Monday, November 23, 2009
Part 2: May 13th - Soul of a Nation
After ten years of often-brutal persecution by China’s Communist authorities, the Chinese spiritual practice Falun Gong remains a visible presence worldwide. It’s still practiced, although often in secret, by millions in the Mainland. What makes these people so committed to their beliefs? In “A Decade of Courage: Soul of a Nation” we look at the rapidly changing, post-Cultural Revolution China in which the practice emerged. We hear the stories of people who came to Falun Gong for various reasons, but who say their lives have been changed as a result. And, ten years after the Communist ban, on the tenth year that practitioners worldwide celebrate May 13th as “World Falun Dafa Day”, and 17 years after the practice was first spread on May 13th, 1992, we ask what this practice has meant for today’s China, and what it will mean for China’s future.
Part 3: June 10th, 1999 - China's Hidden Holocaust
Thursday, June 10th, 1999. To most of us, it's like any other day. But ten years ago today, the Chinese communist regime created a Gestapo-style secret police agency, with the mission to destroy Falun Gong--by any means necessary.
With the tools of torture and the resources of the world's most populous nation, then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin thought he could crush Falun Gong in three months. But as history played out, many Falun Gong practitioners were able to not only endure the brutality of the persecution, but turn the tables on the Chinese government by exposing their persecution around the world. This is their story.
Part 4: July 20th - China's Deadly Harvest
Numbers are symbols; they represent anything and everything. But they also hide what they represent, like a mask. In ten years, the names of over 3,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been collected; they are the names of people who have been killed through torture by Chinese authorities. But, how many more people simply disappeared after the persecution began? And what is the connection to China's booming organ transplant industry. Though the truth is still unknown, the evidence points to a disturbing conclusion about the new China, and of what the rest of the world is willing to ignore. In this original investigation, NTD attempts to discover: 'what happened to the people who disappeared?'
Monday, July 27, 2009
Falun Dafa Workshop Dates
MIND/ BODY/ SPIRIT
真 Truthfulness
善 Compassion
忍 Tolerance
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an advanced traditional Chinese meditation system designed to improve mind and body through slow, gentle and smooth exercises. The practice not only has far reaching effects on stress-relief and overall mental and physical health, but also ultimately has the higher goal of bringing people towards wisdom and enlightenment.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*
Suitable for all ages
Free teachings, no charges
Relieves stress, creates harmony
5 sets of exercises, easy to learn
More than 100 million practitioners
Improves health, and cleanses the body
*~Falun Gong has five sets of easy-to-learn gentle movements and a meditation*~
Based on the Principals of: Truthfulness (Zhen), Compassion (Shan), Tolerance(Ren)
The workshop will be at Clark County Library 1401 E. Flamingo Road 89119 in Large Conference Room near the Theater when you enter the library.
Saturday December 05, 2009 at 2:00pm to 5:00m
Tuesday December 15, 2009 at 6:00pm to 8:45pm
For more information contact Rafael at 702-463-7396
真 Truthfulness
善 Compassion
忍 Tolerance
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an advanced traditional Chinese meditation system designed to improve mind and body through slow, gentle and smooth exercises. The practice not only has far reaching effects on stress-relief and overall mental and physical health, but also ultimately has the higher goal of bringing people towards wisdom and enlightenment.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*
Suitable for all ages
Free teachings, no charges
Relieves stress, creates harmony
5 sets of exercises, easy to learn
More than 100 million practitioners
Improves health, and cleanses the body
*~Falun Gong has five sets of easy-to-learn gentle movements and a meditation*~
Based on the Principals of: Truthfulness (Zhen), Compassion (Shan), Tolerance(Ren)
The workshop will be at Clark County Library 1401 E. Flamingo Road 89119 in Large Conference Room near the Theater when you enter the library.
Saturday December 05, 2009 at 2:00pm to 5:00m
Tuesday December 15, 2009 at 6:00pm to 8:45pm
For more information contact Rafael at 702-463-7396
Let Freedom Ring for China
Chinese Couple Finds Hope at the Liberty Bell
By Pamela Tsai
Epoch Times Staff
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/20107/
A "sensitive year" is what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has called 2009—for Chinese government officials, "sensitive" is a code word for being ready to clamp down on public dissent. This year marks 60 years since the CCP took over China and 20 years since the Tiananmen Square Massacre. More importantly, it has been ten years since the Party began the persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful practice of mind and body based on the principles of truth, compassion and forbearance.
Jason Wang, 36, a former university lecturer from Hefei, Anhui Province (approximately 250 miles from Shanghai) is one of them. Wang and his wife Tina Jia practice Falun Gong.
On the evening of July 20th, Wang and dozens of practitioners and supporters of Falun Gong stood next to the building that houses the Liberty Bell. “Standing beside the Liberty Bell, I call for an end to the persecution in China,” Wang said through a translator.
Wang recently escaped China with his wife and arrived in Philadelphia. He grew up in an educated family. His father is a lawyer, and his mother is a teacher.
In October 1999, less than three months after the CCP began its brutal campaign against Falun Gong, Wang was fired from his university job for traveling to Beijing to appeal to the central government to end the persecution.
In 2000, he was arrested in an Internet cafe. The owner reported Wang to local police when he saw that Wang was trying to view Clearwisdom.org. The website is run by overseas Falun Gong practitioners to provide information about the persecution and to share ideas.
He escaped on the way to the police station. He was arrested again 15 minutes after he called his parents to tell them where he was. His lawyer father wanted to help his son, but he was helpless.
The Chinese government prohibits lawyers from defending Falun Gong practitioners. Lawyers who represent Falun Gong practitioners have become victims of the CCP, facing imprisonment, torture, harassment, intimidation, beatings and revocation of their law licenses.
Wang endured eight months of torture at the Fei Dong Detention Center. There, in the cold of a November night, the police stripped Wang of his clothes, made him stand outside, and ordered 30 inmates to pour cold water over him.
Wang was forced to wear 33 pounds of iron shackles on his feet, day and night. His hands were often cuffed.
He was forced to work 16 hours every day. “We are the slave labor behind the cheap Chinese imports,” said Wang when he saw “Made in China.” The documentary follows Christmas tree ornaments sold in American stores. Christmas ornaments are one of the products he made in the labor camp.
About 90 percent of the Christmas tree ornaments sold in the U.S. are made in China. According to an investigation report cited by U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, many Christmas tree ornaments sold at some major retailers are made in Chinese sweatshops or by slave labor.
Wang’s personal account brought renewed understanding about China to the bystanders in the audience. Danny, a Drexel law school student said “It is cruel. The persecution shouldn’t be allowed to continue.”
One Chinese woman, originally from Fujian Province, asked to be quoted anonymously for fear of being identified by CCP spies in the U.S. She said, “I couldn’t help crying. I know what he said was true. Nobody can openly talk about this in China ... only here.”
Wang said physical torture was only part of the devastation. “The killing of conscience is more deadly.”
When he was in the labor camp, he was beaten by several police. Their job was to brainwash Wang and make him denounce his belief. For many police, performance reviews, salaries, bonuses and promotions are tied to a quota of how many Falun Gong they force to give up the practice. They were given orders to do whatever it takes to get the quota met. The original orders given by the CCP to eliminate Falun Gong included “no measure is too excessive” and “if beaten to death, count it as suicide."
One day, Jason was beaten into unconsciousness. When he awoke, he found that one police officer, a young man in his early twenties was trying to loosen up the ropes tied around Wang's body. He looked at Wang’s bruised legs, faces, arms, asked “Do you hate me?”
Wang replied, “No. I know you didn’t want to.”
The young man became choked up. “It is my job, not my conscience.”
“It is a tragedy not only for the ones being persecuted, but also those who are made to commit the crimes against humanity, against their own conscience,” said Wang.
Wang asks the international community to help restore the conscience in China. “ Without conscience, there is no hope, no future ... the persecution of Falun Gong is a test of the basic humanity in us all. The persecution has to be stopped.”
Wang’s voice was echoed by his wife Tina, who is seeking help to rescue her mother, jailed in a Chinese labor camp for practicing Falun Gong.
By Pamela Tsai
Epoch Times Staff
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/20107/
A "sensitive year" is what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has called 2009—for Chinese government officials, "sensitive" is a code word for being ready to clamp down on public dissent. This year marks 60 years since the CCP took over China and 20 years since the Tiananmen Square Massacre. More importantly, it has been ten years since the Party began the persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful practice of mind and body based on the principles of truth, compassion and forbearance.
Jason Wang, 36, a former university lecturer from Hefei, Anhui Province (approximately 250 miles from Shanghai) is one of them. Wang and his wife Tina Jia practice Falun Gong.
On the evening of July 20th, Wang and dozens of practitioners and supporters of Falun Gong stood next to the building that houses the Liberty Bell. “Standing beside the Liberty Bell, I call for an end to the persecution in China,” Wang said through a translator.
Wang recently escaped China with his wife and arrived in Philadelphia. He grew up in an educated family. His father is a lawyer, and his mother is a teacher.
In October 1999, less than three months after the CCP began its brutal campaign against Falun Gong, Wang was fired from his university job for traveling to Beijing to appeal to the central government to end the persecution.
In 2000, he was arrested in an Internet cafe. The owner reported Wang to local police when he saw that Wang was trying to view Clearwisdom.org. The website is run by overseas Falun Gong practitioners to provide information about the persecution and to share ideas.
He escaped on the way to the police station. He was arrested again 15 minutes after he called his parents to tell them where he was. His lawyer father wanted to help his son, but he was helpless.
The Chinese government prohibits lawyers from defending Falun Gong practitioners. Lawyers who represent Falun Gong practitioners have become victims of the CCP, facing imprisonment, torture, harassment, intimidation, beatings and revocation of their law licenses.
Wang endured eight months of torture at the Fei Dong Detention Center. There, in the cold of a November night, the police stripped Wang of his clothes, made him stand outside, and ordered 30 inmates to pour cold water over him.
Wang was forced to wear 33 pounds of iron shackles on his feet, day and night. His hands were often cuffed.
He was forced to work 16 hours every day. “We are the slave labor behind the cheap Chinese imports,” said Wang when he saw “Made in China.” The documentary follows Christmas tree ornaments sold in American stores. Christmas ornaments are one of the products he made in the labor camp.
About 90 percent of the Christmas tree ornaments sold in the U.S. are made in China. According to an investigation report cited by U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, many Christmas tree ornaments sold at some major retailers are made in Chinese sweatshops or by slave labor.
Wang’s personal account brought renewed understanding about China to the bystanders in the audience. Danny, a Drexel law school student said “It is cruel. The persecution shouldn’t be allowed to continue.”
One Chinese woman, originally from Fujian Province, asked to be quoted anonymously for fear of being identified by CCP spies in the U.S. She said, “I couldn’t help crying. I know what he said was true. Nobody can openly talk about this in China ... only here.”
Wang said physical torture was only part of the devastation. “The killing of conscience is more deadly.”
When he was in the labor camp, he was beaten by several police. Their job was to brainwash Wang and make him denounce his belief. For many police, performance reviews, salaries, bonuses and promotions are tied to a quota of how many Falun Gong they force to give up the practice. They were given orders to do whatever it takes to get the quota met. The original orders given by the CCP to eliminate Falun Gong included “no measure is too excessive” and “if beaten to death, count it as suicide."
One day, Jason was beaten into unconsciousness. When he awoke, he found that one police officer, a young man in his early twenties was trying to loosen up the ropes tied around Wang's body. He looked at Wang’s bruised legs, faces, arms, asked “Do you hate me?”
Wang replied, “No. I know you didn’t want to.”
The young man became choked up. “It is my job, not my conscience.”
“It is a tragedy not only for the ones being persecuted, but also those who are made to commit the crimes against humanity, against their own conscience,” said Wang.
Wang asks the international community to help restore the conscience in China. “ Without conscience, there is no hope, no future ... the persecution of Falun Gong is a test of the basic humanity in us all. The persecution has to be stopped.”
Wang’s voice was echoed by his wife Tina, who is seeking help to rescue her mother, jailed in a Chinese labor camp for practicing Falun Gong.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
To Conscience
If right and wrong can be compromised, why have right and wrong? If good can cave in to evil, what will values and principles be based on?
Conscience, the innate knowing of goodness, is the very essence of humanity. Everything else, even our "inalienable rights" can be forcibly taken away. The alteration of our conscience, no matter how small, must be compensated to from within. Conscience, thus, defines human nature, and the right to conscience is a human beings most fundamental right.
No crime, therefore, is worse than the crime against conscience.
By Shizhong Chen
The Conscience Foundation
The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group
IN MEMORY OF THE 3,283 DEATHS OF FALUN GONG PRACTITIONERS IN CHINA WHO DIDN'T LOSE THEIR CONSCIENCE EVEN IN THE FACE OF LOSING EVERYTHING ELSE.
JULY 20, 2009 WILL MARK THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE PERSECUTION OF FALUN GONG IN CHINA BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.
Million Minutes of Meditation
Bring Peace to China by Finding in yourself.
Your meditation can help stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
This July marks exactly 10 years since the Chinese Communist Party began a campaign of imprisonment, propaganda, torture, and murder to eradicate Falun Gong, a practice of meditation and spiritual cultivation based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong was once celebrated by the Chinese government for its health benefits and moral teachings, but as the practice grew in popularity throughout the 1990's, the Communist Party began to see it as an ideological threat, eventually banning it outright. Practitioners of Falun Gong have maintained their peaceful beliefs in the face of this oppression, and their efforts to regain their freedom have always been non-violent and in line with the tenets of their faith. Hundreds of thousands have been imprisoned without trial. Millions have lost jobs, homes, and loved ones. Over 3,200 have been tortured to death for their beliefs.
So here's what you can do to help:
Take a minute or two—or more—and just sit, meditate, or pray in your way. Think about the principles that guide your life or what freedom of belief means to you, and then simply donate those minutes of meditation to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong by filling in the form on the left. If you find the experience rewarding, do it again another day, and ask a few friends to do the same.
To donate your meditation or prayer please go to http://millionminutesofmeditation.org/
Your meditation can help stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
This July marks exactly 10 years since the Chinese Communist Party began a campaign of imprisonment, propaganda, torture, and murder to eradicate Falun Gong, a practice of meditation and spiritual cultivation based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong was once celebrated by the Chinese government for its health benefits and moral teachings, but as the practice grew in popularity throughout the 1990's, the Communist Party began to see it as an ideological threat, eventually banning it outright. Practitioners of Falun Gong have maintained their peaceful beliefs in the face of this oppression, and their efforts to regain their freedom have always been non-violent and in line with the tenets of their faith. Hundreds of thousands have been imprisoned without trial. Millions have lost jobs, homes, and loved ones. Over 3,200 have been tortured to death for their beliefs.
So here's what you can do to help:
Take a minute or two—or more—and just sit, meditate, or pray in your way. Think about the principles that guide your life or what freedom of belief means to you, and then simply donate those minutes of meditation to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong by filling in the form on the left. If you find the experience rewarding, do it again another day, and ask a few friends to do the same.
To donate your meditation or prayer please go to http://millionminutesofmeditation.org/
Testimonials: Olympian Jan Becker on Falun Gong
Olympian Jan Becker on Falun Gong
Epoch Times International Newspaper
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/19343/
By Jan Becker
I have been practicing Falun Dafa for over 10 years. I was drawn to the practice initially by the exercises, which are very gentle, but have amazing energy.
I didn’t start reading Zhuan Falun, written by Mr. Li Hongzhi, until three months later. The teachings have answered many of the questions I had on life and the universe. Now, over the years, I have been amazed at the changes in myself both physically and mentally.
Doing the meditation and exercises, and following the three principles of Falun Dafa, which are Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, has given me the opportunity for personal improvement and I have been able to apply them to both my everyday life and my work as a human resources manager.
Prior to commencing the practice, I was under the care of a major Melbourne hospital for a serious respiratory condition, which was in the TB/leprosy family. The disease was not contagious, but was considered fatal, and I could feel myself fading away. After six months of practicing Falun Dafa, I decided to put all my faith in my practice and I have not been to a doctor since—for anything!
My boss, who I have worked with for 17 years, has been extremely supportive. He told me that even though he has trained in the physical sciences, he can see that, through the metaphysical, clearly something very positive has happened to me.
No one, including my family and friends, expected me to be here today and personally, I feel 10 years younger than when I commenced Falun Dafa. My energy levels and my enthusiasm for life have completely changed.
People around me are very supportive of Dafa because they can see that I am a healthier and more caring person.
Tiananmen Square
Six months after I began practicing Falun Dafa, China banned the practice and the terrible persecution of practitioners in China began. To show my support, especially as a Westerner, I decided, along with eight other Australians, to go to China in 2002 to show our support for the Chinese practitioners and what was happening to them.
I felt that as an Olympian, I could maybe have some impact through the media, informing the rest of the world what was really being hidden from them. In Tiananmen Square, to be able to repeatedly shout from my heart that Falun Dafa is good was an honor. I knew this was part of my journey and I wasn’t in the least bit scared.
Beijing Olympics
China promised to change if they got the Olympics in 2008 and I saw a great opportunity for the International Olympic Committee to make that happen. Instead, they went against the principles of the Olympic Charter and the code of ethics. In my eyes, and I am sure many others also feel as I do, the Olympics have been diminished and I am ashamed at numerous things that occurred.
I could go into so many issues of cruelty and upheaval that occurred to the Chinese people because of the Olympics. Even today, there are still practitioners and other people trying to assist with people’s rights in China who remain imprisoned because of the Olympics. The international media did little about it too.
We, as human beings, need to consider what the important things in life are. To me, the sanctity of life and respect for human dignity override all other aspects, including trade, profit and sport, even at the Olympic level.
I personally feel it is disgusting what is going on and I sincerely hope that the world can stand as one to end the persecution of this beautiful and beneficial practice.
Olympian Jan Becker
Jan Becker competed for Australia in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as part of the silver medal winning freestyle relay team. She is a mother of three, grandmother of six and works for a large engineering company in Melbourne. She has been practicing Falun Gong since 1998 and was briefly arrested in China in 2002 when she went to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to demonstrate against the persecution. Ms Becker was Australia’s ambassador at the launch of the Human Rights Torch in Athens in 2008 and remains committed to ending human rights abuses in China.
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