NEW YORK - When Luis Palau shares the word of God, he's usually speaking before a live audience of thousands at one of his contemporary evangelistic festivals worldwide. But in his new book, Palau sits down in a one-on-one conversation with an atheist, who is also a Chinese diplomat, in hopes of making a positive step toward bringing the Good News to a country known for its repressive policies on religion.
First released in China, A Friendly Dialogue Between a Christian and an Atheist is the first-ever book between a Chinese diplomat, Zhao Qizheng, and a Christian evangelist, Luis Palau. For the Chinese, the book touches on the basic beliefs of Christianity as explained by Palau. For the West, it offers a unique perspective on Christianity and the philosophy of religion as seen from Chinese culture and beliefs.
Dr. Palau spoke to The Christian Post, while he was in New York City for the book's launch in the United States, about the obstacles he faced while preaching the Gospel in China, why he thinks talk about eternity "stirs up the Chinese soul," and what he hopes to do in China before the 2008 Summer Olympics.
CP: As a Christian evangelist, you've traveled to many countries to preach the Gospel. I wanted to know what are some of the unique challenges you've encountered when preaching God's word in China?
Palau: In China?
CP: Yes.
Palau: Actually, in the opportunities I've had to preach in the open doors, in churches, and in talking one on one, I haven't found any obstacles, as far as my message. Nobody in China has ever checked – what are you going to say, or you can't say this. Or some people in America say that you can't give an invitation to give your life to Christ. I've done it every single time. Everywhere. And every time, some have given their life to Christ.
In Beijing, the last time, the last few times, I had many people stand up and shout, "I believe!" out loud. And there's been the president… Nobody's ever stopped me. So I haven't encountered.
What I'm trying to get now, which is in process, is permission [for rallies]. I've been very open about it so this is no sort of a secret of sorts. From the first day I went to Shanghai – the first time in 2000 – I pointed out the highest part of the region there. I said I wanted to see that part, we were very high. Looking at that park, I want to see that part with half a million Chinese and I'm telling them about Jesus Christ. So I've been very open that I wanted to have rallies. That permission we're still working on. So that I would suppose would be an obstacle.
CP: What are some of the holdbacks?
Palau: I don't know! I know that they have said to me, "Be patient. Keep coming back. In China, we'd like to befriend a person, get to know them, trust them. Then we start asking….giving things."
And at this point, I think we're very close now to having a public rally in one of the major cities.
CP: Which cities would you hold it in?
Palau: Well, naturally, for me I start at the top. Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing…what is it called down South? Hangzhao? Which is seven and a half million people! And most westerners have never heard of it. It’s just about an hour south of Shanghai. I think what I was told by those who know is probably start on the outside and keep coming closer to the center. So, we're looking forward to it any day now. Continue >>
Comments
Excellent statement. Just think about that; men who were created by God debating about whether or not that God exists, little men attempting to bring the almighty Creator before the bar of their finite judgment!
God is not in subjection men. But men are in subjection to God. The material world did not create God; God created all things.
"For centuries now men have been debating the existence of God. Just think about that; men who were created by God debating about whether or not that God exists, little men attempting to bring the almighty Creator before the bar of their finite judgment! If it were not such a crime it might be something to laugh at.
But the fact of the matter is that men will not sit in judgment upon God, but God will sit in judgment upon man. And in that great and terrible day of judgment, all delusions will be set aside and all self-deceptions will be swept away. Everything will finally be set right and reality will be clearly seen by all of mankind. And in that day, it will be acknowledged by all that atheists did not exist....."
Do Atheists Exist?
http://polemos.net/Do%20Atheists%20Exist.html
Jakarta- 5 October 1965, the day of the dead generals funeral procession, a military propaganda campaign began to sweep the country. Both Indonesian and internationals saw that it was an atheist communist coup, and that the murders were cowardly atrocities against Indonesian heroes. PKI denials of involvement had little effect. The atheist communist party and its alleged front groups were banned. Indonesian army, acting on orders by Suharto began a campaign of agitation and incitement to violence among Indonesian civilians aimed not only at atheist communists but the ethnic Chinese community and toward President Sukarno himself. Leading PKI members were immediately arrested, some summarily executed.
The anti atheist communist purge quickly spread from Jakarta to the rest of the country, the worst massacres of known, suspected, and simply alleged atheist communists, were in Java and Bali where PKI support was at its strongest. The situation varied across the country, in some areas the army organized civilian groups and local militias, in other areas communal vigilante action preceded the army. For many youths, killing atheist communists became a religious duty. Muslims in Java and Sumatra but also Christians and Catholic students in the Yogyakarta region and Hindus in Bali took part in the massacres. Though most suspects were identified by locals, the CIA supplied the Indonesian military with lists of suspected atheist communists.
Between 300,000 and one million atheist communist were killed in the mass killings following the arrest of PKI members in Sukarno cabinet on October 6, 1965. Ironically, a CIA study of the events in Indonesia assessed that in terms of the numbers killed, the anti PKI massacres in Indonesia rank as one of the worst mass murders of the 20th century. Many others were also imprisoned and for the next ten years people were still being imprisoned as suspects. It is thought that as many as 1.5 million was imprisoned at one stage or another.
We Indonesian have some previous issues with these atheist chinese back in the 1960s. Most of them did not return to mainland china after their attempt of cultural revolution here.
Agent, I think it is his own blog sight.
Danny you seem so inceribly intelligent why would you even consider wasting your time on such mentally ill Christians?
danny,
That's all he does, that's all he ever does and all I have ever seen him do. He drops a site and leaves and adds nothing of his own. He totally ignores the fact that a BLOG site isn't one of credibility or authority in science at all as opposed to Nature, National Geographic and so on. Anyone would drop a site and not back it up with anything.
Darwinism and Atheism: Unscientific and Mythical
http://www.evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
Hey Danny,
What makes this individual wacko?