(Clearwisdom.net) Recently I noticed that I have been acknowledging the persecution. For example, when I read the Minghui (Chinese version of Clearwisdom) website, I did not like to read the persecution reports in the section "Facts of the Persecution." After looking inward, I see that I have been acknowledging the persecution and am indifferent and passive about it. I thought that these practitioners must have had some loopholes in their xinxing so that the old forces were able to take advantage of them and persecute them. In other words, "The persecution is right and Dafa disciples themselves have some loopholes." Aren't these thoughts from the old forces? It is the same as the old forces making excuses to maintain this persecution. I should not have this thought. Actually, this puts me on the side of those perpetuating the persecution. Although I often say that we should not acknowledge the persecution and should oppose it, in fact I acknowledged the persecution deep down in my own mind. If we think this way, can we disintegrate the persecution?

In the past, I often thought if I studied the Fa more and looked within and cultivated myself well, I would not be persecuted. I even thought that it was because of my poor xinxing that I was sentenced to forced labor. When I heard that other practitioners had gotten arrested I would think, "Why didn't they pay attention to safety and focus on cultivating xinxing?" Actually, I was making an excuse to hide my attachments of fear and of acknowledging the persecution. I was acknowledging the old principle of "letting Dafa disciples cultivate in persecution." It means that, in the future, enlightened beings will save people while they are being persecuted and the sentient beings will cultivate in persecution. Isn't it the same as the way things were before the Fa-rectification? Therefore, we should not make any excuses for acknowledging this persecution.

I understand that Dafa disciples can still cultivate without the old forces' arrangement and that this persecution is interference and has led to additional difficulties in our cultivation. Before 1999 Master told us to study the Fa and do the exercises and share together. That was the best way to cultivate. We often shared and reminded each other. This environment allowed us to improve very quickly. However, the old forces arranged this persecution and ruined that environment. They have tested each of us and caused separations between us. They have kept us from sharing with each other and have taken advantage of loopholes to strengthen our attachments as they try to find excuses to persecute us. They think the persecution makes us improve. In fact, it is Master and Dafa that make us improve, not the persecution.

I asked myself, "Why are you afraid?" I realize that I have some attachments to get rid of, for example, seeking comfort and being attached to fame, profit, and sentimentality. These attachments cause fear. On the other hand, I have the notion that "the persecution is right." If "the persecution is right," of course I am wrong and how could I not be afraid? In doing the three things I was often afraid of being persecuted and could not do it openly and with dignity because I resisted the persecution even as I acknowledged it. Master asked us to thoroughly disintegrate the old forces. However, I was doing the three things within the boundary arranged by the old forces.

We should not harbor the notion that the persecution can make us improve. We should completely deny this persecution and walk on the path arranged by Master. Our shortcomings will be rectified through studying the Fa and cultivation. We do not need anything forced upon us. Of course, it does not mean that we can do whatever we want or relax our cultivation. We only need to thoroughly deny the persecution in our minds, not leave any gaps through which the old forces can persecute us, and thus completely disintegrate the old forces.

August 18, 2008