Posted on 03/13/2020 6:01:44 PM PDT by marshmallow
China’s religious groups are happy to help when disasters strike. But much of their efforts, and collected donations, are exploited by the government.
According to reports in China’s state-run media, as of February 7, the country’s five authorized religious organizations had collected 300 million RMB (about $ 43 million) to help deal with the coronavirus outbreak. In the face of disaster, China’s religious believers are eager to assist, but not all their efforts are welcome. The New York Times reported in a February 23 article that when some places of worship, not recognized by the state, sent in the money collected by congregations to aid those suffering from the virus, their contributions were rejected, the police even questioned some church leaders.
The Times quotes Susan McCarthy, a political scientist studying faith-based charities in China at Providence College in the US, who thinks that “The government is happy if religious groups make contributions but is wary that they will use charity to expand their base and infiltrate society.” For state-approved places of worship, Ms. McCarthy believes, such donations can also help prove their patriotism and loyalty to the state, and that “a lot of this is defensive.”
Numerous reports received by Bitter Winter support these statements. Moreover, the attitude of believers considerably changes when the money they collect for charity is spent on dubious causes and misused by the government.
Last August, the United Front Work Department in the Zhen’an district of Dandong, a prefecture-level city in the northeastern province of Liaoning, issued a document requiring the five officially-sanctioned religious organizations to launch a charity donation campaign. A month later, the Department counted the donations and criticized those religious groups that have collected the smallest amounts.
(Excerpt) Read more at bitterwinter.org ...
Here, you curry favor with politicians by contributing money to their party or their campaigns.
In a system with only one party, I guess it gets done a little differently.
First with Matthew 22:21?
Roman Empire engaged in persecution of Christian leaders by demanding they hand over collections for the poor too.
It would be best if these dear believers just gave a token reponse to the government and then secretly gave the money to those in need.
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