Thoughts on Talking About Falun Gong to People in Manhattan

Many clear-minded people around the world know about the hidden problems in China, and many of these people are investors in China. They resent the widespread corruption and other issues that exist in China, but they cannot find a solution.

The most typical way of thinking for these people is: "Yes, I know human rights and the rule of law are practically non-existent in China, corruption can be found everywhere, and most people live in abject poverty, but I want to help them with my investment! Didn't we peacefully reform the former Soviet Union? What else can I do besides this?"

Some investors and traders in China may not regard profit as their top priority, and some of them have the desire to uphold justice and work for the betterment of mankind. Even if they lose all of their money in China they may think, "At least I did something for the poor people there. My money helped change China in at least a small way." These investors may rarely speak up about or condemn the Chinese government when they lose their money, and the evil takes advantage of their good intentions, just as it takes advantage of Falun Dafa practitioners compassion.

In fact, all people who care about the future are concerned about China. They are exhausting all means, hoping that this giant nation will not bring disaster upon mankind. We should acknowledge these people's benevolent thoughts. Otherwise it will be hard for us to find common ground with them. Of course, others were enticed by the evil and trapped by material interests. But for these people, if we can remind them of their original intentions, and acknowledge their good thoughts, we can still talk with them.

Then how do we talk to them about Falun Gong so as to allow them to come to understand the real reasons behind the persecution?

My personal understandings are not extensive, but the following comes to mind:

First, when people initially sought money and material interests instead of fostering justice and courage to uphold peace, this was the point where they made a deal with the evil forces. We can remind people that the collapse of the former Soviet Union was due to the efforts of President Reagan and other courageous people who persisted in upholding justice. History repeatedly tells us that people who deal with evil will lose everything, sometimes even their own lives. We can use examples such as the Second World War.

Secondly, fostering support for Falun Gong is the best way to help China and the world. China's problems can actually be summarised as issues requiring the re-building of a moral framework and belief system. When all Chinese people have righteous beliefs and voluntarily correct their conduct, corruption will disappear, and people will respect each other. In fact, not a single, genuine Falun Gong practitioner is corrupt. When all Chinese people believe that Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance are standards with which to judge everything, they will choose the people and a system that conforms to those standards, and let them govern the country. Helping China to re-build its moral foundation is the guarantee for peace and prosperity in the world.

Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful and persistent resistance against the persecution during the past five years has proven that the belief they hold dear is the true hope for China. Since Falun Gong originated in China and is connected with Chinese culture, the people of China can mostly accept these beliefs quite comfortably. Supporting Falun Gong is actually being responsible for bringing stability to the 1.3 billion Chinese people and is also being responsible for the stability of the future world.

Supporting Falun Gong absolutely does not conflict with anyone's financial interests. Suppressing Falun Gong was the former President of China Jiang Zemin's personal decision, and precisely because China has a heavy dependence on foreign investment, foreign support for Falun Gong can have a most powerful and important effect. Everyone should ask himself whether he is willing to deal with a political entity that cares mainly for money, follows no rules or moral standards, or whether he would rather deal with a morally upright society. If the answer is the latter, then he should support Falun Gong, and help people in China gain the freedom to read Falun Gong books and practice the Falun Gong exercises freely. We should let Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance spread in China, because it will only be beneficial to the people their. This is an issue of spiritual belief. Falun Gong wants no money, no violence, no political power, yet the spread of it will benefit all people who care about China and who have business interests in China.

Finally, what can investors and others doing business with China do? They can petition the Chinese government to immediately end this persecution, punish those responsible, and help restore the Chinese people's right to freely practice Falun Gong. They can use their influence in China to truly help the Chinese people regain their freedom to follow Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance if that is what they choose for themselves.

As Falun Gong practitioners, we can help them start an international movement by providing foreign investors, be they individuals or large corporations, with documentation that clarifies the truth about Falun Gong, and ask them to petition their governments, NGO's and the Chinese government to help end the persecution.

If everyone to whom we have talked to said, "For the sake of our future, please support Falun Gong!" then the evildoing would cease.

What I have written is based on my personal understandings. Fellow practitioners, please point out anything inappropriate.