Chinese Government Persecutes Christians

Likely this isn’t news to most of you. But in the same way that reporting casualties in Iraq loses the emotional impact of the loss of human lives, hearing about Christians “being persecuted” just doesn’t accurately convey the kind of hell some people are being subjected to in places like today’s China.

Especially at this time of year, where we in America still have the freedom to worship however each of us chooses, we should take a moment to say a prayer for those who don’t have that same freedom.

Religious Persecution: Made in China

As China works to better its image as host of next year’s Olympic Games, their latest political crisis does little to help their cause. This weekend, reports have confirmed that Chinese officials stormed into the town of Shadong and violently arrested 270 Christian pastors for holding an illegal Bible meeting. As of this morning, 150 of the men were still in police custody. An eyewitness at the meeting said the raid was quick and brutal. Allegedly, 50 policemen “stormed the meeting place, blindfolded and handcuffed [the pastors] two-by-two,” then hauled them off to headquarters for “questioning.” While 120 were fined with “an interrogation tax” and released, dozens of others await their fate under a regime with a history of vicious religious persecution and zero tolerance for the underground church movement, now estimated at over 10 million members.

Several local and international groups are monitoring the situation–which could have sweeping repercussions for the massive PR campaign underway to legitimize next year’s Olympic hosts. Obviously, the detention of these pastors illustrates China’s insincerity in moving toward a culture of religious tolerance. While the regime tries to project itself as progressive, the reality is that China has no intention of abiding by international law or abandoning its hostility to Western religious ideals. China’s pastors offer the nation hope not a threat. FRC is calling on the State Department to intervene, issuing a letter today in hopes that Secretary Condoleezza Rice and the U.S. Ambassador can broker the pastors’ quick release. [link]