Made in China

The phrase “Made in China” is a familiar American expression that is somewhat—tinged with irony.  I cannot count how many times I have bought my children a present, opened the box, and found the words, “Made in China” displayed inside.  This holds true for many of my electronic equipment and clothing as well—they all seem to be made in China! 

 

Naturally, I have developed quite a soft spot for the country that produces many of my most basic necessities.  In my mind, I imagine the cities of China filled with bustling men and women who are industrious, imaginative, and hard working.  I have never once stopped to think about the daily lives of the Chinese civilians (especially the Chinese Christians)–until now.  Within the confines of a country that produces mass quantities of ingenious products lies a dark secret—Christian persecution. 

The dominant religion of China is Buddhism, but Taoism and Islam also have a large number of adherents in this Communist country.  Although the officially atheist government states that it adheres to a form of religious tolerance—their actions speak louder than words.  Christianity is only allowed to be practiced in a government controlled setting and thus, unapproved religious organization is illegal.  This communist manifesto was exemplified exponentially in the city of Sichuan on March 29, 2008.  It was on this day that a house church, located in Qujiang Township, was suddenly raided by 20 Security Bureau officials.  The stunned worshippers looked on in silence as government officials confiscated their Bibles and accused them of engaging in cult activities. Cries of anguish could be heard as members of the church were dragged to the police station and arrested for using a cult organization to undermine the laws and regulations of China. 

Cult organization? The modern definition of a cult organization is one that observes a myriad of external religious practices, exercises a plethora of repetitive rituals, and creates connections with idol-like objects.  This definition does not “define” Christianity or its adherents.  In fact, Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is not a daily form of ritualistic observances meant to please man, but instead it is an intense desire to serve the Lord via words and actions.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do,” (Ephesians 2:8-10).  This is Christianity.

The house church raid in Sichuan is, unfortunately, not an isolated event.  Christian persecution in China has been rising for many years now and shows no signs of diminishing.  Just in June alone, church leaders have been detained, funds to eliminate house churches have been allocated, and Christian earthquake relief efforts have been stymied.

Now when I open up boxes of toys and electronics and see the phrase “Made in China” written inside—an entirely new visual pops in my mind.  Of course I still imagine large industrious cities filled with hard working men and women, but I also see the plight of persecuted Christians living underneath an umbrella of government oppression.  I envision my Christian brothers and sisters working hard all day long only to return to a home that has been ransacked.

So, next time you see the phrase “Made in China” written on the inside of your telephone or plastered across the back of your television set—remember to pray.  Pray that the next thing to be “Made in China” is an appearance by the Holy Spirit.

OIC Pushes UN Security Council for More Seats

The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is pushing for more power within the United Nations. In a resolution passed last week, the OIC said Muslims, who make up one-fifth of the world’s population, should be represented on the UN Security Council “in proportion to their membership [in] the United Nations.” Islamic countries currently make up about one-third of the 192 UN member States and hold a one-third majority on the UN Human Rights Council. The resolution also stated that any attempt to enlarge the Security Council without sufficient Islamic representation “will not be acceptable to the Islamic World.”

The UN Security Council has five permanent members–the U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia–and 10 non-permanent members that serve two-year terms. The purpose of the council is to maintain international peace and security, establish peacekeeping missions and authorize military action. With such power, it would be nothing less than disastrous if the council was governed by members who each sought to push their own agendas, without regard to the safety and security of every nation in mind.

At last week’s OIC conference in Uganda, the organization made it clear, however, that the only agenda it seeks is “to protect and promote the interests of the Islamic world.” It’s anti-Israel stance (many of its members don’t even recognize the country) and recent resolutions limiting free speech and free expression only confirm this view. We can only conclude, therefore, that the welfare, safety and security of non-Muslims–including the victims of Christian persecution and Palestinian suicide bombers–would apparently mean nothing to them. We also fear that if the “interests of the Islamic world” necessitated military action against innocent Christians, Jews, Buddhists or Hindus, they might very well approve it.

It is time for the rest of the world to stand up against the aggressive tactics of the OIC. Islamic interests should absolutely be represented in the UN, but in proportion to the Muslim population. Islamic countries should represent no more than one-fifth of any UN council, and OIC members with severe human rights violations should be banned from UN membership. As long as the U.S. and other Western countries keep pandering to the complaints of the OIC, their influence will only grow stronger and more powerful, until they one day have complete control of the UN.

Employment as a Means of Discrimination

Often when you and I think of persecution, our first thoughts are of physical abuse and social rejection. And while these are true for many, there are different and much more subtle challenges facing Christians throughout the world, one of those being discrimination in employment. Particularly in developing countries such as the Middle East and Eastern Europe, where jobs are limited and largely based in the public sector, destroying the economic viability of an individual is perhaps one of the most effective and challenging means of persecution.

This past May it was reported that two Christians in Azerbaijan were fired from their jobs without notice. When they asked the cause of their dismissal, they were blatantly told it was because of their faith. In Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim nation, this is a growing phenomenon; competition for jobs is high with the unemployment rate reaching nearly 20% last year. Mixed with an inflation rate of 28.9%, it’s no question that life is becoming more and more difficult in the country, and Christians, due to discrimination against their faith, are the first to feel its effects.

Perhaps no one knows the effects of employment discrimination better than Elnur Jabijev. Now General-Secretary of the Azerbaijani Baptist Union, Jabijev worked for three years as a state policeman before coming to the Union. Yet, when State Secret Police observed him attending a local Baptist Church he was immediately interrogated and discharged. Without any income or benefits, life was difficult for Jabijev and he relied heavily on his church to support him and his family.

In Azerbaijan, where Christians make up less than 8% of the total population, issues such as these facing minorities are being overlooked and sometimes encouraged. Let us pray that economic pressures do not result in Christians suffering who will no doubt continue to be targeted as conditions continue to worsen.

Karma Can Demand a Terrible Price

Although usually associated with peace and the inspiring words of the Dalai Lama, who often quotes Jesus in his books and speeches, Buddhists have become among the growing number of non-believers who persecute Christians.

 

According to an article in Compass Direct News, Buddhist extremists are holding an anti-Christian rally in southern Sri Lanka on June 22, where they plan to “expose the great [Christian] conspiracy.” Anti-Christian banners and posters decorate Middeniya, the town in which the rally is being held, and a Christian student was beaten at an anti-Christian gathering that was organized to publicize the upcoming rally. The gathering was held at the town’s public school, and the principal urged Buddhist students to attend the rally and warned them against attending Christian meetings.

 

These anti-Christian rallies are rather tame, compared to other acts of persecution Sri Lankan Buddhists have committed in the last six months. In February, a young protestant pastor was killed and his wife critically injured by two gunmen. In March, a group of Bible students in the Putlam District of Lunuwila were violently attacked by 10 masked men. A day later, the Zion Mount Prayer House in Mulaitivo was set ablaze. The pastor, his wife, his child and two other Christians were inside when the building was set on fire, but they were able to escape.

 

Ironically, one of the most basic teachings of Buddhism is the belief in karma, in which a person receives rewards and punishments, in this life or the next, for his every action. In Theravāda Buddhism, the form of Buddhism practiced in Sri Lanka, the cause of human suffering is what the believers call “defilements,” usually meaning greed, hatred and delusion. Buddhists believe the defilements are parasites that have infested the mind.

 

It is clear that many Sri Lankan Buddhists, whether aware of it or not, are suffering from these parasites. The murderous hate they feel for Christians has consumed them to the point where they are committing terrible atrocities in the name of “protecting” Buddhism. Their delusion that Christians are the cause of their problems is the very antithesis of what their religion teaches them!

 

As Christians, we should not only pray for the victims of this violence and hatred, but also for the Buddhists. They have been led to believe that their own strength and their own power is enough to combat their defilements. They don’t understand that the only way to truly combat that hatred is through Jesus. And although karma is not part of Christian belief, Christians should pray for these Buddhists souls, for they will suffer the worst karma—eternity without Jesus—if they don’t turn from their evil ways.

Help is Not on the Way: Burma’s Quiet Genocide

After the rains subsided and the angry winds stopped screaming, the survivors of Cyclone Nargis slowly emerged. The trembling citizens of Burma looked glassy-eyed at what was left of their country and shuddered. Cyclone Nargis had destroyed their homes, unearthed their trees, and killed thousands of their family members.

Tears poured from the eyes of Burmese men and women as they took in the incalculable devastation. Their hearts shook as the unaided cries of wounded children reverberated in their ears. They wondered if help was on the way. Indeed it was coming, but not for the faithful believers of Burma known as the Karen Christians.

In the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, the government of Burma refused any type of “human” foreign aid. A virtual gasp could be heard around the world as the predominantly Buddhist government turned down foreign help and instead requested that only “helpful materials” be shipped into Burma. A sense of desperation enveloped the country as Burmese citizens waited for much needed “human” foreign aid-aid that was prohibited from coming.

Finally, after pressure from the U.N., the Burmese government “begrudgingly” relented and allowed foreign aid workers to enter the devastated country. Armed with food, water, and medical supplies, men and women from around the globe were finally allowed to help the grateful citizens of Burma. Tears of joy flowed from the eyes of cyclone victims as relief workers bandaged their wounds and healed their hearts. However, as the non-Christian Burmese citizens celebrated the arrival of foreign aid, a poor group of Karen Christians prayed for help. Unfortunately, help was not on the way.

The Karen Christians of Burma are no strangers to persecution. In fact, over the past few years, persecution against Karen Christians in Burma has been on the rise. However, even in the midst of a national disaster, these faithful believers continue to be persecuted. The much needed food, water, and medical assistance that is now being granted to the rest of Burma-is being prohibited from reaching the small population of Karen Christians. It is genocide in its worst form. When most countries find unity in the midst of a national disaster, the government of Burma has instead found an underhanded and malicious way to slowly eliminate faithful followers of Christ.

Yet, what are the authorities of Burma really doing-killing the body? “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell,” (Matthew 10:28). Burmese government authorities may now be wearing their “worldly crowns,” but soon the Karen Christians will be wearing their eternal, heavenly, crowns.

Disturbing Trend of Violence in India

Hundreds of victims of anti-Christian violence in Orissa State, India celebrated a small victory this week as they were awarded more time to file affidavits detailing the violence that took place during a series of brutal attacks this past Christmas. The attacks left hundreds of homes and churches destroyed, more than 2,000 Christians in refugee camps and an unknown number of Christians beaten, tortured and killed.

The judicial committee delayed the beginning of the formal investigation until July 14 to help the victims. “We are relieved the deadline was extended by three weeks, given the enormity of the task ahead of us (involving 61 villages),” a priest told AsiaNews. “Victims are trying to rebuild their lives and are under pressure and being intimidated not to testify.” The original start date had been July 5.

The good news was tempered, however, by reports of separate incidents of violence just this week against a bishop and 40 pastors in Andhra Pradesh state adjacent to Orissa. The Christians were praying and worshipping at the start of a Bible seminar in the Khammam district, when a group of radical Hindus broke down the door and attacked the parishioners. In a sick turn of events, the police then arrested the parishioners (the victims) and detained them overnight without food or water.

The dual news reports highlight a frightening–and growing–trend of violence against Christians in India. Some reports suggest that Hindus fear and hate Christianity because of those who embrace it. Many “Untouchables,” the lowest members of India’s archaic caste system, have embraced Christianity because it gives them the dignity and freedom their own country denies them. The Untouchables are considered lower than animals in most cases, unworthy of even the smallest amounts of love or respect.

As a result, they have turned to Christianity and are converting in great numbers. Christ himself favored the weak, the impoverished and the hurting, and this is a viewed as a terrible threat to upper-caste Hindus, for they realize that their power in society is diminishing. The Hindus also fear an uprising among the great numbers of Untouchables, who no longer view themselves as the scum of the earth, but as the princes and princesses of Heaven, the special, beloved children of God. For the first time in their lives, they are experiencing real freedom and true empowerment, and the radical Hindus will do anything to crush those feelings of hope and love.

Surprises and Warning Signs in Russia

Prior to its collapse in 1991, the Soviet Union was little more than a death camp for Christians.  Firmly grounded on atheistic communism, the government severely terrorized Christians of all denominations, whether Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or Protestant. All were considered enemies of the state and thus, institutions to be eliminated.  Now more than a decade after the fall of communism, Christianity has once again taken hold in Russia, with some estimates claiming that nearly 80% of the population professes Christianity.

And yet, in the past few years there have been alarming developments that are causing many Christians in Russia to question the future of their freedoms.  This past April the New York Times released an article by Clifford J. Levy touching on many of pressures and persecutions facing minority Christians, mainly Protestant groups, in Russia.  The Russian Orthodox Church, allying itself with the government, has become nothing short of the state religion. Many fear that the Church is simply becoming a cover for anti-Western and pro-Russian agendas.

More and more Protestants are being targeted for their links to the West, with the government even going as far as accusing these “sects” of being used as a front for American Military Intelligence.  Protestant churches are now being required to register with the government and are finding it increasingly difficult to bring in western pastors and missionaries, whom they rely on heavily. Russian Orthodox sermons are becoming more anti-Protestant, with one of the major themes being equating Protestants with those who killed Christ.

These issues may seem insignificant in comparison to much of the persecution facing Christians abroad, but they are very alarming warning signs. It is now when something should be done to protect minority rights.  During the Soviet reign, most westerners did not even know of the horrors that were happening to their fellow Christians until the country collapsed. The Christian world should keep a close eye on Russia and not let history repeat itself.

China Issues Rules for “Foreigners”

Despite comments made two months ago by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge–who said that free speech would not be infringed upon during the Olympics–China recently released a nine-page list of rules for “foreigners” attending the international event. The document is titled: “A guide to Chinese law for Foreigners coming to, leaving or staying in China during the Olympics.”

Religion is among the 57 topics covered in the document. In this case, Olympic spectators are forbidden from displaying religious banners or shouting religious slogans during the event. The international community has—predictably—responded with outrage at the document, which also bans people with “mental diseases” or contagious conditions. (The document says that people with disabilities “can be stubborn and controlling; they may be sensitive and struggle with trust issues. Sometimes they are overly protective of themselves, especially when they are called ‘crippled’ or ‘paralysed’.”)

But even more outrageous is the fact that the international community is only now reacting to such restrictions. It is outrageous that the international community has only expressed concern now that the restrictions affect them personally.

Chinese Christians and their underground churches have been suffering such restrictions for years, and it has only gotten worse in the lead-up to the Olympics. Through methods such as church raids and the confiscation of Bibles and other forms of Christian literature, Chinese officials have heightened their efforts to subdue and eliminate Christianity. The China Aid Association in March said that more than 700 Christians were arrested and detained in China last year, and persecution against Christians had risen more than 30 percent since 2006. The association also said that many Christians have been beaten and tortured.

One of the most disturbing and frightening forms of punishment has been the use of “labor camps.” Some reports have numbered these camps at over 1,000 and growing. The number of prisoners could total more than one million. Victims in these camps are forced to work as long as 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the workers often manufacture the very goods that are exported to the U.S. and other Western nations. Reports that prisoners have been tortured and used for organ harvesting also surfaced last year.

A former prisoner of one of these labor camps told a British journalist that his job was to shovel human waste from a cesspool. He said he smiled each time he was lowered into the pool of waste because “it was the only time I was alone from the prying eyes of the guards. I could now commune with God, praise His name at the top of my voice, and I would also recite scriptures that I had memorized.” See the whole story on Assist News.

In some ways it is easy to see how the publicity surrounding the Olympics has been God-sent. It has brought to light and publicized the horrors taking place in China. But the International community should be ashamed for waiting until the rules affected Westerners before taking action. It should be ashamed for ignoring the horrors in China and supporting and building the Chinese economy, which is itself sustained by the blood and sweat of persecuted Christians.

Monkey Chairman Makes Headlines

A business school in India made CNN headlines late last week when it named Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, as its new chairman. Hanuman is the Hindu god of courage, hope, knowledge, intellect and devotion, and a school official told the Associated Press that “any job that has the blessings of Lord Hanuman is bound to be a success.”

Not surprisingly, the story of the monkey chairman was apparently more newsworthy to CNN than recent events confirming the ongoing persecution of Christians at the hands of the very people who worship Hanuman.

Last week, for example, Hindu villagers destroyed an SUV that belonged to an Orissa Bible college during anti-Christian protests. CNN didn’t report the incident. Nor did they report that an independent church had been vandalized by 20-25 Hindu extremists in Durg, Chhattisgargh on June 1. On May 26, a pastor was attacked, beaten and robbed in the Madhya Pradesh state. CNN missed that event as well.

Sadly, Indian Christians face incidents like this on a daily basis as Hindu extremism grows in strength and numbers. Although Hindus make up more than 80 percent of the population, many seek to eradicate any other forms of worship and seven Indian states have already introduced anti-conversion laws. In 2007, the State Department’s International Religious Freedom report concluded that “Hindutva,” the belief that India should have one culture and one religion, “continues to influence some government policies and actions at the state and local levels. … Some [organizations] report that societal violence against religious minorities is part of a larger Hindu nationalist agenda and corresponds with ongoing state electoral politics.”

These laws and feelings of animosity towards Christians have led to events such as the one on May 28, in which 30 preachers were attacked by Hindus. A week earlier, 15 Hindu extremists entered the Sharon Assembly of God Church in Manjunatha Nagara, cursed the Christians as they worshipped, ripped up their hymn books and Bibles and dragged pastor Peniel Thankappan Johnson to the local police station, where they falsely accused him of forcible conversion. In some cases, families have been given “the option” to convert or lose their homes.

Because CNN does not consider these events to be newsworthy, it is up to Christians worldwide to spread the word that believers in India need our prayers and support. We need to let them know that they are not forgotten, even as they struggle against the laws and hatred of Hindus who seek to change their hearts and minds through fear and intimidation.

Not Much Has Changed

If you had to force your family members to love you, would it count?  If threats of death, physical violence, and extortion were the only way you could obtain “friends” would their friendship be true?  Would the people surrounding you be there because they love you, or because they fear you? 

To the Christian mind, the answer is obvious.  In fact, for most people, the above questions posed are ridiculous and unrealistic.  Yet, for many Muslims–who live and breathe the words of Muhammad–these are rational questions.  Unfortunately, these questions have answers; Answers that date back to the beginning of Islam and the start of a religion that was spread by the sword.  Answers that dripped from the lips of Muhammad when questioned about Christians who would not convert to Islam, “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.’ And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah,” (Bukhari 8:387). 

With brute force, Muhammad brought many Christians to their knees–threatening to kill their children and their families if they did not convert to Islam.  Those who did not acquiesce to Muhammad’s threats of physical violence swiftly had their human life snatched away—yet their heavenly life had just begun.  Not much has changed. 

Since the time of Muhammad, Muslim “copy cats,” in an effort to emulate Muhammad, are still using violence to force people to convert to Islam. Muslim extremist groups around the world have made sure to carry on Muhammad’s infamous doctrines with Mafia type methods.  For example, on June 1, 2008, Muslim militants in Indonesia brutally attacked an interfaith religious tolerance rally with a barrage of machetes and sticks. The rally was attended by 200 Christians as well as other groups, including branches of Islam that the extremists consider to be “tainting the religion.”

As the Indonesian Christians lay stunned and wounded, the only sounds that could be heard were the voices of the Muslim attackers screaming, “Repent or die!  Repent or die!”  Their fanatic words echoed those of Muhammad’s when he began his savage string of attacks against Christians–Christians who refused to cower to a man whose false religion was the antithesis of Christianity.  A man who cried, “I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah…” (Muslim 1:33). 

As you are reading this, Christians around the world are staring into the eyes of Muhammad’s followers who are giving our brothers and sisters in Christ the choice to convert—or die.  They choose death. 

Not much has changed.

Matthew 10:28, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”