China accused of anti-Christian campaign as church demolition begins

[key2thecup]

China accused of anti-Christian campaign as church demolition begins Activists accuse Communist Party of ‘barbaric’ campaign against Christianity after demolition teams and police descend on a church that became a symbol of resistance

Photographs sent to The Telegraph and posted on social media sites showed at least four excavators that appeared to be ripping down large sections of the church’s exterior

By Tom Phillips, Shanghai

Demolition teams began destroying parts of a Chinese church that has become a symbol of resistance to the Communist Party’s draconian clutch on religion, activists and witnesses said on Monday.

Sanjiang church in Wenzhou, a wealthy coastal city known as the "Jerusalem of the East", made headlines earlier this month when thousands of Christians formed a human shield around its entrance after plans for its demolition were announced.

Church members accused Communist leaders in Zhejiang province of ordering an anti-church crackdown and claimed there were plans to completely or partially demolish at least 10 places of worship.

Officials rejected those accusations, alleging the church had violated building codes.

After mounting their high-profile occupation in early April, many protesters withdrew from Sanjiang church after its leaders appeared to have negotiated a compromise with the government.

_{Picture of the felled church}

However, that deal appears to have broken down in recent days with reports that some church leaders and worshippers had been harassed and detained by security agents and officials.

On Monday morning demolition teams began tearing down parts of the church in Wenzhou, a city around 230 miles south of Shanghai that has one of the country’s largest congregations.

“I saw three or four excavators out front, demolishing the church, and three or four out back, demolishing the annex building. I also saw a small excavator going inside the church doing demolition work inside,” said one witness who claimed there were around 100 police around the church, including armed officers.

_{Church members told The Telegraph authorities had attempted to silence the congregation}

“All the roads are blocked, you can't get close to the church,” said a local Protestant leader, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals from the government. “The two sides of the main hall are being demolished.”

Photographs sent to The Telegraph and posted on social media sites showed at least four excavators that appeared to be ripping down large sections of the church’s exterior.

Other images showed black police vans, military trucks and security agents standing on the main road outside.

It was not immediately possible to verify those pictures. Nor was it clear whether authorities planned to destroy the entire church, which has a large red cross on its spire, or just part of the structure.

Church members told The Telegraph authorities had attempted to silence the congregation and said they believed their communications were being monitored. “My phone is not safe,” said one.

Bob Fu, a US-based Christian activist, said: “This government-orchestrated barbaric forced demolition represents a serious escalation against religious freedom in Zhejiang. The Chinese regime chooses to disregard its own laws and the will of its best citizens.”

^{Church members accused Communist leaders in Zhejiang province of ordering an anti-church crackdown}

The demolition of Sanjiang church would “definitely further erode the little remaining trust between millions of Chinese Christians and the Chinese government,” added Mr Fu, president of the Texas-based group China Aid.

“History has proved and will prove again with this case that another church revival will happen after this new wave of persecution.”

In an unusual step, Chen Yilu, the head of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, spoke out against the provincial government’s “crude and hard-line” handling of the Sanjiang church crisis.

In a strongly-worded commentary that has been circulating online, Mr Chen said the incident would damage the Communist Party’s image as well as harming “social stability”. He called on Beijing to “intervene as soon as possible to avoid further deterioration”.

Provincial authorities deny they are waging an orchestrated campaign against Christian places of worship. However, Feng Zhili, the head of Zhejiang’s ethnic and religious affairs committee, complained earlier this year that Christianity’s spread had been “too excessive and too haphazard”.

_{Other images showed black police vans, military trucks and security agents standing on the main road}

In a recent interview Fenggang Yang, a leading expert on religion in China, said he believed the Asian country could overtake Brazil, Mexico and the United States to become the world’s most numerous Christian congregation by 2030.

However, Prof. Yang warned that Chinese Christians should brace themselves for growing interference as the Communist Party fought to stunt the Church’s growth.

One of the Party’s most senior officials hit out at those predictions last week, in an indication of Beijing’s discomfort at the rapid growth of Christianity.

Ye Xiaowen, a member of the elite 205-member Central Committee, dismissed Prof. Yang’s projections as “unscientific” and “obviously inflated”.

“It is completely meaningless to predict how many people might believe in Christianity in China in the future,” said Mr Ye, who was the country’s top official in charge of religious affairs until 2009.

Asked to comment on Monday’s demolition, a propaganda official from Zhejiang’s Communist Party Committee said, “I don’t know” before the line went dead.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10792386/China-accused-of-anti-Christian-campaign-as-church-demolition-begins.html

[Islandboss]

Good tear all the bs buildings down from all religion in all the world.All a load of crap that do nothing but cause violence.

[-AJ-]

Good tear all the bs buildings down from all religion in all the world.All a load of crap that do nothing but cause violence.

Erm...a good number of Christians are pacifists because of their beliefs.

[Piggy Bank]

Christians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

[taxi]

Christians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

So have communists. What's your point?

Freedom of thought and religion are key tenants of any free society. Something the Chinese government doesn't get.

[CB007]

A lot of ignorants probably didn't even know there are churches in China, and with it a lot of religious freedoms.

I doubt the CCP is prosecuting Christians in any way shape or form.

[Heretic]

Good tear all the bs buildings down from all religion in all the world.All a load of crap that do nothing but cause violence.

What a violent thing for someone to say.

[Heretic]

Christians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

Right...

Non religious have killed more people than religious.

[AllEyezOnMe]

Good tear all the bs buildings down from all religion in all the world.All a load of crap that do nothing but cause violence.

Somebody shut this guy up lol

[Buddhas Hand]

Right...

Non religious have killed more people than religious.

Funny how God "supports" both sides in the pointless wars our species keeps on fighting, after all , god mitt uns.

[TOMapleLaughs]

This will only give rise to and further advance the rebellion.

However, the simplest thing they could have done to keep the church was to take the cross off of it. Apparently that's why it's being torn down.

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/church-in-china-set-to-demolished-for-not-removing-the-cross-from-the-top-of-the-building-22814/

Church in China set to demolished for not removing the cross from the top of the building

When the Party secretary Xia Baolong visited the local areas, he found the cross on top of the church very conspicuous. So he ordered that it be demolished. Then, the officials from Yongjia county demanded that the church tear down the cross and the top floor of the church, Zheng Leguo, a young leader at Sanijang Church in Wenzhou, said in new reports.

China Aid previously reported that other churches in Zhejiang had crosses forcibly removed from their buildings.

The church said there are many people who are protecting it. However, the government has dispatched many people and organized them to get ready for the forced demolition. They even said they would use dynamite to blow the church up, Yang Xingquan, a lawyer keeping up with the case, said.

When believers heard that the government threatened to blow the church up on Wednesday, large groups began gathering in order to protect the church.

The believers dont know where they can rebuild the church. Thats why more than 100 brothers and sisters guard the church every night, a local said.

To handle the growing crowds, local authorities dispatched SWAT teams. Four or five people came to visit the scene. We were afraid that there were too few of us to resist an attack by the SWAT team. Thats why we take turns guarding the church at night, one believer told China Aid.

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/chinese-officials-return-to-demolish-church-the-protest-grows-as-tension-rises-91751/

Chinese officials return to demolish church, the protest grows as tension rises

Hundreds of Christians returned have returned their blockade around the Sanjang Church in China to protect the facility from demolition by government officials. ICC, International Christian Concern, says that number has now grown to thousands forming a human shield around the building just after official agreed to leave the church alone.

Earlier this month, the church was targeted after refusing to remove a cross. The subsequent protest ended as officials agreed to leave the grounds, church untouched, if they demolish several floors of their elderly care facility.

The government has decided to remove the cross on the roof and change the first floor of the church to be a parking lot, the ICC sources state, before detailing Chinas plan for the church conversion and demolition.

We resolutely oppose the governments actions to demolish the cross and to demolish the church because the demolition doesnt have documents from the central government, Zhejiang province, or anything. The demolition is relying on someones word. It has no legal basis. We are resolutely defending the churchs legitimate rights, and will not allow the government to take such uncivilized actions, said Brother Wen told Voice of America.

A church member who identified himself as Brother Jin said protecting the churchs large cross is the highest priority.

Right now, no matter what, we must protect the church and the cross. The cross is the baseline of Christianity and our church;it is also a symbol of our faith, said Brother Jin.

The scene is escalating with police closing the nearby roads, but no reports of physical removal of any church members. ChinaAid reports that seven other churches in the area are facing demolition.

Anyway, just sounds like Christians are an annoying nuisance in some parts of the world. Like communism or not, at least they got their view on religion right. Just get rid of it all. However, that sounds like oppression.

[drummer4now]

Hasn't the Chinese communist government always been against all religions?

I'm assuming this church wasn't registered with the government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_China

Freedom of religion in China is provided for by the country's constitution,^[1] with an important caveat. Namely, the government protects what it calls "normal religious activity," defined in practice as activities that take place within government-sanctioned religious organizations and registered places of worship. Human rights bodies have criticized this differentiation as falling short of international standards for the protection of religious freedom.^[2]

[DefCon1]

Christians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

people kill people, it doesn't have anything to do with religion. Abolish religion and you will have race being an issue and people getting killed because of it. At the end, its not Christianity, its not religion, its not race and its not other specific factor that causes violence and war.

[drummer4now]

people kill people, it doesn't have anything to do with religion. Abolish religion and you will have race being an issue and people getting killed because of it. At the end, its not Christianity, its not religion, its not race and its not other specific factor that causes violence and war.

Exactly.. At the end of the day all religion can do is try to guide and teach people...

Its up to the individual to act accordingly and be responsible.

[DefCon1]

This will only give rise to and further advance the rebellion.

However, the simplest thing they could have done to keep the church was to take the cross off of it. Apparently that's why it's being torn down.

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/church-in-china-set-to-demolished-for-not-removing-the-cross-from-the-top-of-the-building-22814/

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/chinese-officials-return-to-demolish-church-the-protest-grows-as-tension-rises-91751/

Anyway, just sounds like Christians are an annoying nuisance in some parts of the world. Like communism or not, at least they got their view on religion right. Just get rid of it all. However, that sounds like oppression.

Thats like saying Hitler got his views right when he tried to eradicate all the Jews. China isn't really a model for human rights when it comes to these things anyways.

[DefCon1]

Exactly.. At the end of the day all religion can do is try to guide and teach people...

Hate, money, corruption, greediness, power etc. all are the combination that causes violence, war etc. Look at Donald Sterling, the Clippers owner and hear what hatred he has towards black people that he calls them the enemy. Is that because of religion? No? so all these anti-religion nuts who think the world will be such wonderful place with people of different races coming together and singing kumbaya need to get a reality check. Hatred exists in this world and it isn't because of religion alone. I really wish it was this simple and we could eliminate one factor to solve the issues with war and violence.

At the end of the day, destroying a church and clapping your hands because you hate Christianity or Islam or whatever shows that you also have hatred towards a group and you are no better than the group you hate.

Am not a religious person but I treat everyone equally and don't generalize any religion even if I don't believe in it. Tolerance is what makes a society civilized, and a person who has a hatred towards a specific group and generalizes said group is also considered uncivilized.

[DefCon1]

Christians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

I could interchange Christians with hundreds of religious groups/race groups/nationalities etc. and still be as accurate.

Muslims have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

Americans have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

Russians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

Egyptians have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

White people have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

Arabs have killed more people due to belief than the holocaust...

I could go on and get a history book and research and come up with more religious/race/nationality group to interchange with Christians.

Again, all of these people that hate one specific group should really look in the mirror and see that they also cause problems.

[TLindenIsGod]

Assuming they needed the land to build an empty high rise complex

[Buddhas Hand]

people kill people, it doesn't have anything to do with religion. Abolish religion and you will have race being an issue and people getting killed because of it. At the end, its not Christianity, its not religion, its not race and its not other specific factor that causes violence and war.

You say people kill people and you are correct but why give them another reason to do so ?

There is war and then there is this

20th Century Church Atrocities

• Catholic extermination camps

  Surpisingly few know that Nazi extermination camps in World War II were by no means the only ones in Europe at the time. In the years 1942-1943 also in Croatia existed numerous extermination camps, run by Catholic Ustasha under their dictator Ante Paveli, a practising Catholic and regular visitor to the then pope. There were even concentration camps exclusively for children!

  In these camps - the most notorious was Jasenovac, headed by a Franciscan friar - orthodox-Christian serbians (and a substantial number of Jews) were murdered. Like the Nazis the Catholic Ustasha burned their victims in kilns, alive (the Nazis were decent enough to have their victims gassed first). But most of the victims were simply stabbed, slain or shot to death, the number of them being estimated between 300,000 and 600,000, in a rather tiny country. Many of the killers were Franciscan friars. The atrocities were appalling enough to induce bystanders of the Nazi "Sicherheitsdient der SS", watching, to complain about them to Hitler (who did not listen). The pope knew about these events and did nothing to prevent them. [MV]

• Catholic terror in Vietnam

  In 1954 Vietnamese freedom fighters - the Viet Minh - had finally defeated the French colonial government in North Vietnam, which by then had been supported by U.S. funds amounting to more than $2 billion. Although the victorious assured religious freedom to all (most non-buddhist Vietnamese were Catholics), due to huge anticommunist propaganda campaigns many Catholics fled to the South. With the help of Catholic lobbies in Washington and Cardinal Spellman, the Vatican's spokesman in U.S. politics, who later on would call the U.S. forces in Vietnam "Soldiers of Christ", a scheme was concocted to prevent democratic elections which could have brought the communist Viet Minh to power in the South as well, and the fanatic Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem was made president of South Vietnam. [MW16ff]

  Diem saw to it that U.S. aid, food, technical and general assistance was given to Catholics alone, Buddhist individuals and villages were ignored or had to pay for the food aids which were given to Catholics for free. The only religious denomination to be supported was Roman Catholicism.

  The Vietnamese McCarthyism turned even more vicious than its American counterpart. By 1956 Diem promulgated a presidential order which read:

• • "Individuals considered dangerous to the national defense and common security may be confined by executive order, to a concentration camp."

Supposedly to fight communism, thousands of buddhist protesters and monks were imprisoned in "detention camps." Out of protest dozens of buddhist teachers - male and female - and monks poured gasoline over themselves and burned themselves. (Note that Buddhists burned themselves: in comparison Christians tend to burn others). Meanwhile some of the prison camps, which in the meantime were filled with Protestant and even Catholic protesters as well, had turned into no-nonsense death camps. It is estimated that during this period of terror (1955-1960) at least 24,000 were wounded - mostly in street riots - 80,000 people were executed, 275,000 had been detained or tortured, and about 500,000 were sent to concentration or detention camps. [MW76-89].

To support this kind of government in the next decade thousands of American GI's lost their life....

• Rwanda Massacres

  In 1994 in the small african country of Rwanda in just a few months several hundred thousand civilians were butchered, apparently a conflict of the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups.

For quite some time I heard only rumours about Catholic clergy actively involved in the 1994 Rwanda massacres. Odd denials of involvement were printed in Catholic church journals, before even anybody had openly accused members of the church.

Then, 10/10/96, in the newscast of S2 Aktuell, Germany - a station not at all critical to Christianity - the following was stated:

"Anglican as well as Catholic priests and nuns are suspect of having actively participated in murders. Especially the conduct of a certain Catholic priest has been occupying the public mind in Rwanda's capital Kigali for months. He was minister of the church of the Holy Family and allegedly murdered Tutsis in the most brutal manner. He is reported to have accompanied marauding Hutu militia with a gun in his cowl. In fact there has been a bloody slaughter of Tutsis seeking shelter in his parish. Even two years after the massacres many Catholics refuse to set foot on the threshold of their church, because to them the participation of a certain part of the clergy in the slaughter is well established. There is almost no church in Rwanda that has not seen refugees - women, children, old - being brutally butchered facing the crucifix.

According to eyewitnesses clergymen gave away hiding Tutsis and turned them over to the machetes of the Hutu militia.

In connection with these events again and again two Benedictine nuns are mentioned, both of whom have fled into a Belgian monastery in the meantime to avoid prosecution. According to survivors one of them called the Hutu killers and led them to several thousand people who had sought shelter in her monastery. By force the doomed were driven out of the churchyard and were murdered in the presence of the nun right in front of the gate. The other one is also reported to have directly cooperated with the murderers of the Hutu militia. In her case again witnesses report that she watched the slaughtering of people in cold blood and without showing response. She is even accused of having procured some petrol used by the killers to set on fire and burn their victims alive..."

[Ghostsof1915]

So much for, thou shall not kill.