Religious Leaders Detained During Olympics

ANCHOR:
Some Beijing churches held mass on Sunday. But some human rights groups say the games have only made things worse for religious believers and activists. Here's more.

STORY:
Specially designated churches in Beijing held mass in an attempt to show religious openness to tourists, dignitaries, and media during the games yesterday.

Experts say China has about 40 million active Christians. But half of them belong to underground churches that are banned by the Chinese regime.

The other half belong to state-run churches that are registered with, and monitored by, the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

China Aid, a U.S.-based Christian rights group says several prominent house-church pastors and activists were harassed and detained prior to the games.

Zhang Mingxuan, president of the Chinese House Church Alliance, was forced out of Beijing for the Games and is now being detained by the Chinese Public Security Bureau.

Most recently, rights groups activist Hua Huiqi was taken by police after he tried to meet George W. Bush at a church service one week ago.

Phelim Kine, Hong Kong based researcher for the Asia division of Human Rights Watch (HRW), said that the regime's handling of Zhang and Hua was part of a broader policy.

[Phelim Kine, Researcher, Human Rights Watch]:

"...And anyone who operates outside the official state sanctions system are subjected to, very often, severe reprisals."

The CCP recognizes five religions, and has a state apparatus to monitor the activities of each.

According to the Amnesty International, followers of other faiths, in particular Falun Gong, have been detained (33), forced to give up their beliefs (33), allegedly tortured (34), and subjected to other forms of cruel and unusual punishment.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch believes the Olympics have actually served to increase the CCP's abuses of political and religious activists.

[Phelim Kine, Researcher, Human Rights Watch]:

"...whether it's media freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of association and also with regard to religious freedom...we've seen there is a tightening, and less tolerance for such freedom in China."

U.S. President Bush had used the Olympics to call for greater religious freedom in China. But the CCP continues to detain religious and political activists in an effort to show the world a perfect picture of religious freedom--by silencing any voices of dissent.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• religion
• olympics
• china
• beijing
• human
• rights

[sage0857]

they had to know where the terrorist were.

[doctorspankluv]

We so laugh at your patheticness. Lay some more of your daughters in the snow to die because they were'nt born a boy dumbfucka.

[jimmyjamesWang]

lol, yeah, for sure, I am pretty sure that the reason why your ancestor burned and raped and robbed China 150 years ago.

[kubush]

"It was a comparison." So, he compared a woman to a dog. Hmm. I guess that makes it better?

"He destroyed the booths for good" Good? According to who?

"The Bible doesn't say that Jesus did not return the donkey." Where in the bible does it say that he did???

"Hell is the absence of Jesus." I thought Hell was the absence of God? But wait a second...I though god was omnipresent?

Jesus expressely said to "hate." Its in the feakin bible. And the trinity makes absolutely no sense.

[drtimofey]

I usually don't spend time writing back...

Jesus did't call a woman a dog. It was a comparison. He destroyed the booths for good, just like we make war to bring freedom. The Bible doesn't say that Jesus did not return the donkey. He did not introduced hell. Hell is the absence of Jesus. Jesus said that if anyone loves his mom, bro, sis more then Him, is not worthy of Him.

Jesus + God = 1. If God = Love, then Jesus = Love. Nothing should be more valuable then love. Read the Bible.

[kubush]

Well, for one thing Jesus called a woman a dog. He also destroyed the booths of merchants, many of whom probably had families to feed. He borrowed something from a man and never returned it....we call that stealing. He introduced eternal hellfire as punishment. He teaches to hate your friends, family, and even yourself.

In any case, you completely missed my point. The point was that any delusion can become dangerous. Look at the inquisition for example.

[doctorspankluv]

China=Devil people.

[lukismaximus]

Political officials and media that bring up the idea of religious freedom do not seem care so much about this spread of religious freedom. They seem to care much more about the spread of christianity.

[Chicagodj003]

kamajiboy, Why do you hate? Bashing and spreading lies will not make people want to want to understand you or your beliefs. For instance, If I called you an evil fundamentalist...will that make you want to learn about me and my beliefs, NO. Therefore, Try being kinder and understanding of people, your religion teaches Love, so Preach and spread it's message of Love.

[kubush]

"Why does Obama hate America so much?"

Why are you asking such a loaded question?