felt very satisfied with what I said. The person I conversed with, however, said, "I feel what you've said is propaganda." I felt quite upset. Another time a person said, "How terrible! Your thoughts are poisoned badly! You are confused!" I got feedback like this for several days in a row. Eventually, I started to wonder why I left people with such a bad impression.
Teacher said,
"I have not only taught you Dafa, but have also left you my demeanor. While working, your tone of voice, your kindheartedness, and your reasoning can change a person's heart, whereas commands never could!" from (Essential for Further Advancement, "Clearheaded-ness")
I came to realize that people who do not know the truth of Dafa are observing us. When we talk to people, sometimes they care more about our attitudes than what we say. It is just like in everyday people's society: people often argue because of each other's attitudes rather than the actual words or actions that are exchanged. We cannot try and feed them everything we want them to know in one minute. We cannot afford to not care about their feelings or whether or not they are able to accept what we say. They probably would resist such an approach, so when I enlightened to this problem, I started to treat every person that I talked to as my friend. I discussed with them what they were interested in, and our conversations became a form of mutual communication and sharing.
Later I talked to a Chinese college student working in another country. I asked him whether they have any Chinese entertainment or media in their area such as Chinese newspapers and TV programs in Chinese, and I explained that we often read the Epoch Times. Surprisingly, he almost barked, "Epoch Times! I hate it. We have Epoch Times here as well, even though this is such a small country. They secretly deliver this free newspaper to our doors. Why can't they do it openly?" I smiled and replied, "I actually received many advertisements and flyers this afternoon when I checked my mail, and it is very normal in America. Whenever I see those advertisements and flyers, I imagine that some people must have spent a lot of time collecting information, making designs, printing materials and eventually arranging for deliveries to my mailbox. They must have spent a lot of effort, so I feel that I owe them a glance at their materials. In fact, we must drive to a Chinese grocery store to pick up the Epoch Times in our area while you are so lucky as to have the same newspaper delivered directly to your home." He didn't say another word against the Epoch Times.
Later I spoke to him about Falun Gong. He barked again, "Falun Gong! There are some senior Chinese Falun Gong people sitting in front of the Chinese Consulate in our city every day, even in the chilly winter and when it's snowing heavily. How much money can they earn every day for doing that! I pity them!" I smiled and said, "In our area, Washington D.C., a female senior citizen can get one thousand dollars a month for babysitting, and this does not include the free food, board and air conditioning. Why would anyone be willing to sit there outside on the street in the hot summer and cold winter? How much money do you think you can get for doing that?" He said, "I wouldn't do it." So I responded, "Those people give up comfortable lifestyles and opportunities to earn money just to peacefully appeal for the thousands of [persecuted] Falun Gong practitioners in China. I admire them. Don't you?" He said, "Oh, yeah. But I heard they do get money for doing that." I said, "I am practicing Falun Gong and I go to appeal in front of the Chinese consulate as well. Nobody ever gave me a penny. How about you try it out yourself and see if anybody gives you money? That'll clear things up for you. The Chinese government simply fabricates too many lies. You live outside of China, so you must have seen the video of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. So many students and people lost their lives. However, Yuan Mu, the speaker of the Chinese Diplomatic Department, claimed that not a single person died at Tiananmen Square. As for the so-called Self-Immolation Incident, there is a TV program analyzing the whole incident. You'll know when you watch the program that it's a staged event, concocted by the Chinese Communist Party." Then I sent him the website address of that TV program. Meanwhile, I opened up the program as well to walk him through the entirety of it, and then we chatted for over an hour. In the end he said, "It looks like you are good people. 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance' is good. Nobody has the right to criticize those who practice 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance'. I made a mistake."
When we first spread The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, I felt overwhelmed because there are so many points in it, and I did not know where to start. I did not read it carefully, and I thought I should spend my spare time studying the Fa. Later I realized, however, that I should know the contents of the Nine Commentaries since I would be talking about it, so I started to carefully read the Nine Commentaries. My mind had been poisoned by the evil Party culture for decades. When I read these commentaries, I learned many facts, and it purified me by correcting my mindset. I felt I had a better understanding of the Nine Commentaries after I read it twice.
Once a person I talked to asked me when he learned that I lived outside of China, "Hey, isn't there a serious anti-China movement going on in your area right now?" I replied, "No. Why?" He continued, "Someone e-mailed me a copy of the Nine Commentaries from overseas and asked me to quit the CCP. Isn't this an anti-China movement?" I asked in response, "Then have you quit the CCP?" He said no. I then asked him whether he read the Nine Commentaries. He said, "No, it is anti-China." So I continued, "How do you know it is anti-China if you haven't read it yourself? I read it twice, and I don't think it is anti-China. I think it's very well written since it has very clear logic and much documented data to back up its points. Take the history of the Anti-Japanese-Aggression War for example; we were taught in school that Mao's army fought against the Japanese army and gained victory. In fact, it was the Kuomintang's army who fought bitterly against the Japanese. If it were not historically correct, why would the Japanese surrender to the Kuomintang instead of the CCP? The CCP twisted history in the textbooks and told us lies. You are in China and you only have access to the CCP's voice, which always claims the CCP is great and correct. Anyone with a differing view would be labeled anti-CCP or anti-revolution."
"The CCP currently blocks the Internet and forbids people from installing satellite dishes, so how can Chinese people get access to the truth? During the 'three difficult years' in the 1960s, General Peng did his own research and wrote a report, disclosing that the difficulties arising were 70% the result of the CCP's failure and only 30% weather-related factors. Mao couldn't tolerate General Peng's telling the truth, so General Peng was labeled as anti-revolutionary and persecuted and tortured to death. 'Anti-revolution' is just a label, a tool the CCP uses to kill and permanently silence other voices. Take a look at the dozen years after the CCP gained power âˆ' there is one massive movement after another. The most recent ones are the Great Cultural Revolution, the June 4th, 1989 Massacre, and the persecution of Falun Gong. More than eighty million innocent Chinese people were killed during all of these movements, which outnumbers the total casualties of both World Wars combined."
When I mentioned Falun Gong, he asked, "What about Falun Gong? Why did the CCP decided to persecute Falun Gong?" I then explained to him Falun Gong speaks of 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance' while the CCP talks about Deceit, Viciousness and Struggle, and I also clarified the truth to him.
Then I asked him, "Now can you tell who is anti-China? The CCP is rotten. It is totally corrupt." He said, "Yes. All of its officials are accepting bribes and stealing money from the country. I think it is about done. But is there anything we can do about it?" I said, "Of course! Quit the CCP! Are you a CCP member?" He said, "Yes; I joined the CCP over ten years ago." I told him, "There is a globally published newspaper, reaching far and wide, called the Epoch Times. It just published a series called the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Many Chinese people who read the Nine Commentaries decided not to remain in such an evil Party [any longer]. Many people have since published statements on Epoch Times quitting the CCP and other CCP related organizations. Do you know that more than 2.8 million people have quit the CCP, and most of them are from China?" He said, "But none of the people that I know have quit the CCP." I said, "That's because you cannot know. People are afraid the CCP will take revenge on them. I bumped into a person from the southern part of China who told me all the CCP members she knew have quit the CCP. She told me she also wanted to quit the CCP and asked me whether the CCP would know, so I suggested that she use a pen name. Then only the heavens know, the earth knows, she knows, and I know. She immediately asked me to help her send a statement to the Epoch Times to quit the CCP."
Then I asked him, "How about you, then? I suggest you quit the CCP as well." He asked, "But I won't be affected if I don't quit the CCP." I replied, "You will. There is an old Chinese saying: Good will be rewarded with good and Evil beget evil. The CCP killed so many innocent people. It will get punished. If you do not quit, then you are a member of this evil group; it won't be worth it! You will face ruin together with it, even though you didn't personally do those bad things."
"After the Second World War, many of the powerful Nazis were arrested or sentenced to death. Even today, there is an international organization that takes it as its mission to expose the guilty Nazi members still in hiding. They vowed that they would track down each and every responsible Nazi member, no matter where he or she lives, and no matter how much time it would take. In fact, they found a Nazi member in the United States last year, a senior citizen who hid his Nazi identity for dozens of years and had become a U.S. citizen. Even so, he was discovered. You have witnessed the Berlin Wall falling and the collapse of the previous Soviet Union. The CCP will be brought to justice soon, too. What are you going to do then? If you want to quit the CCP, don't wait till tomorrow. Quit today!" He said, "OK. I'll quit the CCP. Please help me come up with a name and I'll follow your advice." I said, "OK. Please read the Nine Commentaries carefully." He gladly agreed.
In the past two years I began from knowing nothing about Internet chat rooms, and now I can freely use it as a tool. I would not have been able to do this without my fellow practitioners' help and support. All the progress that we made proved the magnificence and the wisdom of the Fa. I hope more practitioners can join the effort of chatting with Chinese people via the Internet. Let's strive diligently forward and fulfill our historic missions and vows that we made with Master.
In closing, please allow me to share with everyone Teacher's poem.
"Hurry Up And Tell Them:"
"As Dafa disciples tell people the facts,
It's like sharp swords shooting out together from their mouths,
Shredding apart the rotten demons' lies.
Lose no time and save them; hurry up and tell them!"
Thank you Master! Thank you everyone!
