Reflections From a Murky Pond

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) received confirmation from Olympic officials Wednesday, November 7th, 2008 that there will be no restrictions on Bibles being brought into the Olympic village in Beijing next year.

“We have heard from the IOC and there will be no restriction on athletes bringing the Bible or any other religious book into the village for their personal use.”

— Darryl Seibel
U.S. Olympic Committee Spokesman

Organizers of the Beijing Olympics claim the ban was never in place and that religious texts and symbols were intended to be allowed “for personal use” – i.e. you won’t be arrested unless you give a Bible, Qur’an or similar text to a Chinese person.

I have my doubts about the truth of this claim by the Chinese officials. They did not refute the allegations until confronted by the USOC, and until a US Senator demanded an explanation for this wrong-headed behavior from the Chines Ambassador to the US. China’s atheist government does not have a an even marginally good record for maintaining religious freedom.

China’s officially atheist government grudgingly permits religious observance, but allows worship only in Communist Party-controlled churches, temples and mosques. Worship outside that official structure, such as at Tibetan Buddhist retreats or home churches, is banned, and organizers face harassment, arrest and terms in labor camps or prison.

Beijing has also reportedly expelled more than 100 foreign missionaries in what critics say is an effort to tighten control on non State-controlled Christian home churches prior to the 2008 Olympics.

Because of all this it would not surprise me if they had tried to ban the religious symbols and texts, but hastily recanted when called on it.

The Chinese government has decided that the world’s athletes are atheists – or will be during the 2008 Beijing Games. Organizers for the 2008 Olympics in China have released their list of items banned from the Olympic village where the athletes will stay. Amongst the Prohibited Items is The Bible. The athletes are also to be forbidden to wear or carry any kind of religious symbol at Olympic facilities.

Where do these freaks get off telling people they can’t bring religious texts and symbols to the Olympic village? Could someone explain to me why the world is letting the godless Evil Old Men in Beijing host the Olympics?

NOTE: This post was edited on Nov 8^th, 2007. The original content is presented in the comments below to preserve the relevance of previous comments.

China’s Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG) have unveiled the logo for the XXIX Olympiad. The official emblem of Beijing 2008 entitled “Chinese Seal-Dancing Beijing“.

The real story is what is behind the creation of China’s Beijing 2008 Olympic Games’ logo. How did China come up with the idea for Chinese Seal-Dancing Beijing?

In just four easy steps China created the original art for the Beijing 2008 Games, summing up in vivid colors and design elements China’s culture, politics, and commitment to its beliefs. The logo beautifully symbolizes all that has made China the nation that it is today.