DETROIT—The automobile capital of the world was glitzed by artists with lofty aspirations Saturday, Feb. 8, as Shen Yun Performing Arts took the stage at the Detroit Opera House. Many in the audience afterward—including at least one auto executive, a mechanic, and their wives—were left contemplating their eternal ties with Heaven.
David Check, a sales director for an automotive supplier who brought his wife Jacqueline to see Shen Yun, noted a theme in the performance: “We come from the divine,” he said, adding that our ultimate purpose in life is to “go back to Heaven from trying to be divine on Earth.”
Mr. Check, a reader of The Epoch Times for the past three years, also said seeing Shen Yun “closes the circle” on his understanding of China today and the traditional Chinese culture.
“[Shen Yun] brings it full circle, things that I read and the hopefulness of the Chinese culture,” he said, referring to segments of the show that depict present-day religious persecution by the Chinese communist regime. “I really like the story of the oppression under communism, and the victory, overcoming [persecution].”
For Mr. Friesen, the show also filled in some blanks in his understanding.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said, “but it was fantastic.”
The experience was such that he wanted to return.
“I would definitely see another one,” he said. “It was so entertaining. It was colorful, full of emotion, great stories.”
The display on stage also bridged the gap between cultures for Mr. Friesen. He said, “I learned that we have a lot more in common than most people think.”
Despite the far off cultures, however, both auto professionals understood a message that seems to transcend East and West.
But there is another element that plays into all this emotion.
