A Christian religious freedom group gave approval for the U.S. State Department’s removal of China from its human rights blacklist despite reports of the government’s increased crackdown on house churches ahead of the Olympic Games.
-
(Photo: AP Images / Andy Wong)Chinese police officers with dogs patrol at the Tiananmen Square near the Great Hall of People in Beijing Monday, March 3, 2008.
Open Doors International, which defends the right of house churches to freely worship, explained that although it condemns government persecution of “unofficial” churches, it also recognizes that religious freedom has significantly improved in China in recent years.
“China has had a lot of improvements in the last five to 10 years,” explained Johnny Li, minister at large at Open Doors International, Thursday to The Christian Post. “Religious freedom in China compared to five, 10 years ago is in much better shape now.”
But he was quick to note that China was not perfect and that it still has a lot of room for improvement.
“China can do much better,” said Li, who was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to the United States in 1996.
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday released its annual report on human rights which dropped China from its list of the world’s worst human rights violators.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended removing China on Wednesday by pointing to renewed dialogue with Beijing on human rights issues. She also explained that the top 10 list highlights countries that are extremely closed off to the world, like Burma (Myanmar) and North Korea, and it is not meant to be understood that those not on the list have good human rights records, according to Agence France-Presse.
"[I]t is by no means suggesting that there is not significant emphasis on human rights problems in China," Rice said, according to AFP. "If you read the report on China, it is quite harsh, and properly so, about human rights problems in China."
The report emphasized that China’s “overall human rights record remained poor” in 2007, as it specifically mentioned restrictions on religious freedom.
Open Doors’ Li said some of his friends are currently detained in Chinese prisons because of their faith. He also noted that he has received many phone calls in recent weeks from friends who are on the run and in “dangerous circumstances” because of their involvement in the house church movement.
But he still supported the removal of China from the U.S. human rights abuser list. He compared the situation to a parent disciplining a child. When the child is “naughty” then the parent disciplines him, but when the child “gets better” then the parent should reward the child.
“We give them (children) candy but this does not mean that the children are perfect,” Li said. “The children still have a long way to go, a lot of things they need to learn.”
Li believes that while the Chinese government needs to be “pressed” to change, it should also be “encouraged” to improve.
Speaking from the perspective of a Chinese-American, Li pointed out that Americans and Westerners have an easier time understanding religious freedom than the Chinese government.
Americans understand that the U.S. government cannot put all Christians under one denomination. Christians cannot all fit under the Baptist denomination or under the Methodist denomination because they practice their faith differently. Continue >>
RSS
aswqdefr,
Unfortunately to you, there is another chinese here and is willing to tell the truth. I am from "rural" area. And two of my family members attend house church frequently and they are not bankrupted even after 15 years' participation. The truth is, most house chuch goers are true christian, while it's hard to say for those who go "beautiful churches are standing at notable spots " in Shanhai or other big cities since they are so called "three-self" churches whose pastors are assigned or approved by communist party. While many are also safe for those who go to house churches. But it's always hard for those who lead the house churches, specially for those influential leaders since the communist party has such a tradition that they like to spot the most infulential ones and trap down them for the excusion of so-called "social stability and harmony".
With communist party in power, there will be never freedom of religion. Period.
aritonang. now im living in shanghai,and i see some beautiful churches are standing at notable spots with regular events, and the government admits their legal exist.but to the illegal events by covering the god spirits as i said before,the goverment have to arrest and controll them to ensure citizens' normal living. the place i mentioned before is in my hometown ,a small village, and i am sure thats very common in rural area.
You bet. I wondered why a harmless comment was flagged, but here goes again. What the article fails to mention is that it's ILLEGAL to be Catholic in China. Imagine if the government defined a counterfeit version of your faith, then asked you to be part of their church. I think we need to keep up the heat until all of us can worship as we believe.
Decree of the State Council of the People Republic of China
No.426
Regulations on Religious Affairs, adopted at the 57th Executive Meeting of the State Council on July 7,2004,are hereby promulgated and shall become effective as of March 1,2005.
Premier Wen Jiabao
November 30,2004
Regulations on Religious Affairs
Chapter VI Legal Liability
Article 40 Where anyone makes use of religion to engage in such illegal activities as endanger State or public security, infringe upon citizens right of the person and democratic rights, obstruct the administration of public order, or encroach upon public or private property, and a crime is thus constituted, it shall be investigated for criminal liability according to law, if no crime is constituted, the relevant competent department shall give it an administrative penalty according to law- if any loss is caused to a citizen, legal person or any other organization, it shall assume civil liability according to law.
Where, in the course of a largescale religious activity, there occurs any event endangering public security or seriously disrupting public order, the matter shall be handled on the spot and penalties shall be imposed in accordance with the laws and administrative regulations on assembly, procession and demonstration, if the religious body, monastery, temple, mosque or church that sponsors such large-scale religious activity is responsible therefor, the registration administration department shall cancel its registration.
Dear aswqdefr,
Thanks for the fast reply. Illegal by what standard? the Communist party law? By that law the legal police should have take over and place corruption charges on social/ cultural organization. If even high ranking officials can be executed for that kind offense - we can imagine what these priests and pastors are up against if charged with corruption. Oh-where exactly are your bankrupt relatives actually live? and what kind of church did they attend?
aritonang. none of the churches are under control unless they do something illegal. if u wanna contact me ,send ur message to my emial: aswqdefr@163.com
Dear aswqdefr,
Where exactly are you right now, and if you are a christian where do you worship? Is the church where you worship right now under the Chinese Party official control?
Please spare me a minute and answer these question.
God bless.
From Indonesia
who is Johnny Li? an chinese-amercian? im sure that li do not really look into the religious situation in china . let me tell u the turth. in china ,particularly in the rural area ,most of the religious events are evil.the religious leaders just cheated on u ,and asked u to send all of your property to them by the spirits of god .they tell u that's the only way to show your heart.
by the way, im chinese,and some of my relativies have been bankrupted by that way.
Hey- whats with the flagging? Full Gospel would be so kind to resend your comment, please?
Hey, what about that 600 Christian brothers and sisters currently jailed for house churches? What about President Bush plans to visit and worship in one of the unsanctioned house church? Surely Open Doors Li does not forget them all, does he? What about the ones who was already martyred, executed by the Legal Police or Peoples Armed Police? Hey-
THE REAL MOTIVES: For the first time in U.S. History the United States has become a debtor nation and China has bought up much of our debt. Our dollar isn't worth the paper its written on and sadly, George Bush and Bill Clinton have both sought an unhealthy relationship with China. The U.S. is now vulnerable to economic blackmail and this new status with China is a reflection of it
The persecution of Christians is persisting; now is not the time to back off the pressure.