I do not remember the day I made this decision; all I remember is knowing that I would be there. Within me, I know the benefits derived from practicing Falun Dafa, and consequently I cannot understand this senseless persecution. Day by day, I try to follow the teachings, although at times it is hard to change old habits and not fall short of the mark. Practicing Truth, Compassion and Forbearance is a challenge for any individual, but one tries, and with practice, one is bound to succeed. We all know that in many ways we are encouraged by society to deviate from these principles. The pursuit of absolute wealth and power are fast becoming the trademarks of this new century. I feel that in the 21st century, with all the scientific and technological advancements, there should be peace on this earth. Sadly, things are getting worse.
Due to the terrorist attack, America is on full alert and there are conflicts in most countries around the world. Worst of all is the situation in China, where thousands upon thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners are imprisoned without trial, and many others are persecuted in one way or another. The reality for female practitioners in forced labor camps is physical abuse--and in some instances, rape-- while some pregnant practitioners are faced with the horror of forced abortions. Many healthy, vibrant practitioners have lost their lives by way of torture. To Western societies, these people are only names and statistics. The human rights abuses that are taking place in China are beyond our understanding. We cannot comprehend how human beings in our day and age can carry out such inhuman acts that belong in the dark ages.
Falun Gong practitioners are being used as scapegoats in the struggle for power within the Chinese Government. Jiang Zemin has indicated Falun Gong is to be eliminated. Thus people who want to be good, and to be of value to society by following and practicing this cultivation system, are persecuted. Upholding the fundamental principles of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance is not a crime. If Jiang Zemin were to succeed in obliterating Falun Dafa, the universe and the world would indeed be very dark places. Some people say this has happened before in history, that this is nothing new or strange. Is this a good enough reason for us to be silent or inactive? As people of conscience, should we not raise our voices and tell everyone that these kinds of violations of human rights are no longer acceptable?
Why are children still being born into a world full of violence? My belief is that in some small way we can all contribute our good thoughts to make a difference. Some people have briefly looked through the pages of Zhuan Falun and adopted an uninformed opinion of its contents, without any in-depth understanding. Some have sensationalized what they thought to be controversial. It surprises me that the truth of what lies within the pages of Zhuan Falun--the goodness, compassion and benevolence of Master Li--have not become public knowledge. Falun Dafa is a beautiful experience, and it does make a difference in one's life. Like everything that is good for us, it is not easy; but neither is it too difficult. Everything hinges on one's heart and determination. In an effort to awaken the minds of the Chinese population that are being brainwashed by the vicious, poisonous propaganda campaign that was launched in 1999, I have made this decision. As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I feel it is my duty to travel to Beijing and join other Western practitioners in making it known that Falun Dafa is good, that it is practiced throughout the world, and that it belongs to everybody.
Category: Clarifying the Truth
