Posted on 09/15/2008 1:26:35 AM PDT by robertvance
"They installed cameras at the front door of our church," a foreign friend recently explained to me. "We have to check the passports of every churchgoer who looks Asian otherwise we will receive a call from the local police on Monday morning." My acquaintance was telling me about the house church that he attends in a moderately sized city in China. Recently, the church leadership decided to register the fellowship with the local government in order to comply with Chinese law. Religious gatherings that are not approved by the local government are illegal in China. Chinese people are not permitted to worship with foreigners; only foreigners are allowed to preach to foreigners and even that must be approved by the government. As a result, Chinese people are turned away from this church and those who appear to be Asian must hand over their passports to be scrutinized by the church greeter.
(Excerpt) Read more at teachabroadchina.com ...
Does this article mean that my wife and I have been worshipping illegally in the small church in our small town? The church is next to a police station and we walk right by it on Sundays.
One must be careful generalizing about what is happening in China. From my experience, the further away one is from Beijing, the less interference. Also it is important to know how one’s province stacks up in the scheme of things. A poorer province means very little central government interference. This is especially true in the education system.
A member of the communist party and fellow teacher took me to the church and suggested we could help them develop with our support. Contradicts the essence of the article, I would think. I simply do not know what is reality anymore in China
What to believe? What is false and what is truth? One thing that I can say for sure, these Chinese students are like any student in the West, seeking the truth.
I walk by the police everytime I go to church as well. Nevertheless, it is ILLEGAL to worship in a church in China that has not been registered. Do alot of people get away with ignoring this law? Yes. However, your suggestion that there is less interference the farther you get away from Beijing is not necessarily true. I know personally of plenty of Christians who have been persecuted in Central China as well as Southwest China.
I was in no way disagreeing with your article. I also do not know the circumstances of those people you know who were persecuted. Western China, where I spent a month traveling in 2005, has come under scrutiny because of the fear of Muslim terrorists. Not sure what you are referring to as Central China.
Again, what is true and what is not true?
The Tibetan situation is a case in point. I do not think I would have appreciated living under the theocracy of Buddhist monks where slavery was accepted. I have not been there (so far) but I hear conflicting reports from many people, including my Tibetan students.
Kunming has several very large and active churches. Does not appear to be any problems there and it seems to be an “important” location. I simply do not know what to believe.
I think the situation is not as bad as you seem to paint and not as good as I seem to have experienced.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.