Posted on 01/07/2002 1:22:44 PM PST by truthandlife
The State Department is seeking an explanation from China about the reported arrest of a Hong Kong businessman for shipping Bibles to a Christian group.
President Bush is deeply concerned about the reports, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday.
The businessman, Li Guangqiang, 38, was indicted in the southeastern city of Fuqing on charges that he brought thousands of Bibles to the underground Christian group on the mainland, a human rights organization said Saturday.
The court in Fuqing said Li had "used a cult to undermine the enforcement of the law," the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said. It said Li might face the death penalty.
Li was accused of taking 33,080 Bibles to the Shouters Sect in two trips last April and May. Two members of the Christian group, Yu Zhudi and Lin Xifu, who made the request for the Bibles, were also indicted, the rights group said.
The Shouters Sect was banned in 1995 as an "aberrant religious organization," according to the human rights group Amnesty International.
The State Department is looking into the reports at Bush's request and has registered its concerns with the Chinese Embassy in Washington as well as with Chinese authorities in Beijing, Boucher said.
The spokesman noted Bush had expressed concern about religious freedom in China to President Jiang Zemin at a meeting of Pacific nations last October in Shanghai.
Business has forced the change there, but it is a slow process. I remember the first trade items from the USSR a few years before its collapse. They were delicate blown glass ornaments for Christmas trees. What a peculiar item to trade- since at the time, the USSR was still an 'atheist' state. Then other US businesses worked their way in. It took a little time, and some other policies had to be allowed to work, and then the wall came down in eastern Europe.
Amazing.
Now, China economically is not communist. Corrupt, yes. The mindset of fear is still there, though. The government fears the people, and the people are sounding more sick of government than afraid of it, even while atrocious things still occur. That people are getting irate and pushing hteir limits is a good sign- it is a requirement for change to take place.
As I understand it from several people who should really know, The Bibles are a more or less modern, very accurate Chinese translation of the whole Bible. The Southern Baptists weren't dumb enough to miss that point back then.
I haven't kept up on such things, but I'd be concerned that the numbers of Bibles printed are well under the demand. Last I knew, the presses were in operation around the clock or close to it. . . if I was told accurately.
It is more complicated than your statement implies. Certainly The Bible is a threat to greedy, immoral, corrupt people in power everywhere.
But the Party also has it's own research reports which attest that Christians make more honest, honorable, hard working, more responsible, dependable, industrious etc. workers and even leaders than any other group studied.
The Party is also aware that persecuting The Church causes it to grow mroe and faster.
HOWEVER, The Party IS VERY THREATENED--and at least perceives itself to be VERY THREATENED by ANY social movement--religious or otherwise--which influences masses of people the least bit differently than The Party does--or more effectively, powerfully than The Party does.
Those greedy for power are not only greedy for power, they realize how close they came to being deposed and executed for corruption in 1989.
God will definitely remove them. All memory of their existence will be erased from the memory of man--as will the evil ones of other locales. God may first use the corrupt for various purposes in end-time dramas. Most Bible scholars are convinced "The King of The East invading Israel or trying to--is China.
It may be. I've wondered some if it could also be India and the Arab Asian masses. We shall see.
This is an outrage and PNTR should be revoked if the man is not released.
Shalom.
The greatest threat a liar faces is The Truth.
Shalom.
You get Bibles legalized in China and you won't have to worry about the trade deficit or arms build up.
Shalom.
You are correct, and I was imprecise. What I meant to say was that when Bibles can be freely distributed in China you won't have to worry about China being an enemy of freedom.
Thanks for the reminder.
Shalom.
You are correct, and I was imprecise.
No. You both are correct. Jade's statement does mean it is illegal.
No, at least 33,000 Bibles were requested. Those were the ones that got caught. We don't know how many more there were. I bet it's just like smuggling cocaine into the United States, or guns into England. I bet much more gets through, than gets caught by the government.
AB
I must be so un-savvy as to border on stupid. I wouldn't do a dimes bit of trade with any country that forces abortion on its women, executes prisoners and uses their fresh organs for transplant, threatens to blow up Los Angeles, or has a penalty of any kind for bringing Bibles into the country...or any other abuses of relationship such as these.
I'm making myself crazy attempting to find goods made by reasonably paid employees. Not "workers" (as in worker bees) Anyone have a list?
Well he wasn't worried when he admitted them to the WTO and this was known then
Chosing mannon and cheap good over human rights violations..."Choose you this day who you will serve" We KNOW who Washington serves.
China boasts crackdown against another Christian Sect
Here is another article from today's Washington Times:
Three Christians sentenced to death
I'd rather pray for the good pastors and witnesses risking their lives to bring light into the land. A martyr's voice carries in whisperings and undercurrents and quiet acts of defiance growing throughout the land.... in a Communist country- where the people will always yearn to be free. Only an ignorant fool can any longer believe that communism is for the working people.
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.