Chinese police forces recently arrested 270 Protestant house church pastors in an eastern province, reported a Chinese Christian human rights organization.
The pastors were gathering in the district of Hedeng in Shandong province when about 50 policemen from 12 different towns raided the meeting place, blindfolded and handcuffed attendees and took them to the local police station for questioning, according to U.S.-based China Aid Association (CAA.).
CAA’s president, the Rev. Bob Fu, told The Christian Post that 70 Christian leaders remain in prison as of Thursday morning.
The massive arrest took place last Friday at around 1:30 p.m. local time when the clergymen were gathering for a Bible study, according to AsiaNews. A police squad arrived in armored trucks and arrested participants for engaging in an “illegal religious gathering,” recalled an eyewitness, who noted the raid was “violent and swift.”
Some 120 pastors had been released early on after paying 300 yuan (US $40) as an “interrogation tax,” according to AsiaNews.
“Obviously, the detention of these pastors illustrates China’s insincerity in moving toward a culture of religious tolerance,” commented Washington-based Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins in a statement Tuesday.
“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,” noted Perkins, an influential conservative Christian leader.
FRC issued a letter on Tuesday to the U.S. State Department urging Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to broker the remaining pastors’ quick release.
China allows protestant Christian groups to exist but requires them to register with the government-sanctioned Three Self-Patriotic Movement. There are about 10 million members within the state-approved Protestant church group.
According to CAA, there is a campaign to “normalize” underground Protestant churches by giving them two options: either join the Three Self-Patriotic Movement or be oppressed by government forces.
House church worshippers refuse to join the TSPM because they argue God should be the head of the church and not the government. They also believe that requiring government-approval to hold religious gatherings is a violation of their religious freedom.
China has been under greater scrutiny by the international community for its human rights conduct as it prepares to host the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Although it claims to be a country of religious tolerance, human rights groups have reported a secret campaign to crackdown on unregistered church activities before the Olympics.
Many house church pastors in Beijing have been visited and “requested” to leave the city before the Games, according to Open Doors’ contacts in China.
“These crackdowns on Chinese house church believers and others is not unexpected as the communist government of China tries to put its best foot forward to the world in preparing for the Olympics,” commented Dr. Carl Moeller, president and CEO of Open Doors USA – a Christian persecution watchdog.
In a widely publicized event, over 100 foreign missionaries were expelled from China and some even blacklisted earlier this summer. The massive expulsion was the largest of its kind since 1954 after the communist government took power in 1949.
Some U.S. human rights groups have urged a boycott of the Beijing Olympics if China does not improve its human rights record before the Games.
China has an underground Christian population estimated to be as high as 100 million, although experts are quick to point out the difficulty in obtaining the real count.
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"If all of Christendom call for a boycott of the Olympics, China will heed the call and stop victimising Christians."
It certainly couldn't hurt, and it might help. Unfortunately, I don't have much hope this will happen.
guvaluv, I hope you're right about there being a non-Chinese-made product available for every one which is made in China. Unfortunately, when I go to the store, it seems that at least 9 out of 10 products have "made in China" stamped on them. :-(
maranatha
I think there is a non-Chinese substitute for every Chinese thing on the market. It's no loss to anyone to stop buying Chinese goods because they are cheap and generally shoddy.
I'm with you about boycotting the Olympics if the Chinese do not stop the persecution of Christians any time soon. If all of Christendom call for a boycott of the Olympics, China will heed the call and stop victimising Christians.
Is it possible to buy anything which is NOT made in China these days? I think the US needs to take away their most favored nation status.
Shame on China for mistreating these Christian pastors; there's no excuse for it. I will not watch one second of the Olympics next year if they don't change their policies.
wilderness
That's a wonderful idea and it would be killing two birds with one stone, that is, we refrain from supporting China while we support the evangelisation of the Chinese people. My sister, who is only in her twenties, has been doing missionary work in China all year as part of the lead up to the Olympics. She's been based in Perth [Australia] for several years where she is among a group of young people making inroads into the Muslim strongholds in Malaysia and Indonesia. They also take the true gospel of Jesus Christ to India, Japan, Bangladesh and other parts of Asia. Please pray for her and the group of young evangelists who are risking their lives daily in Asia in order to win souls for Jesus.
gavulav
Here is another suggestion: If a Christian has to buy a product that is made in China, they can take that same amount and send it to a reputable ministry that is evangelizing China with the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
jester
"STOP CHINA! "How are you? You have your finger on the crux of the matter in your usual jocular style. China knows it is the modern day "Goliath" in terms of numbers and influence. Once it has economic clout, it will have the weapons it needs to destroy its enemies. Who are China's enemies - Muslims? Hindus? Buddhists? Scientologists? No, none of these religions. China's number one enemy is Christianity, the world's little David of Bethlehem.
Let's get on the offensive now with a few little pebbles until one of them finds its mark and brings the "Goliath" down to its knees.
wilderness
Let's start an international "STOP CHINA" [from persecuting Christians] campaign on this website. Every time you post a comment begin with "STOP CHINA" and spread the word.
You are absolutely right about "Made in China" - you buy it, you support the persecution of Christians in that country. You ask if anyone is buying anything "made in china" for Christmas - my answer is I have decided never again to buy anything made in China until the Chinese Govt. stops the persecution. I will spread the word among my friends and acquaintances.
Let's start an international boycott of Chinese goods and at the same time, let us call for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics! Let's start now!
"STOP CHINA"
Could "Made in China" secretly be "Support the Persecution?"
So who is buying "made in China" for Christmas this year?
Way to go, China! Another example of politically shooting yourself in the head! But what do they care? The own half the world (including half of the U.S.)
As much as I've always loved the Olympics, I'm fully prepared to boycott them and think all other Christians should too unless this kind of thing stops.
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.
This is an outrage!!