Chinese police detain more than 100 Christian church members in series of raids
Dec 30, 2018 09:13:29 #
Chinese authorities have reportedly detained more than 100 members of an unregistered Christian church and their high-profile pastor, as the Communist Party's country-wide crackdown on organised religion continues.
Key points:
Pastor Wang Yi had accused China of "waging war" against religion
The raids began on Sunday night and have continued through the week
China has been tightening controls on unregistered churches
Police raided the homes of members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in the city of Chengdu on Sunday evening, including the home of its outspoken leader, Protestant pastor Wang Yi.
The South China Morning Post reported officials blocked church members' social media accounts during the raids, and cut off the church's phone line.
The church said on its Facebook page more church members were detained following further raids on Monday and Tuesday morning, and accused police of physically assaulting some worshippers and stomping on their feet.
External Link: Facebook post Early Rain
Mr Wang and his wife remain in custody, although a couple of other senior church leaders have been released but are still being monitored in their homes.
Enhui Cao, an Early Rain Church member who is also a teacher at the church's primary school, told the ABC the raids could be a result of Mr Wang's public criticism of China's new regulations on religious affairs.
China intensifies its crackdown on religion, with images emerging of Christian crosses burned and ripped down.
Those regulations, which came into effect in February, required independent "house" church's like Mr Wang's to apply for official registration, to be approved or denied by local party cadres.
"As far as faith is concerned, these new regulations are evil; as far as the constitution is concerned, they are illegal; as far as politics is concerned, they are foolish," Mr Wang wrote earlier this year.
"I intend to peacefully reject this regulation's legitimacy and implementation."
The church said in its latest announcement on Tuesday afternoon that it did not know long those detained would be held for, or whether it would be able to continue sending updates.
"We are like sheep in the midst of wolves, while the police use violent machines and technical means to arrest and threaten gentle and benevolent Christians," the statement said.
More than 200 members of the church including Mr Wang were also detained in May, when police raided a memorial service they planned to hold for victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
More here -
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-11/chinese-police-detain-more-than-100-christians-in-raids/10605648?fbclid=IwAR137Qwn3oL4SQ4qyvA11x1rw4EojJes9HV32xJ-eB8i4Y7ika51yJr9Fwo
Key points:
Pastor Wang Yi had accused China of "waging war" against religion
The raids began on Sunday night and have continued through the week
China has been tightening controls on unregistered churches
Police raided the homes of members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in the city of Chengdu on Sunday evening, including the home of its outspoken leader, Protestant pastor Wang Yi.
The South China Morning Post reported officials blocked church members' social media accounts during the raids, and cut off the church's phone line.
The church said on its Facebook page more church members were detained following further raids on Monday and Tuesday morning, and accused police of physically assaulting some worshippers and stomping on their feet.
External Link: Facebook post Early Rain
Mr Wang and his wife remain in custody, although a couple of other senior church leaders have been released but are still being monitored in their homes.
Enhui Cao, an Early Rain Church member who is also a teacher at the church's primary school, told the ABC the raids could be a result of Mr Wang's public criticism of China's new regulations on religious affairs.
China intensifies its crackdown on religion, with images emerging of Christian crosses burned and ripped down.
Those regulations, which came into effect in February, required independent "house" church's like Mr Wang's to apply for official registration, to be approved or denied by local party cadres.
"As far as faith is concerned, these new regulations are evil; as far as the constitution is concerned, they are illegal; as far as politics is concerned, they are foolish," Mr Wang wrote earlier this year.
"I intend to peacefully reject this regulation's legitimacy and implementation."
The church said in its latest announcement on Tuesday afternoon that it did not know long those detained would be held for, or whether it would be able to continue sending updates.
"We are like sheep in the midst of wolves, while the police use violent machines and technical means to arrest and threaten gentle and benevolent Christians," the statement said.
More than 200 members of the church including Mr Wang were also detained in May, when police raided a memorial service they planned to hold for victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
More here -
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-11/chinese-police-detain-more-than-100-christians-in-raids/10605648?fbclid=IwAR137Qwn3oL4SQ4qyvA11x1rw4EojJes9HV32xJ-eB8i4Y7ika51yJr9Fwo
Dec 30, 2018 10:09:07 #
Rose42 wrote:
Chinese authorities have reportedly detained more ... (show quote)
The end draws closer it appears thanks Rose42 for this update.
Dec 30, 2018 11:07:27 #
As Jesus told us: "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12:24)
Historically, when under persecution, the true church of Jesus Christ has always thrived.
This crackdown by the Chinese Communist government will have the same effect.
Underground, the church will increase 1,000 fold.
A war that is pitched against God cannot be won, no matter how a godless government fumes and foments.
A quick internet search just revealed the following:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10776023/China-on-course-to-become-worlds-most-Christian-nation-within-15-years.html
"The number of Christians in Communist China is growing so steadily that it by 2030 it could have more churchgoers than America"
and this:
"Church in China experiencing \'tremendous\' growth ...
The church in China is experiencing tremendous growth like never before, says the World Council of Churches (WCC). Mathews George Chunakara, Director of WCC's International Affairs and Public Witness, said there had been a "unique and explosive growth" of Christianity among the Chinese people."
https://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.in.china.experiencing.tremendous.growth/2642
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/04/china-unregistered-churches-driving-religious-revolution/521544/
Historically, when under persecution, the true church of Jesus Christ has always thrived.
This crackdown by the Chinese Communist government will have the same effect.
Underground, the church will increase 1,000 fold.
A war that is pitched against God cannot be won, no matter how a godless government fumes and foments.
A quick internet search just revealed the following:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10776023/China-on-course-to-become-worlds-most-Christian-nation-within-15-years.html
"The number of Christians in Communist China is growing so steadily that it by 2030 it could have more churchgoers than America"
and this:
"Church in China experiencing \'tremendous\' growth ...
The church in China is experiencing tremendous growth like never before, says the World Council of Churches (WCC). Mathews George Chunakara, Director of WCC's International Affairs and Public Witness, said there had been a "unique and explosive growth" of Christianity among the Chinese people."
https://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.in.china.experiencing.tremendous.growth/2642
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/04/china-unregistered-churches-driving-religious-revolution/521544/
Rose42 wrote:
Chinese authorities have reportedly detained more ... (show quote)
Dec 30, 2018 11:50:06 #
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