A Canadian western Falun Gong practitioner recently wrote a letter to the Chinese
people living in his apartment building to clarify the truth about Falun Gong.
He said, "While most westerners are enjoying the warmth of family gatherings
and Christmas dinners, I am enjoying the warmth in my heart for all of you. Now,
you can tell your friends that you had a visitor on Christmas Eve. He wasn’t fat,
and he didn’t drive a sleigh with reindeer like Santa Claus, but he did bring
you gifts. He brought you his heart of respect for the great Chinese culture and
for Chinese people. More importantly, he brought you the truth of Falun Gong."
His letter follows:
Dear Chinese Neighbors:
Good Morning, I am your neighbor and I live in apartment x. I am a small business
owner who recently moved into this building a few months ago. I have had the
pleasure to see some of you off and on in the elevators and in the garage.
Every time I see you I have so much I want to say but the time is not always
appropriate. Also I am very busy as my business is only one year old and still
needs a lot of attention. My time is tight but my family celebrations are later
so I would like to use some of my spare time today to share something with you.
I have been practicing Falun Gong for over 5 years now and I want to tell you
it has given me a wonderful, healthy and morally upright life. Most of my days
are filled with happiness, deep meaning, and a full heart because of learning
Falun Gong. My mother also practices and she has received many health benefits
as well.
The matter of Falun Gong being persecuted is deeply connected to every Chinese
person
I have encountered many Chinese people outside of mainland China who are either
greatly deceived about what Falun Gong is or don’t care to know as "it
has nothing to do with them." I tell you that it has everything to do with
each Chinese person. When Jiang Zemin began the persecution of Falun Gong there
where 100 million people practicing Falun Gong in China. Each one has family
members and friends. They each have a job, a boss and co-workers. The persecution
quickly escalated and not only Falun Gong practitioners were targeted. Those
who knew them also faced and still today face a lot of pressure and abuse.
Furthermore every institute of Chinese society was used by Jiang in his persecution.
This has gone on for over 4 years now. The United Nations special investigators,
independent organizations and other governments have documented many terrible
crimes, tortures and deaths happening to Falun Gong practitioners. I don’t say
this lightly, I have these reports. Such a thing happening to so many Chinese
people, in the face of so many lies, isn’t this the business of all Chinese
people? It has to do with all of China and her people.
Jiang’s attitude cannot represent China, but only himself
Some other people say to me that they don’t care about politics. But I tell
people it is not about ruling or running a country, or political issues. It
is only Jiang who says China or the Party must defeat Falun Gong, saying that
we want to overthrow the government, or we would want some power. We are cultivators
of the Universal Dafa (Great Law) or Great Dao. This is our belief. We want
to be good people and practice Qi Gong, that’s all.
Our goals and aims are totally different. Politics is to guide and control
society; we want to be good by following the rules of society. Really, it’s
amusing to us when people say we want to be political, but this is used to deceive
hundreds of millions of Chinese people.
If you were to tell Lu Dong Bin, Zhang San Feng or the famous Monk Ji Gong
that wanting to follow the Dao or become a Buddha is political, they would laugh
along with Falun Gong practitioners. And if it is called political because a
large number of people believe this, how can that make any sense. It is all
lies. Accusations that we are people who set themselves on fire, hurt and abandon
our families, or are against the government–all these are lies.
The Chinese government never passed any laws against Falun Gong. It only passed
the "anti-evil cult law." So Jiang has spread so many lies to try
and make people think we are an evil cult and that China must eliminate us.
In fact what Jiang wants does not represent China. He only represents himself.
Falun Gong has spread to more than 60 countries all over the world
Through practicing Falun Gong I have not only learned the teachings of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
(Zhen Shan Ren) but I have also learned about Chinese culture (although only
a little, it is so wonderful). 5000 years of history with so many great leaders
and dynasties. There is so much beauty and dignity there. I learned to appreciate
this great Chinese culture through learning Falun Gong. I’m wondering how can
one person with a few words turn all that around and say that Falun Gong is
bad for China, when instead it helps foreigners like me to deeply respect Chinese
culture. It is useless to try. Although he tried to annihilate Falun Gong, he
will never succeed.
That is becoming clearer everyday. When the persecution of Falun Gong began
it was supposed to end in three months. At that time, Falun Gong was practiced
in 20 plus countries around the world. Today it is being practiced in over 60
countries and the book Zhuan Falun has been translated into over 20 languages.
Today Falun Gong is still practiced in China. Every day, more people learn the
truth about Jiang.
I just want you to understand the truth: Falun Dafa is good!
Yet he was the leader after all, with so much power and tools to deceive so
many people. This is why I visit you in the middle of the night on Christmas
Eve. Not to tell you to come and believe what I believe, or to practice Falun
Gong yourself, and not to ask you to oppose China or the Chinese government.
I want you to hear the simple truth. Falun Dafa is good.
From the beginning of the persecution to today I have traveled all over the
world, meeting government officials and people to try to help stop this terrible
tragedy. I have even traveled to China’s Great Wall and Tiananmen Square to
shout, "Fa Lun Da Fa Hao, Chuan Shi Jie Dou Zhi Dao." [Falun Dafa
is good, and the whole world knows] Although I was beaten on the surface my
heart was rich and full, as I had the honor to give back something to China,
her history, culture and people after I had received so much from them.
While most westerners are enjoying the warmth of family gatherings and Christmas
dinners, I am enjoying the warmth in my heart for all of you. Now, you can tell
your friends that you had a visitor on Christmas Eve. He wasn’t fat, and he
didn’t drive a sleigh with reindeer like Santa Claus, but he did bring you gifts.
He brought you his heart of respect for the great Chinese culture and for Chinese
people. More importantly, he brought you the truth of Falun Gong.
Respectfully wishing you and all precious Chinese people happy holidays and
a wonderful new year.
(Name withheld)
Posting date: 30/Dec/2003
Original article date: 29/Dec/2003
Category: Open Forum
