Personal Thoughts on Banners That We Use in Parades and Other Events

Written by a Dafa practitioner from northwestern USA

(Clearwisdom.net) Recently Dafa practitioners held numerous parades, rallies, vigils, and peaceful appeals. I had some thoughts after each activity. I am hereby writing down some areas that we can improve upon in order to share with fellow practitioners.

1. Using written explanations and pictures together to expose the facts of the persecution

I recall that, during the first few years, fellow practitioners used many pictures to show the devastating situation that practitioners in China suffered from in the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Those pictures shocked the world. However, in recent years, we have more and more large banners with text only, and many of them are in Chinese. Nevertheless, we seem to have fewer pictures as factual evidence that could directly expose the persecution.

As time goes on, our audience may have changed. Therefore, the factual pictures that reveal the brutality of the persecution will continue to move people and make them appalled by the persecution. Pictures are convincing, but not out of date. Master says,

"...as long as you can have people recognize this persecution, you are saving them, and you are extraordinary." (Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida)

2. Using pictures and written explanations to help people understand what Falun Dafa is

I think that it would be appropriate that we use mainstream society's language on more of the banners that we use in the western countries where we have parades. However, in our parades and events, I see many banners that read: "Falun Dafa Is Good" and "Falun Dafa" in Chinese. I believe that it will be better if we explain to people with both words and pictures what Falun Dafa is, so people can understand us better. Many Americans nowadays believe that Falun Gong is a new kind of religion and is suffering persecution in China. But they do not really understand what Falun Dafa is. If people do not know what Falun Dafa really is about, they cannot say from the depth of their hearts "Falun Dafa is good."

Dafa itself is all-encompassing. But in this human dimension, Dafa disciples need to harmonize it. If we fail to make it clear for people to understand what Dafa is, and show them the beauty of Dafa, we are not harmonizing Dafa well in the human dimension.

3. The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and quitting the Party

When promoting The Nine Commentaries and convincing people to quit the Party, it will be better if we can show people the pictures that tell people the history of the wicked Party's violence. By doing so, the CCP's crimes toward Chinese people will be vividly displayed before sentient beings. Visual impacts and impressions are normally deeper. I think it will be more powerful if we do not shout slogans in parades and rallies, because our banners clearly express our message. Under some circumstances, silence represents that our will is as strong as diamond. In addition, we do not need to have too many banners. Instead, we should have a good portion of banners in the native languages where the events take place, and they should all be related to the main theme. If not, the passersby and journalists will not have time to see clearly the content of the back-to-back banners in the parades.

4. How to understand a parade with processions of two opposite themes at the same time: joy and mourning

In recent years, we always march in sections of various themes that we are familiar with. For practitioners, it is clear and convenient to organize. However, to those who just happen to pass by the parade route, they may not easily understand the theme of our parade. For example, our Celestial Band always marches at the very beginning, followed by the celestial maidens, and after them are practitioners who hold wreaths to mourn those who lost their lives during the persecution. This is the anti-persecution procession, which we are very familiar with. I believe that only those passersby who look very carefully can understand why the atmospheres is not quite consistent between the beginning and end of our parades.

I think that our parades should focus on exposing the persecution and awakening people's kindness. Dafa practitioners often have chances to participate in regular festive parades, which are a good chances to show Dafa's beauty. I believe that when we have our own parades and other kinds of events, we should try our best to help sentient beings to understand the facts of the persecution. We should show people the pictures of practitioners being tortured in China, and brief descriptions and data on how many have been tortured to death, detained, put in forced labor camps, and had their organs harvested while still living. This is how we should present the basic facts to overseas mainstream society.

5. Candlelight vigils should have one theme

The candlelight vigils that practitioners hold in the different areas of the world should all display banners that mainly show the mourning theme. A banner that reads "Falun Dafa Is Good" as the main banner will not send a clear message. At that moment, we want to emphasize the mourning of the practitioners, hence the atmosphere should be solemn and stirring, and it should touch people's hearts. At candlelight vigils, we should have banners with contents that mourn the deaths of our fellow practitioners. When passersby see us, they will instantly understand why we are having the candlelight vigil. At the same time, we can get more positive media effect.

I wonder if the practitioners who organize our activities are too busy to carefully consider the theme and our purpose, or are they just carrying out the tasks for the purpose of accomplishing them? If that is the case, then we should think of improving for the goal of harmonizing Dafa and offering salvation to sentient beings.

This is my personal understanding. Please point out anything that is inappropriate.

Related article: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2008/8/11/99718.html

Written on August 18

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