(Minghui.org) After the persecution of Falun Gong started, many practitioners in my area who had not given up emotional attachments felt kind of shunned and isolated by society, resulting in their feeling very lonely. But instead of rectifying the situation by clarifying the truth and exposing the misconceptions about Falun Gong, they instead sought out other practitioners as friends and created social groups.

On the surface they still studied the Fa and did the exercises together, and they appeared even more diligent than other practitioners, never missing group practice. However, they also never missed the opportunity to stay together after group practice. Some gossiped, drank tea, watched TV, or went to restaurants. Many of them got involved in different social activities together.

This gradually led to new practitioners coming in, but they seemed to come more for the social aspect.

Master said in “Towards Consummation” in Essentials for Further Advancement II:

“Some people think that Dafa is in keeping with their own understanding of science; some people think that it agrees with their own code of conduct; some people think that it speaks to their own dissatisfaction with politics; some people think that Dafa can salvage humankind’s degenerate morals; some people think that Dafa can cure their illnesses; some people think that Dafa and Master are righteous, and so on and so forth. It isn’t wrong for human beings in this world to yearn with these attachments for beautiful dreams and wishes. But a cultivator definitely shouldn’t be that way. You may start on the path of Dafa with those thoughts, yet over the course of cultivation you need to regard yourself as a cultivator. During the course of cultivation, however, through reading the books, studying the Fa, and diligently making progress, you should clearly recognize what your thoughts were when you first came to Dafa. After cultivating for a period of time, are your thoughts still the same? Are you continuing on the path because of those human attachments? If so, you cannot be counted as my disciple.”

Master also said long ago in “Dafa Cannot be Used” in Essentials for Further Advancement:

“There is actually also a group of people who came like this and have completely changed their original understanding, becoming determined, genuine Dafa disciples. But there is still another group of people who do not intend to change and who have long been stumbling along in Dafa. For the sake of Dafa’s stability in the human world, I cannot condone their continuing any further. Thus, they will really miss their chance. As I said, superficial changes are for others to see. Whether or not you can be saved depends on the change and ascension of your own heart. If change does not occur there, you cannot improve and nothing can be achieved.”

One fundamental attachment that seems to be particularly widespread among practitioners in my area is the emotional attachment to friends and family.

Master said in “Cultivators’ Avoidances” in Essentials for Further Advancement:

“Those who are attached to affection for family will definitely be burned, entangled, and tormented by it. Pulled by the threads of affection and plagued by them throughout their lives, they will find it too late to regret at the end of their lives.”

This has disrupted the cultivation environment in my area and caused some of the practice sites to close down. At first it was almost imperceptible, but with time it grew more severe. It also led to other attachments, including attachments to reputation, money, and politics.

This has led some local practitioners to gradually abandon cultivation altogether and to instead join and support various political parties and factions to strengthen their social bonds.

Some have even joined or supported ordinary political groups in the name of Falun Gong, which is not in accordance with the Fa.

There are still many practitioners who have such attachments and still put their hope for an end to the persecution in some political party or politician. Of course we can and should clarify the truth to everyone, regardless of which political party or social group they belong to.

As for political organizations, the Communist Party is infamous for its front organizations. Some seem to be opposed to socialism but actually have certain socialist elements. I feel that we should avoid getting involved with them – much less as Falun Gong practitioners. Our goal is to cultivate ourselves, eliminate such attachments, and clarify the truth, thereby saving people.

I am writing this in the hopes that some of these practitioners will wake up and that this will also serve as a wake-up call to other practitioners.

This is just my own understanding. Please point out anything improper.