G?ngx? F?cái
Posted in 2008 Olympics, Politics on December 24th, 2007Such a Merry Christmas from China. Well, actually shèngdàn kuàilè x?nnián kuàilè is Merry Christmas in Mandarin (G?ngx? F?cái is a Chinese New Years greeting), but it wouldn’t fit in the post’s headline.
It seems the Evil Old Men in Beijing, knowing the importance of the Christmas holidays among the oppressed Christian minority in China, have perverted the holiday for their own vile purposes. They have showed great – if low born – cunning in realizing that the “illegal” congregations in China would be gathering at this time.
270 House Church Pastors Detained for Alleged “Illegal Religious Gathering
SHANDONG PROVINCE, Dec. 10 — China Aid Association has learned that 270 House Church Pastors have been detained for what Chinese officials are calling an “illegal religious gathering.”
On December 7 at 1:30pm, House Church pastors in Hedeng District, Linyi City, were gathered for a Bible Study when their meeting was disrupted by police officials.According to Pastor Li, an eyewitness, 40-50 policemen from 12 different towns were involved in the massive detention. The pastors were then handcuffed two-by-two and taken to the local police station for questioning. As of this morning 150 pastors remain in custody. The others have been released on a Y300 ($40) interrogation fee.
The humiliation these pastors received by being led away in handcuffs as common criminals, for attending a Bible study is an unjustifiable act of religious persecution. In addition, the large scale and high profile of the detentions shows the apathy of Chinese officials in moving towards a policy for toleration of religious freedom. Behavior unbecoming of the World’s host for the Olympic games in 2008.
China Aid will continue to monitor the situation.
For those concerned, contact:
Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Ambassador: Mr. Zhou Wenzhong
Address: 2300 Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Washington D.C. 20008, U.S.A.
Tel: +001-202-328-2500, 328-2501, 328-2502
Fax: +001-202-3282582
Email: chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn— Issued by China Aid Association
December 10, 2007
I know the civilized world can’t honestly expect any better behavior from PRC tyrants in Beijing, but it’s still somehow shocking how far they will go to oppress any group who doesn’t spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week kowtowing to atheism and slaving in a sweatshop somewhere.
We really shouldn’t even be shocked by the “interrogation fee”; after all once they execute these pastors, the PRC will bill their families for the cost of the bullet.