(Minghui.org) The Minghui Editorial Board recently published a notice, as well as a practitioner’s article titled “Some Thoughts on Using Lotus Flower Pendants in Truth-Clarification,” both of which discuss the issue of distributing lotus flower amulets, pendants, or keepsakes when clarifying the truth about Falun Dafa.

As far as I know, practitioners in our local area have also made beautiful amulets using small yellow gourds that can be hung in a car or attached to a key chain. They are given out for free and people like them.

A few days ago, I heard that some practitioners in our area have handed out the amulets at markets without explaining the truth about Falun Dafa to the receipents. People surrounded them to get the free keepsakes.

Handing out amulets and small lotus flowers to people cannot replace clarifying the truth to them. People cannot be saved without knowing the truth even though they have such a keepsake. Besides, focusing on distributing amulets and lotus flowers will consume much of Dafa resources.

People in China have been profoundly brainwashed by the Chinese Communist Party’s slanderous propaganda about Dafa. Some may even have participated in the persecution. Just having a Dafa amulet or a lotus flower cannot save them. We need to help them understand the facts. Then they will be saved even if they never get an amulet.

A practitioner asked Master a question at the “Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference:”

“Student: Many students in China regard protective charms emblazoned with “Falun Dafa Hao” on them to be essential materials for clarifying the truth, and the first thing they do upon meeting someone is to pass these out. Yet they don’t clarify the truth in depth.”

Master said,

“That’s of course not right to do. You are passing those out not knowing what that person is up to—“Here you go, take one!” (Audience laughs) Maybe that person you gave it to was just persecuting Dafa disciples in a labor camp a minute ago, so why would you give him one? What are you protecting him for? To keep him safe, so that he can carry on with persecuting Dafa disciples? What you need to do is to clarify the truth to him, to get him to understand, and cease doing bad things. Once you have truly saved him, then give him a protective charm. This needs to be done in depth and in earnest. Saving people is not the same as passing out flyers, whereby every flyer given out counts.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World, Volume XI)

Master has already told us clearly what to be aware of when we give out such things. I suggest that, after clarifying the truth to someone, we can ask if they already have an amulet. If they do, then we do not need to give them another one. We should cherish Dafa’s resources and think about how to clarify the facts more effectively instead of spending so much time, money, and energy on making amulets.