My Encounter with Police Led Me to Realize I Must Change My Notions and Let Go of Resentment

(Minghui.org) In mid-July, my family took our relatives to visit a tourist site. Upon arriving, we saw many visitors, and the streets were heavily guarded. The guards all wore red armbands. I wasn’t afraid and said to my relative, “The evil Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is like ‘every plant appears as enemy troops lying in ambush about to attack.’”

All the vehicles from other cities went through a security checkpoint at the entrance of each road. People’s IDs and their car trunks were checked. Because we drove a car with a local registration, we passed through the security check smoothly. When we checked in at the entrance of the tourist site, we didn’t notice that it was armed police officers who checked our passes. Previously, it was the staff who worked there.

My spouse gave my ID and pass to an armed police officer, who used a piece of equipment to check my ID. He told me, “You can’t enter. Follow me.” I knew it might be that the ID showed I am a Falun Dafa practitioner.

I was very calm. There is nothing wrong with practicing Dafa, and we have the freedom to visit tourist sites. They are the ones who have done something wrong. I should clarify the truth to them, I thought. They cannot continue to commit sins towards Dafa practitioners anymore. I should save them.

A few officers contacted their supervisor with a walkie-talkie. I kept clarifying the truth to them. I asked, “Is it because we practice Falun Dafa? Am I not allowed to visit tourist sites?” One said, “Yes.” I asked, “Why?” The person replied, “The directive is from above.”

I looked at the young officer, who was about 20 years old. He looked familiar to me; it seemed that we had previously met. I knew we had a predestined relationship. I smiled at him, “Young man, you should be a good person. Only when you are a good and compassionate person can you avoid the pandemic and stay safe.” He replied with a smile, “Yes, for sure I will be a good person.”

I said, “We have the freedom of belief and the freedom of speech. Practicing Falun Dafa doesn’t go against anything in the Constitution. It is wrong that Falun Dafa is persecuted in China. There is no freedom of religion in China.” He listened quietly with a smile.

He asked me, “Why did you start practicing Falun Dafa? How long have you been practicing?” I said, “It has been over 20 years. All my diseases went away, I didn’t have to spend a penny on medicine, and I looked younger. The TV programs slandering Falun Dafa are false. Falun Dafa teaches us to be good people. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many people who keep practicing Falun Dafa under the persecution. Don’t hurt these good people. [If you listen to me,] when the pandemic comes, you can be protected.”

He nodded repeatedly, “For sure, we should be good people, benevolent people. That is correct. But it’s wrong if one is not allowed to take medicine,” echoing CCP propaganda that Falun Dafa forbids practitioners from taking medicine. I told him, “It is because one is disease-free. So there is no need to take medicine.” He said, “Oh, now I got it.”

At that time, an officer who looked like a supervisor came over. I calmly told him my name and said with a smile, “I came to visit the tourist site. Why do we need a security check?” He said, “This year, the directive from above is more strict.” He looked very nice.

I asked him what his last name is, and he told me. I then knew we were from the same town. I told him to remember that Falun Dafa practitioners are good people; it is the persecution that is wrong. I asked him not to participate in the persecution; otherwise, he would be held responsible in the end. Only good people can be protected from the pandemic, I told him. He listened calmly, and it seemed that he already knew the truth.

He saw that we were dressed formally, so he asked me where I worked and how long I had been practicing Falun Dafa. I told him I lost a good job because I practiced Falun Dafa. He asked my spouse whether we tried to find a job through connections. My spouse said it was useless; I won’t be allowed to work unless I sign a guarantee that I wouldn’t practice Falun Dafa.

“I have benefited from practicing Falun Dafa, both spiritually and physically,” I said. “I don’t want to say anything against my will. I want to be honest. We know many cancer patients who recovered after they started practicing Falun Dafa and remained healthy for over 20 years. No money can buy health.” He listened quietly and didn’t argue with me. Then he called the local police station.

Soon four officers came from the police station. They had a menacing appearance. It seemed that there would be a battle between good and evil. I said, “I am not a criminal, so I won’t get into a police car.” They said, “We haven’t said you are a criminal. We will also get in.” My spouse went in the police car with me. One police officer was carrying a video recorder on his shoulder, so I used a water bottle to block its view. The police officer became unhappy, so I changed my attitude. They are people with a predestined relationship, people we are to save.

I calmed down and apologized to the young officer. We were taken to a police station. An armed police officer looked at me, and I didn’t know what they would do to me next. I said to the armed officer, “I want to see your director and have him release us. I haven’t had my breakfast yet.” He said, “Our director is out. I will get a piece of bread for you.” I said, “Thank you. I am good.”

I saw that he was in his 20s and very compassionate. I talked to him about the beauty of Falun Dafa. These armed police were temporarily assigned to “maintain safety” in the capital of our province. I told him, “Falun Dafa practitioners are all good people; don’t hurt them anymore. Be a good person, and you will be protected during the pandemic.” He listened quietly.

Another police officer soon came, and I learned he was an intern, only 18. I clarified the truth to him and told him not to hurt good people, especially when working as a police officer. He smiled and nodded. The other armed police also listened as I told them the facts about the persecution.

After half an hour passed, a person came who looked like a supervisor. He asked me, “Are you still practicing?” I said, “Yes, I have been practicing for 20 years. All my illnesses are gone.”

He said, “There are many ways to improve health. You can do other exercises.”

I asked him if he was the director. He said he was the deputy director. I said, “You can also make a decision. Please release us soon. We just brought our relatives on a tour.” Then I said, “Falun Dafa is good. Why force me to practice other exercises? You can ask my spouse whether Falun Dafa is good. If it were otherwise, my spouse wouldn’t support it.”

My spouse said, “Falun Dafa is truly good. It teaches people to be compassionate, and the whole family is peaceful and harmonious.” I told the deputy director, “The government has listed 14 ‘evil cults.’ Falun Dafa is not included.” When he heard that, he said, “Okay, then do the exercises at home.” Then he made a phone call.

More than an hour passed. I was a little worried, as I didn’t know what they would do with me. Then another supervisor came with a few police officers. I said to the supervisor, “Is your name so-and-so...?” He was astonished but smiled, “How do you know my name?” I smiled, “You look familiar.” In fact, I had never seen him before, but he looked very familiar.

Suddenly, we were relaxed, and it seemed that we had been good friends. He smiled, “I was an instructor at the police station in your area. I heard your name but never met you.” From his expression, it seemed that he already knew the beauty of Falun Dafa. It seemed that he admired us, and he didn’t try to “transform” me.

One police officer next to him said, “He was promoted and became a director here.” We all laughed. Actually, they had already called the police station in my area to come pick me up. It took half an hour for them to drive there due to traffic; the officers from my area had just arrived. The police officer next to him was there to pick me up.

I saw these armed police officers, even though they were smiling, as helpless. I didn’t feel resentful. At that time, the police director and armed officers all smiled and saw me out. The director saw me and my spouse get into the vehicle and told us to come back after summer.

I didn’t complain or hold any resentment. While I was held at the police station, I told them about the beauty of Falun Dafa. What I demonstrated to them is a Dafa practitioner's unselfishness, mercy, and peace.

It was 11 a.m., so we asked the police officers to drop us off at the hotel where my relatives were staying, instead of the police station. The police officer called the director to get his approval, and our request was accepted.

On the road, I clarified the truth to the two police officers who were from our area. They already knew that Falun Dafa is good and Dafa practitioners are good. The senior one told me his name and asked me to protect them from the pandemic. He said, “Don’t look at us using your old notions of police. For all these years, have we even looked for you? We can’t find you. Even during the ‘zero-out campaign,’ we couldn't find you.” He didn’t dare to say they didn’t look for me, but said they couldn’t find me. I said, “Through what happened today, my mind has changed.”

I told him again, “Falun Dafa practitioners are good people who don’t hit back when beaten or verbally abused. It is illegal to persecute good people. In the future, the truth will be known, and anyone who commits wrong doing will be held responsible, if they can even see that day. They might have trouble in the pandemic. It is true that doing good things will be rewarded and doing bad will be punished. If you do well, heaven will protect you. If you still participate in the persecution, no one can protect you.” He listened quietly.

When we arrived at the hotel, the younger police officer apologized to my relative, and they left.

What the senior police officer said woke me up: they don’t want to persecute Falun Dafa, and they all know the CCP is evil. I changed my mind. Police officers are people we should save. I can’t resent them any longer. Certainly, there are some who still don’t know the truth, and some who can’t be saved. However, I can’t have resentment for them. And we can’t place those who know the truth and have stopped doing bad things in the category of evil.

I also understand that the relationship between police officers and Dafa practitioners is not that of people who persecute and people who are persecuted; rather, it is that they rely on us to save them. They have unfortunately been poisoned and used by the CCP. We should take all opportunities to clarify the truth and save them.