We Should Consider the Audience's Ability to Understand When Clarifying the Truth

By a practitioner from Mainland China

(Clearwisdom.net)

In both detention centers and prisons, I discovered that some practitioners, due to their inadequate understanding of the Fa principles or poor control of their attitude, became passive or caused some negative influence when they clarified the truth to the police. Then, how can we clarify the truth to the police in brainwashing centers or to other related people and expose the evil better? I would like to share my understanding and experience on this issue.

In July of the year before last, the prison in which I was detained started a second round of brainwashing against steadfast Falun Gong practitioners. The police took me to the hostel of the prison one morning. This time, they had two police officers from other sections of the prison try to brainwash me, since police from my section became quite sympathetic after their frequent contact with me and being continuously exposed to the facts.

As soon as I got in the room, the two police said to me, "We were told that you are very stubborn. Nobody can say anything about you." I said, "I am not stubborn at all. Instead, I always look for weak points of my own and correct them. If you can convince me with reason, I can do whatever you want me to do. If you cannot convince me with reason, you cannot force me to do what I am not willing to do."

I picked up the so-called "criticizing materials" they wanted me to read and said to them, "I can point out how each article of these slanders and defames Falun Gong, and tell the facts to you."

Later, they asked me many questions. I noticed that many of these questions were actually puzzles in their minds. They did not believe completely the reports of the media, either.

For example, they asked me, "Why did your Master ask you not to take medicine when you become sick?"

I said, "Our Master has never said that those who practiced Falun Gong don't have to take medicine when they are sick. Don't you have books here? Go and search in all Falun Gong books. There is no such sentence." I showed them one article from the so-called criticizing materials and said to them, "Look at the author of this article. He took many phrases and sentences of the Fa out of context. Our Master explained the relationship between cultivation and taking medicine. He did not say that one should not take medicine when one is sick! Seeing all the slanderous reports in the media -- how can you believe them?"

They asked me immediately, "Do you take medicine when you are sick?" I answered, "I would take medicine if I was truly sick." They then said, "Doesn't your Master say that an illness is caused by karma?" I said, "What causes an illness and not taking medicine when sick are two different matters. Nowadays, don't many scientists think that some diseases are caused by genes, some by fatigue, and some by tension? How can you therefore conclude that these scientists are telling people not to take medicine when they become sick?"

They asked me again, "What do you think about the reports of Falun Gong practitioners who commit suicide for consummation?" I said, "Our Master has said that committing suicide is a sin. He has never said that one has to commit suicide to reach consummation. Consummation is a common term. To an ordinary person, when he has finished the task assigned by his supervisor very well, he can be said to have consummated his task. To a cultivator, when he has finished the whole process of his cultivation and when his mind nature has reached the standard, he can be said to have consummated his cultivation. What has this got to do with suicide?

After several days' talk, our conversation became very harmonious. One of the policemen told me that he would like to make friends with me. Knowing that they could not finish their task by going on like this, and being unable to find any excuses for being angry with me, they had to tell the heads of the education section that they had no way to change me.

Through these experiences, I think that we should have a heart of compassion when we clarify the truth to the police or other people. We cannot think that they are hopeless just because they have said or have done something. We cannot regard them as enemies. Secondly, we should make what we say understandable to others. We cannot talk on too high of a level. Not only can they not understand us, but they will also misunderstand us. As Dafa practitioners, we have practiced cultivation for years. It is impossible to explain the high level principles to an ordinary person in a few sentences. For instance, some practitioners may answer the question as, "We true practitioners won't be sick. Even if our body looks sick, it is the state of eliminating karma." I think nothing is wrong when one says it like this; but an ordinary person cannot understand it. He may ask why. The more you explain, the less he can understand. Nonetheless, we cannot treat all situations the same. We should put our feet in their shoes and recall how we went along our path of cultivation step by step from the beginning.

The above is my experience and my understanding, which I wrote to share with you. Please offer any necessary corrections.

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