religion-in-china

"During the Cultural Revolution, burning joss paper was repressed as a “feudal superstition” but has since been tolerated. Every year, in this or that city or province, either local authorities or ecologically-minded Buddhist groups, claim that burning spirit money causes pollution and should be discouraged or banned. These measures, when passed, are widely unpopular. At any rate, banning paper-burning rituals in the name of ecology is different from prohibiting them because they are “superstitious,” although ecology may sometimes function as a pretext for ideological suppression of [Chinese] folk religion."

"When Protestant missionaries set up shop in China, they discovered that a native term roughly meaning “God” was Shangdi, so they appropriated this term as name of the Christian God. (Catholics preferred Tianzhu, the “Heavenly Boss”.) What they did not know, is that the Chinese language mostly does without the separate category of a plural, so the same word can be both plural and singular. Shangdi does not so much mean “the Sovereign on High”, as rather “the Powers on High”. In Chinese, even the grammar militates against the contrast between one and many. To monotheists this numerical matter is all-important, worthy of the iconoclastic destruction of all the “false gods”; but to regular people such as Hindus or Confucians and Daoists, it is just not an issue."

"What is the truth about the persecution of The Church of Almighty God (CAG) and other groups labeled “xie jiao” (heterodox movements, sometimes translated as “evil cults”) in China? Chinese embassies and their fellow travelers go to great lengths to claim that [the] persecution [against various groups whom the Chinese Communist Party calls "xie jiao"] is an invention of American propaganda or Western scholars…"

"American anti-cultists involved in early deprogramming activities such as (despite his heavy criminal record) were invited to China to advise on how to deprogram practitioners."

"The struggle for religious freedom in China is a testament to the enduring desire for spiritual fulfillment and the right to practice one’s faith freely. It is a reminder of the importance of standing in solidarity with those who face persecution [of different kinds] and the need for continued advocacy for religious liberty as a fundamental [civil or natural] right. It’s also a reminder that compromise with the [Chinese Communist Party] is impossible."

"Historically, the concept of “autonomy, self-support, and self-propagation” for the Chinese Christian church was first proposed in the late 19th century by Western missionaries in China, such as David Livingstone. Its core principles were: Autonomy—governance and pastoral care of the church by Chinese believers; Self-support—funding of church expenses by Chinese believers; Self-propagation—evangelism by Chinese believers. This aimed to localize the Chinese church: by achieving economic self-sufficiency, cultivating local leadership, and independent evangelism, the church would adapt to its local environment and ensure long-term development. This original intent was positive, helping Chinese Christianity break free from external dependence and foster an independent, mature local faith community. However, after 1949, this pure “Three-Self” principle was thoroughly distorted."

"The Chinese [Communist Party] government’s campaign against “” has long been criticized for its lack of transparency and its conflation of spiritual diversity with criminality. By involving children, the state not only deepens the stigmatization of targeted groups but also risks psychologically harming the very citizens it claims to protect."

"We go to fetch earth from China, as if we had none; stuff, as if we were without stuff; a small herb to infuse into water, as if our climates did not afford simples. In return, which is a very commendable zeal, we are for converting the Chinese; but we should not offer to dispute their antiquity, and tell them that they are idolaters; for, indeed, what would be thought of a capuchin, who, after being kindly entertained at a seat of the Montmorenci's, should go about to persuade them, that they were but newly-made nobles, like secretaries of state, and accuse them of being idolaters, having observed in this seat, two or three of the constable's statues, which they highly value?"

"China seems to have been very much similar to the West, both in the production of new religious movements and in attracting to them figures from the political left who were officially promoting the struggle against “superstition.” Reconstructions of “Chinese traditional culture” as “non-religious,” and of the rich Chinese religious pluralism as mere “folk religion” should be viewed as propaganda rather than history."