China Blasted in State Dept. Report

China Blasted in State Dept. Report

By Terry Phillips, correspondent


The U.S. State Department's annual report on religious freedom in foreign countries is critical of a number of nations, but China is the featured villain.

"We are glad that Secretary (of State Colin) Powell directed attention to the situation in China," said Anne Johnson, with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

China was designated a "Country of Particular Concern" — the category reserved for the worst offenders. Connie Snyder, of International Christian Concern, said the classification is richly deserved.

"Arrests, torturing, beatings, finings, imprisonment … continues in China, even though the Church is growing … at a rate of about 20-thousand to 25-thousand new Christians a day," Snyder said.

The growth is due to the evangelists of the so-called "underground churches." According to Faith McDonnell, of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, a third prison term for one "underground" preacher shows the intensity of persecution in China.

"An evangelist named Philip Shue … was just sentenced again to three years in labor camp; and this is just for preaching," McDonnell said.

An analysis by the Institute on Religion and Democracy notes the fact that cases like that, mixed in with a few significant reforms, make China a paradox.

"Unfortunately, the stronger side of the paradox seems to be the incidences of persecution and oppression," McDonnell said.

Overall, however, the State Department report didn't get high marks for toughness. The disappointment for most human rights organizations centered on the report's failure to include Saudi Arabia in the "Country of Particular Concern" category.

For the record, Israel also drew State Department fire for its conduct in Palestinian territories.


You can read this at:
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/A0025433.html

 

Amen to that Sue!

Please, I know this is a time of war, and we are praying for our country and our troops, (well we should be anyway) But lets not forget about our Missionaries, and Evangelist, and those who are in Bondage for the name of Jesus Christ.

When we think of a worship house (church), sometimes all we can see is our own churches. We do not see the picture of our Missionaries fighting Voo-doo, starvation, murder, amongst other things in Haiti, or being beaten and murdered, or beaten and tortured, and put in prison in China, and other countries.

We do not see sometimes Bibles being disguised as something else; so that the scripture can be given, and read to all. While tracks are so freely given out here; they are not in other countries. China is not the only place these things happen in.

Please remember these people who are faithful to the Lord. Let your hearts be heavy for these people, and remember to lift them up in your prayers. We have Missionaries on this board that need prayed for. Let us not forget them.

Thank you
Sherrie