Posted on 08/21/2014 12:07:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
An ongoing demolition campaign targeting churches in eastern China represents a “crime” against Christianity and threatens to foment social unrest, a group of Chinese lawyers has warned.
Hundreds of churches in Zhejiang province have suffered partial or complete demolition this year as part of what activists describe as a major crackdown designed to slow the growth of Chinese congregations.
The anti-church campaign resulted in bloodshed in late July when hundreds of security forces launched a pre-dawn raid on Salvation Church in Wenzhou, a city sometimes referred to as China’s Jerusalem, in an attempt to remove its cross.
One Christian suffered a fractured skull as uniformed men, some carrying cattle prods, tried to evict congregants who had gathered to protect their place of worship. The cross was eventually removed on August 14.
Fourteen lawyers are now attempting to sue authorities over the violent invasion of Salvation Church. In an open letter to local security chiefs, they demanded that those responsible for the “atrocity” be brought to justice.
The lawyers criticised “the wanton demolition of crosses and persecution of Christians” and warned that such actions would go down in history as a crime against China’s Christian community.
“It has been proven that religious belief is important for the maintenance of social stability… while religious persecution is one source of social instability.”
Church members and academics believe the ongoing anti-church campaign is a Beijing-backed attempt to slow the breakneck growth of China’s Christian community, which some predict could become the largest on earth within 15 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
China is?!??!
CHINA is...
Seriously? China?
Well, it’s nice to see that Christianity is growing somewhere in this world. I sure wish it was here in the U.S. Maybe we’ll get Chinese missionaries soon!
Sooooo sory...
Chinese CHRISTIAN missionaries are labeled as
terrorists- just like TEA party members.
They will not be let into this country-
sarc
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