(Clearwisdom.net) I totally agree with the author of this article, "Should We Stand Up Against the Persecution or Blame the Victims?" ( http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2007/11/7/91149.html ) A lot of people have the mindset of criticizing the ones being persecuted, even among fellow practitioners.
For example, when someone misunderstands a practitioner, it may not be the practitioner's fault; it may not be that the practitioner went to extremes. It might be that this person has a misconception of Falun Dafa because he heard CCP propaganda and thus has a warped notion toward Dafa practitioners. When another practitioner meets with and talks to this person, shouldn't this practitioner help to explain the situation? Unfortunately, some practitioners listened to the person and occasionally blame their fellow practitioners. When the person hears practitioners agree with him, wouldn't he think he is right? Then, did you or did you not offer this person salvation?
I remember a story published on Minghui website - a practitioner tried to explain the persecution to a person who had just returned from abroad. The person said, "I know a Falun Gong practitioner. He always takes days off to attend meetings all over the place." He had a bad opinion of practitioners. The practitioner who had intended to explain the persecution to him stopped and did not know what to say, thinking to himself that the practitioner mentioned had not done well.
As for practitioners taking days off to attend activities - what is wrong with that? First of all, a lot of Dafa activities are held on the weekends. Practitioners sacrifice their time to help stop the persecution and offer people salvation. On the other hand, if they have to take off days during the week, they would have to get permission from their boss first, and they would lose income when not at work. Other people enjoy their weekends and spend all their time making money during work-days. What's wrong with practitioners asking for days off in order to validate the Fa.
In addition, a lot of practitioners have non-practitioner family members. They have to deal with a lot of difficulties to go out. They have to clarify the truth to their family members, spend time with them sometimes, and balance their family lives well. It's not easy for them.
Dafa practitioners spend their own money on transportation and accommodation. They rush about and attend activities rain or shine. Why do they do that? They want to show people the beauty of Dafa and help stop the persecution. On the one hand they go into communities and tell people the facts of the persecution; on the other hand, they hold activities to let people see Dafa's grand manifestation in the world and shock the evil CCP. For instance, whenever the CCP commits an evil deed, Dafa practitioners overseas go to the embassies/consulates to protest.
Those who want to conform too much to everyday life and who think fellow practitioners are going to extremes, aren't they the same as ordinary people on this point? Yes, we have to cultivate while assimilating to the format of everyday society, but we have to cultivate ourselves. How could we be cultivators if we just want to conform to ordinary society?
Even if a fellow practitioner indeed went to extremes and gave people a bad impression, should we explain to people what Dafa truly is, break the warped thoughts in their minds, and dissolve their misunderstanding? Or should we simply become angry with the fellow practitioner's way of doing things and even find it difficult to further explain the facts of the persecution?
If we run into the second scenario, shouldn't we search inside? What use does it serve to only point fingers at others? Can it offer people salvation? Thus, Dafa practitioners should look at things from the perspective of the Fa, safeguard Dafa, and have stronger righteous thoughts.
As I write this article, I realized I also have this problem - I also disagree with fellow practitioners. It's time for me to get rid of this attachment.
