The NY Times recently covered the Chinese government’s new regulations on religion.

According to the article, some of the additionally imposed regulations are as follows:

• Theology students who go overseas could be monitored more closely.
• People who rent or provide space to illegal churches may face heavy fines.
• Religion must not harm national security.

 
These regulations were introduced to enlarge governmental control over society and to “combat foreign influences it considers subversive”. The article introduced Xiao Yunyang, prominent pastor and lawyer, who signed a statement criticizing the regulations for their potential dangers. He commented, “It could mean that if you are not part of the government church, then you won’t exist anymore.”

Escalating Religious Oppression

The article adds: “But the rules on religion also pledge to protect holy sites from commercialization, allow spiritual groups to engage in charitable work . . . That suggests Mr. Xi wants closer government supervision of religious life in China, but is willing to accept its existence.

It reveals Xi intension of placing religious activities under government control in order to expand his inventory of tools to use to his advantage.

In the past, China has long been oppressing religion by tearing down church crosses, and fining people who enter ‘unauthorised’ churches. Clergymen are chosen by the Communist Party to serve in one or another government-authorised church, and those priests are forbidden from mentioning politics in their sermons. Religious oppression by the Communist Party of China is escalating.

Regulations Cannot Take Away People’s Faith

There is almost no freedom of religion in China. This is nothing new: it has been reported all over the world media, and through many human rights groups. But the truth of the matter is this: however many regulations the government may impose on its people, underground religious worship in China will never perish.

Faith is an inescapable human condition, and no other person or entity can restrain it or take it away.

Depriving the people of the freedom of religious worship, and trying to use religion as an advantageous tool paints the Communist Party as laden with great sin.

Let us pray for the day when unjust oppression in China comes to an end.