R.P. BenDedek
Persecution of Christians in China?
By R.P.BenDedek
Feb 7, 2008 - 5:55:31 AM

I've just read the article entitled: China Aid Releases 2007 Persecution Report published here at Magic City, and I would like to put some perspective on the figures it contains. 

I find it amazing that people get all worked up about China's persecution of Christians, whilst Christianity is being suppressed at every turn by secular political activists in the West. I see this articles use of statistics and emotive language (emotional triggers) quite misleading, but just to start putting the quoted statistics into perspective, China it must be remembered, has a population of around 1.3 Billion people.

The article reports that 788 people were arrested and a lesser number of people were detained. 

• In 2007, .... The total number of people persecuted was 788

In a population of 1.3 billion, that figure of 788 people represents approximately 0.0000005% of the population - and then only if one were to consider that all the arrests were 'unjustified and persecutory'. Would to God that the political activists in the west were so effective in persecuting Christians there. Putting the percentage into perspective within the population size of the USA, it amounts to about 125 people arrested for involvement in 'illegal' operations. 'House Churches' in China are illegal gatherings.

In relation to the issue of 'persecution' (notice it doesn't say 'prosecution') Against Christian publications, it mentions that amongst several 'illegal' groups and their activities, that two legal business were persecuted. I do not know the background to these situations, but the mere fact that a business is legally licensed does not mean that it operates at all times in accordance with the law.  The question is whether the business is doing something legally improper, or whether someone in power is abusing their power to hamper a legal business operation.  But again, on statistics alone, what percentage are we talking about here?  Is it possible that this is a bureaucratic bungle or worse, a deliberate attempt on the part of some nasty citizens to cause trouble for someone they don't like?  Like it or not, the Chinese can be as nasty as any political activist in the West. 

The real point to the articles and the real problem, is one of working through the Chinese legal process, which at best often seems to be something chaotic. For example: It was reported a few years ago in China Daily that a man who had been imprisoned for several years for the murder of his wife, had to be released when his wife actually turned up alive. In another article it pointed out that several male prisoners who had been raped by prison guards, could not prosecute those guards for anything more than assault, because it had never been considered in Chinese law that a man could / would rape another man, and so no statute existed under which a crime had been committed.

With regard to the point about persecution  Against foreign Christians and missionaries, the question must be asked, "What were they doing to draw attention to themselves'?  Foreigners are not allowed by law to interfere in Chinese Religion; to teach, preach or engage in illegal operations.  Yet I have met quite a number of foreign English teachers who talk quite openly about how they hold Bible studies and teach the Bible in English Class.  Well what can I say but: "So sorry that you got arrested mate - but you deserve it!"

There is no law preventing foreigners from socializing with Chinese, and during such times, one is of course free to answer any questions that a Chinese person might ask.  A little common sense will show you how to 'spread the word' without breaking the law.

The report also said that about 70 foreign Christians were persecuted in Xinjiang. Xinjian is Muslim territory.  They don't even like the Han Chinese going there let alone Christians trying to convert Muslims.   I have written about this before in an article entitled: Sheep Stealing in China

•   XinJiang is Muslim territory! It is now populated with Han Chinese who have been paid to go live and work there. Call me cynical if you must, but I can't help wondering if the real issue here isn't about some Local people wanting to get rid of, not only of the Han Chinese, but a foreign religion. That is not meant as a slight against Muslims, for in fact I have many Xinjiang friends, but 'greasing the wheel' is common practice in China, and a greased palm could solve a lot of problems if for instance you had (Han Chinese) foreigners trying to convert your kids to another religion.
• A month ago, one of the boys who lives on my floor, calmly informed me that he had joined the Christian Religion (Jidujiao). This morning he informed me that next year he will go to XinJiang with many others to "convert" the Muslims there, because they belong to the wrong religion.

It is my personal belief that anyone who goes to China with the deliberate intention of breaking the law, should not be complaining about the results of their own action, let alone what may result from going to a Muslim province and trying to convert them as well.

I have listened to (outsider) westerners carrying on about how the Chinese government controls what can and cannot be preached in churches,  therefore the true Gospel can't be heard, but at the same time, I have spoken with Catholic Priests who were far more evangelical than priests back home, and who have watched their flock grow from a few hundred to over 3,000.

• When he arrived in PuQi, there were 100 parishioners. Today there are over 3,000, most of whom do not come from religious families of any variety. He finds that young people today are disillusioned with life and seeking an inner 'fulfillment ' and peace which only Jesus can bring. In 2001, Father Timothy (a local boy) was ordained and commenced work in the parish. The two serve the needs of the local metropolitan area, which does require some travelling about. Within the Hubei Diocese there are a total of five priests, and within China, 1,300, of which some 300 or so (in the south at least) are reasonably new young priests like Father Timothy. I guess most people could spot the difference between an orthodox and conservative Jew by their dress, but between Catholic and Evangelical the difference is most obvious in their speech. From how and what they spoke, I judge these two priests to be highly evangelical in character . In accordance with the Vatican II changes, the church in China has reformed, and despite the bamboo curtain, it has remained abreast of events in the west and in particular, the Roman Catholic Church. They even receive regular English periodicals from Canada entitled 'Michael'.

I've had one class wherein most students were Christian of one type or another, and here in SuZhou find that students find it shocking if I ask if any of them are Christians. (This I did in relation to the word 'denomination' as used in a text book, pointing out that asking people if they are Christian actually requires further qualification, since both Jidujiao and Tianzhujiao are in Western thinking, both 'Christian')

I've never encountered 'fear' when it comes to the mention of religion, and always answer questions when asked.  I have even been presented with Chinese Bibles, and was an unwitting guest (invited by students) at a 'missionary' night last Christmas. That night was at least tastefully done and confined to the 'Christmas Spirit'.

China has had a lot of problems in the past with Messianic Christian Cults, and unsupervised house churches represent a threat to the peace of the country.  In a country where some people describe 'Catholicism' as the Jewish Religion, or the religion in which people worship 'Joseph' as Jesus' "Father - God", and in a country wherein people have no idea that there are many 'isms' in Christianity, the scope for ignorant subservience to some who might seek persecution or the overthrow of the social status is huge.

• It therefore makes sense that the golden age of millenarian movements were the 19th and 20th centuries. In this period, European (and, later, North American) missionaries carried (potentially) millenarian ideas all over the world, pushing them very hard, often on populations which had never before been exposed to them.
• Some of these were huge; the largest of them was the Taiping movement in 19th century China; the civil war it sparked was responsible for tens of millions of deaths, and set in motion events which would help bring about the Chinese Revolution. This is part of the story of modernity, of the great transformation of world history; also the story of millions of people acting in accordance with passionate convictions which were absurdly, tragically wrong. (Millenarianism)

We westerners are hugely ignorant of China, it's people, it's culture, and it's ways. I have lived here for 5 years, and it still frustrates me how little I understand these people.  For 5 years now students and teachers have complained that I do not give students enough marks in their tests. It was only a few weeks ago that I was 'secretly' informed that unless students average 85% across their subjects, that they cannot claim special 'financial benefits'. Who knew? 

The second test I ever give students has the potential to win them 100% - but so few of them will pay attention to my instructions and consequently fail. I've always known this, but the lesson it teaches is invaluable in making them pay attention to instruction.  Armed now with this 'secret knowledge' I will be able to achieve the desired goal of proper attention to instructions, without the need for any student to fail the test. (Test No. 1 whilst not having the same dramatic result, is also used to instruct students to 'pay attention' to instructions).

When we do not understand someone's culture, we can only make judgments based upon our own western worldviews. The fact is that China has had a bad history with Christianity, and the government does need to keep the country stable long enough to make the people prosperous and educated. China's first priority is 'social stability - harmonious society'. So if westerners deliberately set out to break the law, there should not be any sympathy given for whatever tragedy that awaits them.

Who of us then, relying upon our own personal worldviews, is entitled to jump up and down on our western democratic 'free speech' and 'my rights' soap boxes and demand that law breakers go unpunished?

(Oooops! So Sorry!  I forgot for a moment that that is exactly our worldview these days thanks to civil libertarians.)

In the end, what I see when I read this type of reporting is that the only thing that people understand about China is that it is a communist country and/or that without Jesus the Chinese will go to hell.  That, in the end, I think, justifies all complaints about China's 'PROsecution' of criminal Christians.

Frankly, if China tomorrow was governed as a Western Type Democracy - then by next week there would be civil war. Until you have seen the selfish and nasty side of the Chinese personality, you couldn't possibly understand that statement, but before you scream "racist" at me, I merely quote a Chinese academic from Huangshi, Hubei!

R.P.Bendedek

Email: rpbendedek@hotmail.com

R.P.BenDedek is the pseudonym of the Author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' ( http://www.kingscalendar.com/ ), and is a guest columnist at Magic City Morning Star News. An Australian, he currently teaches Conversational English in China.

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"The King's Calendar" is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the (Essene) Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls.