Barbara Jordan, a retired hospitality manager currently living in South Carolina, said she had “tears of joy” upon reading the article. To her, two things stood out: the danger that humanity is in and the need for people to stay kind no matter what comes their way.
“[Mr. Li] says when someone remains good and kind, has those thoughts and gratitude, then you’re on the right path,” she added.
Born in the 50s, she said she is worried for the younger generation and her grandchildren because she saw diminishing appreciation for freedom of thought in society: “People are called terrorists for having freedom of thought, for having their own opinions and coming to their own conclusions.”
She thanked The Epoch Times for publishing “How Humankind Came To Be” because “it’s good to know there are those who stand on eternal truths rather than imposing insanities upon others to get along in a temporal realm.”
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, encourages adherents to live by the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance and teaches meditative exercises. Over the past 23 years, millions of Falun Gong adherents have been held in labor camps, mental asylums, drug rehabilitation centers, unofficial black jails, or other detention facilities.
A Path of Accountability
Spiritual accountability is essential to Cheryl Williams, a therapist for pain management in Oregon.Growing up in the Christian church, Williams spent many years going from one church to another, searching for spiritual answers. The 67-year-old said she finally stopped searching and started looking into her heart because she believes “everything we need is imprinted. It’s inside of us.”
“I have no issues with Christ and what he showed to humanity, along with many others; [but] Christians at large have been misinformed,” she wrote to The Epoch Times. “So many think that the belief itself gives them carte blanch entry into some blissful paradise. The accountability for actions is often missing, as many believe someone else—Jesus—does that for them.”
“This is an article that speaks truth, and I hold the highest good that it will wake our humanity at large from its lackadaisical slumber,” she continued.
The article came to Williams at a particular time; she had lost two siblings in the past six months. “I’m especially glad to see articles of a spiritual nature come into the news, and people begin to talk about the spiritual condition of our world,” she said she enjoyed reading the article and the comments from other readers.
‘The Answers Definitely Lie Within’
Bob Plummer, a retired carpenter in the state of Washington, had been reading Mr. Li’s main book “Zhuan Falun” (turning the law wheel) before he saw “How Humankind Came To Be.” He finished reading the book days after.He saw consistencies between Mr. Li’s book and this article: “His writings make a lot of sense. I think it’s getting rid of attachments, letting everything go, looking inward, and trying to be the best and everything,” Plummer referred to “attachments” as things that people held firmly in life to the point of incurring mental burdens. “At this point in my life, I have got enough baggage. I don’t need that anymore.”
He believes the ability to tell right from wrong is deep in our souls. “The answers definitely lie within,” the 73-year-old man said.
He expressed an interest in taking up the practice of Falun Gong, but acknowledged that getting rid of attachments can be pretty difficult. He found a physical analogy for spiritual practice: “I guess it’s like going to the gym. I don’t think I could do that. But if you keep working hard enough, you may be able to do it pretty soon.”
