China demolishes hundreds of churches and confiscates Bibles during a crackdown on Christianity

[Stu]

Socialism hard art work!

China demolishes hundreds of churches and confiscates Bibles during a crackdown on Christianity

• Locals in Henan stated concerns of a move by the atheist ruling Community Party to control Christianity

• Residents were asked to replace posters of the cross and Jesus Christ with portraits of President Xi Jinping

• Experts say the government is waging the most severe systematic suppression of the religion since 1982

• Chinese leaders have 'always been suspicious of the political threat' that Christianity poses to the regime

Concerns have been raised over China's apparent crackdown on Christianity as the ruling Community party continues to intensify its control over religious freedom in the country.

Churches were raided and demolished, Bibles and holy books were confiscated and new laws were established to monitor religious activities in the country's province of Henan, which has one of the largest Christian populations in China.

Under President Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, believers are seeing their freedoms shrink dramatically even as the country undergoes a religious revival.

Experts and activists say that as Xi consolidates his power, he is waging the most severe systematic suppression of Christianity in the country since religious freedom was written into the Chinese constitution in 1982.

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[B. W.]

Socialism hard art work!

China demolishes hundreds of churches and confiscates Bibles during a crackdown on Christianity

• Locals in Henan stated concerns of a move by the atheist ruling Community Party to control Christianity

• Residents were asked to replace posters of the cross and Jesus Christ with portraits of President Xi Jinping

• Experts say the government is waging the most severe systematic suppression of the religion since 1982

• Chinese leaders have 'always been suspicious of the political threat' that Christianity poses to the regime

Concerns have been raised over China's apparent crackdown on Christianity as the ruling Community party continues to intensify its control over religious freedom in the country.

Churches were raided and demolished, Bibles and holy books were confiscated and new laws were established to monitor religious activities in the country's province of Henan, which has one of the largest Christian populations in China.

Under President Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, believers are seeing their freedoms shrink dramatically even as the country undergoes a religious revival.

Experts and activists say that as Xi consolidates his power, he is waging the most severe systematic suppression of Christianity in the country since religious freedom was written into the Chinese constitution in 1982.

More

In my opinion: Something that folks like Ed would like to see happen here...
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[Kurieuo]

And Abe perhaps... substituting President Xi Jinping with President Trump.

[edwardmurphy]

In my opinion: Something that folks like Ed would like to see happen here...

I guess you're entitled to believe whatever you want and to ignore all evidence to the contrary. Doesn't seem like a very good way to go about it, but what do I know?

[RickD]

In my opinion: Something that folks like Ed would like to see happen here...

I guess you're entitled to believe whatever you want and to ignore all evidence to the contrary. Doesn't seem like a very good way to go about it, but what do I know?

I'm on this forum just about as much as anyone. And I've read most of edwardmurphy's posts.

I've seen nothing that remotely indicates that he wants to crack down on Christianity, nevermind destroying religious freedom.

Sometimes I just don't understand how people come up with this stuff.

[Kurieuo]

Guilt by association perhaps with an idealogy that isn't particularly Christian friendly, as is evident by always towing the line against Christians on reported events in news.

[edwardmurphy]

I'm on this forum just about as much as anyone. And I've read most of edwardmurphy's posts.

I've seen nothing that remotely indicates that he wants to crack down on Christianity, nevermind destroying religious freedom.

Sometimes I just don't understand how people come up with this stuff.

Thanks, Rick. When we rise up you'll be spared.

Guilt by association perhaps with an idealogy that isn't particularly Christian friendly, as is evident by always towing the line against Christians on reported events in news.

What ideology is that? Atheism isn't an ideology, and American liberals are about as likely to be practicing Christians as American conservatives.

I'm also confused about the "tow the line" part. It's generally "toe the line" and it means to accept someone's authority and closely follow their rules, as in "You've been lazy about pushing cookies and chili, Frank, so you'd better toe the line until your 6-month review if you want to keep working at Wendy's." You can't toe the line against something.

Anyway, are you saying that I always disagree with the general consensus on "Christian" news as relayed on the forum? If so, I think that's a bit unfair. For example, I disagree with the Chinese government's decision to suppress Chinese Christians, but I also disagree with Stu's assertion that the decision was made due to socialism (rather than as the knee-jerk response of a totalitarian government recognizing potential competition) and what I assume he's implying (that similar things would happen in the US if we were to elect a couple more Democrats). So what am I supposed to say in that situation?

Beyond that, most of the Christian "news" in this subforum (which is the only one I tend to read) comes from people like B.W. and Stu posting articles from places like the Daily Caller. Said "news" has a strong tendency to be vague, inflammatory, and unsourced. It tends to make my BS detector buzz so loudly that it scares the dog, but even then I take a minute and look for more information before I respond. If I say it's bunch of partisan garbage it's because I've done my homework and found evidence to support my position. And frankly, it's rarely difficult to thoroughly debunk articles about Christian persecution, SWAT teams raiding Bible study groups, prayer being banned in school, Muslims taking over America, God pushing missiles out to sea, and so forth. But I still never just hand wave it away by calling the poster a "typical Christian" or some such.

Give me something I agree with and I'll agree.

[Kurieuo]

What you consider "liberal" is a guise given any liberty issues doesn't matter when it pertains to Christians. It seems to me that you've always tended to side against certain reported events to do with Christians. Take, for example, the Christian cake maker, and various other instances pertaining to Christians that have been presented on this board -- you always appear to the be Christian objector or antagonist.

What idealogy feeds that? It would be too simplistic to just lay it at the feet of Atheism. What is it you see in opposition to your beliefs, your political positions, that may provide insight into the ideologies that feeds your own positions. What is "right-wing" and what is "left-wing"? What are the ideologies that underpin and feed each side? It is complex.

Peterson would lay certain "leftist" extremities at the feet of post-modern philosophy, Marxist ideology, identity politics... Somewhere in that mouthful of words, I think is truth, but things would need much unpacking.

[Kurieuo]

Further, is B.W.'s statement really that far off the truth Ed?

Consider the challenge that gets made that the Bible contains "hate speech". What of the following articles?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/0 ... -teenager/
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/frank ... -ban-him-f

What side do you fall down on or are you sympathetic to? I'm pretty sure it wouldn't tend towards the side of Christians in these stories, or despite your lack of belief in God/Christ, advocating true liberal values when it comes to Christianity. Rather based upon my experiences with you on this board, I'd expect your sympathies would be more against Christians.

Consider that in the Bible, God condones stoning homosexuals in Israel's law. E.g., Leviticus 20:13 reads, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

I have no doubt you'd consider this as "hateful" -- and indeed it would be hateful if practiced -- I'm sure you'd heavily dislike children being taught that God considers the act of engaging in sex with the same sex abominable. Ergo, I'm sure at least specific parts of the Bible, you probably wouldn't much care if such were banned -- and in fact you'd probably feel some delight if it were banned.

[Stu]

Seems anti-Christian sentiment is growing. There are plenty other examples but this is just a recent one.

Even when the Bible was removed they were still not happy. No doubt the people that where calling for the removal of the advert consider themselves as tolerant, and call for tolerance of their own views

BILLBOARDS YANKED BECAUSE BIBLE IS SHOWN

After multiple complaints, including a “serious threat,” an advertising company removed a series of billboards depicting evangelist Greg Laurie holding a Bible.

The ads posted at a popular mall in Southern California promoted Laurie’s upcoming Harvest Crusade at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Aug. 17-19, reported CBN News.

The event, in its 29th year, is expected to draw tens of thousands of people.

The Irvine Company, a local real-estate firm, agreed to post large billboards promoting the crusade at Fashion Island, a prestigious outdoor mall in Orange County.

More

[Stu]

But people are allowed to host Harry Potter get-togethers with no problem

They are taking it to court.

Government has no business telling people what to do in their own homes. But I guess the Bible itself did tell us that this would happen in the end times.

[RickD]

Bibles banned, and people cannot read the Bible in their own home?

Something seems really fishy about this.


There's got to be something more to this story, than is being painted here.

I've done a little research, and it's been difficult to come up with any facts in this case. Just about all the links I'm finding, are people claiming religious persecution.

I'm going to do some more digging. There's got to me more here than meets the eye.

[RickD]

And as we all know, there are two sides to a story. Well, here's the other side:
https://johnlinkoblog.files.wordpress.c ... xab63c.pdf

Despite the way the story is being painted in the media, this doesn't seem to be a religious persecution issue.

It's a zoning issue.

[RickD]

Crying wolf, and blabbering on about conspiracy against Christians, does nothing but hurt actual cases of religious discrimination.

[Kurieuo]

Well, your silence to my post Ed is revealing.