Is there religious freedom in China?
no, but we can still trade with them; we don't need to destroy them
After watching Cyrus Janssen’s overtly propagandistic video above, I thought I would query GPT4o about religion in China. I believe Janssen is married to a Chinese woman, so perhaps he can be forgiven.
Keep in mind that my core position is that we should continue to trade with China and that we must prevent the Neocon goal of continued unipolar dominance (as if we still enjoy it) with a North American Fortress of Solitude able to do all its manufacturing after the destruction of Russia and China per long-cherished Cold War plans that the Neocons now believe are at the historical moment ripe for exploitation—that the people of the West must wake up and stop the WEF Neocons from starting WWIII, in other words.
Below is what GPT4o says about religion in China. Now, I would expect this to be biased to some extent, but there has been enough factual news coming out of China to make it credible.
is there religious freedom in china?
Religious freedom in China is complex and restricted, with significant limitations imposed by the government. While the Chinese Constitution technically guarantees freedom of religious belief, in practice, the government heavily regulates and controls religious activities, especially those that are seen as a threat to the state's authority or ideology. Here are some key points:
1. State-Approved Religions
China officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. These religions are allowed to operate only through state-sanctioned organizations like the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the Three-Self Patriotic Movement for Protestants. Any religious activities outside of these state-controlled bodies are illegal and subject to suppression.
2. Control and Surveillance
Religious groups are closely monitored by the government through the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA). Religious organizations must align their teachings with state policies, and clergy are often subject to political training. Churches, mosques, and temples are surveilled, and their leaders are often expected to promote loyalty to the Communist Party.
3. Crackdown on Unregistered or Independent Groups
Unregistered religious groups, such as underground churches, house churches, and certain sects, often face persecution. The government has taken steps to suppress these groups, including arresting clergy, closing places of worship, and demolishing unapproved religious structures. Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that gained popularity in the 1990s, is outright banned, and its followers face severe persecution.
4. Targeted Persecution of Religious Minorities
Muslim Uighurs: The Chinese government has been widely condemned for its treatment of the Uighur Muslim population in Xinjiang. There are reports of mass detention camps, forced labor, and surveillance aimed at eradicating Uighur cultural and religious practices.
Tibetan Buddhists: Tibetans also face harsh restrictions on their religious practices. The Chinese government seeks to control the selection of Tibetan Buddhist leaders (like the Dalai Lama's successor) and tightly controls monasteries.
Christians: Christian groups, particularly those that operate independently of the state-sanctioned church, have been targeted with church demolitions, arrests of pastors, and increased pressure to align their teachings with Communist Party values.
5. Sinicization of Religion
In recent years, the Chinese government has pushed a policy of "sinicization" of religion, which aims to bring religious beliefs and practices in line with Chinese culture and Communist Party ideology. This involves altering religious texts, symbols, and teachings to fit within a nationalist framework, reinforcing the party's control.
In summary, while China allows some religious practices, the state's control over religious organizations and the suppression of unapproved or independent religious activities make the overall situation far from what would be considered "religious freedom" in many other countries. The government's approach is based on ensuring that religious practice does not challenge Communist Party rule.
exactly how are Christian teachings supposed to align with Comunist Party values?
The Chinese government's approach to aligning Christian teachings with Communist Party values, part of its broader policy of "sinicization" of religion, is aimed at ensuring that religion does not challenge state authority and ideology. The sinicization policy requires religious organizations, including Christian churches, to adapt their beliefs, practices, and operations to be more in line with Chinese culture, nationalism, and Communist principles. Here are the key ways in which Christian teachings are being expected to align with Communist Party values:
1. Promoting Loyalty to the Communist Party
Christian churches are required to instill loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) among their followers. Pastors and church leaders are expected to preach the importance of patriotism, obedience to state authority, and the idea that the Party's leadership is paramount. Sermons that promote the supremacy of God over the state, which might be common in Christianity elsewhere, are discouraged or outright banned. Instead, the Party is promoted as the protector of the Chinese people and the facilitator of religious harmony.
2. Emphasizing Nationalism and Chinese Culture
Churches are encouraged (and sometimes mandated) to incorporate elements of Chinese culture into their religious practices. This might include the use of traditional Chinese symbols, Chinese-style religious architecture, or promoting Chinese moral values within sermons. For example, certain churches have been pressured to replace depictions of Jesus with portraits of Chinese leaders like Xi Jinping.
The goal is to make Christianity appear "less foreign" by embedding it within Chinese cultural frameworks, rather than allowing it to be seen as a Western religion. This "nationalization" of Christianity is meant to dilute foreign influences on Chinese religious life.
3. Modifying Religious Texts
As part of the sinicization process, the government has called for a "reinterpretation" of Christian texts, such as the Bible, to make them align with socialist and Communist ideology. Reports have indicated that state-sanctioned churches may be required to produce a version of the Bible that reflects "core socialist values." This could mean downplaying or altering parts of Christian scripture that emphasize individual freedoms, personal salvation, or other themes that might be seen as a challenge to state authority.
There have been instances where pastors have been encouraged to interpret biblical passages in ways that align with the values of socialism and collective well-being, rather than focusing on individual spiritual fulfillment or criticism of unjust authorities.
4. Patriotism in Religious Education
Religious education in state-approved Christian schools or seminaries must integrate Chinese history, culture, and patriotic education into their curricula. Church-run schools are expected to teach students to be loyal to the state first, presenting the Communist Party as a force for good in ensuring the stability and prosperity of China. Religious leaders must often undergo political training, which emphasizes loyalty to the Party and its objectives.
Additionally, religious events such as Christmas may be downplayed or replaced with patriotic displays. In some areas, Christmas celebrations have been discouraged, and patriotic activities, such as singing nationalistic songs or displaying the Chinese flag, have been prioritized.
5. Censoring Political or Social Criticism
Teachings and sermons that may challenge the government or raise social justice issues are censored. For example, biblical references to defending the poor or speaking out against injustice must avoid criticism of the Chinese government. Churches must steer clear of issues that the Communist Party sees as politically sensitive, such as human rights abuses or political corruption.
Christian leaders who voice concerns about these issues or advocate for causes outside the state's control are at risk of arrest, detention, or harassment. This creates a climate where religious leaders must self-censor their teachings to avoid state repression.
6. Party Oversight and Control
Christian churches in China must operate under the umbrella of state-sanctioned bodies like the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (Protestant) and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. These organizations ensure that churches are not only loyal to the government but also follow a set of rules that align with Party interests. Church leaders in these organizations often have to promote socialist ideals and participate in state-controlled religious activities.
Independent churches that refuse to register with the state or adhere to these principles are labeled as illegal. These churches, often called "house churches," face the threat of being shut down, with pastors arrested and congregants harassed.
7. Suppressing Foreign Influence
Christian churches with connections to foreign missionaries or external funding are seen as a particular threat. The government is wary of Christianity's historical ties to Western countries and the potential for foreign influence through religion. Therefore, any aspect of Christianity that promotes foreign connections or Western ideologies is viewed with suspicion and subject to suppression.
The Chinese government is particularly concerned about the influence of Vatican-appointed bishops in the Catholic Church and foreign evangelical groups among Protestant communities. As part of the sinicization process, the government has sought greater control over the appointment of bishops and the management of church affairs to ensure they align with Chinese interests.
Conclusion
The alignment of Christian teachings with Communist Party values is fundamentally about ensuring that religion does not serve as a vehicle for opposition to the government or foreign influence. The state seeks to control religious organizations, dictate the content of their teachings, and ensure that loyalty to the Party and the nation comes before any religious allegiance. This sinicization process has led to the suppression of independent religious movements and the dilution of traditional Christian teachings in favor of state propaganda.
The social atmosphere in China must be similar to that in East Germany under Communism. You have to be careful what you say, as the CCP is probably listening (just like our NSA), and you could be dinged on your social credit score if you say the wrong things.
Forget teaching that you serve the Lord, not Chairman Xi and the CCP.
It doesn’t sound like much fun, and I wonder if such a culture can produce long-term innovation. China needs to evolve spiritually. Stalinism carries the seeds of its own destruction, I believe. We can hope that Edgar Cayce’s prophecy that China becomes the “cradle of Christianity” is accurate.
Americans need to wake up and realize that the Democratic Party and much of the Republican Party have been bought and paid for by the Deep State, aka the military-industrial complex, and that their plan is for a world war that will destroy Russia and China, and much of the West in the process.
Only Trump and Kennedy say they are against war with Iran, China, and Russia…. Trump once said he favored welcoming Chinese car manufacturing in the US. Now, all he talks about is becoming a “tariff nation,” insisting that foreign countries will pay the tariff, not American consumers.
However, as Martin Armstrong wisely wrote, trade promotes peace. Apple Computer cannot exist without China; China controls its supply chains.
The war fever in Washington needs to cool down. Call your Senators and Congresspeople! This is the true agenda behind Israel’s desire to attack Iran as well.
The goal is to start WWIII. We must stop them.
Pray for peace!