Why is Falun Gong Important to People All Over the World?

Throughout the long course of humankind's history, there have been touching stories of courage and sacrifice, nobility and honour, forbearance and steadfastness. These are the stories that have guided mankind to the current day - these are humankind's most treasured historical records.

More often than not, the major events that have structured humanity are based on strong spiritual and moral foundations. Some, such as the rise of Christianity, have shown how the spiritual beliefs of a few people willing to live and die peacefully for righteousness can change the fate of the world for the better.

This is why people around the world should be concerned about Falun Gong and the persecution going on in China today.

Recently, Falun Gong practitioners have been holding large-scale anti-torture demonstrations in Manhattan, New York to raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong to residents of the free world. Many people have been touched and moved by the violence being perpetrated against kind-hearted people in China and have stepped forward to support Falun Gong.

Yet, to many Caucasians and people of other races, one question probably stands out in their minds: Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with me?

A look at history shows that this persecution impacts all of humanity.

It is the sacrifices made by upright spiritual beliefs that have allowed human civilisation to endure as long as it has. Christianity survived 300 years of brutal suppression by the Roman Empire; Buddhism went through many violent purges in the lands of Southeast Asia. The inherent goodness of both spiritual ways stood in opposition to the evil that tried to eradicate them, and they have endured to provide guidance for the spiritual well-being of people for almost 2,000 years.

In 1992, Falun Gong was introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Those who have been close to Falun Gong practitioners would attest to the inherent goodness of this practice, and how it has completely changed people for the better. Through the practice, elderly people have become healthier, couples on the verge of divorce were brought back together, selfish and crafty businessmen changed to follow more upright business ethics, and young men and women enticed by the deviated notions of today's youth stopped indulging in self-destructive activities and became noble men and women.

Yet, in 1999, a persecution was launched against these good people. China's former Communist leader, Jiang Zemin, upset simply because so many people were practicing Falun Gong, banned it and began a persecution more violent than any in history.

It is more violent because it is a persecution against 100 million practitioners and their families. It is more violent because the methods of torture used - physical, mental, emotional and most importantly spiritual - were designed to cause death, despair and hopelessness.

While this persecution may seem to be isolated to China - a country that many people know little about - and may seem to have nothing to do people in other countries, this is not the case.

Falun Gong's principles are Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. The persecution of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance is a persecution of the very fundamental foundation of human morality and a persecution of the basic factors of human goodness and kindness. The persecution is designed to destroy that which makes us human.

At the same time, we can all perhaps also learn from the remarkable composure and non-violent means that Falun Gong practitioners have taken to safeguard the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. They are doing this for humanity; they are doing it for all the people in the world.

It is time for people around the world to recognise the wide-ranging implications of what Falun Gong means to human beings worldwide, and recognise that the persecution of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance is indeed a persecution of all humanity.