From: R.  

 

Click on the link below to view a 140 page report that documents specific episodes of the systematic persecution being carried out against religious believers in China.

 

Dear Friend,

 

In Jiang Zemin's joint press conference with President Bush in China yesterday, he can be heard asserting that  religious believers arrested in China must have committed crimes or they wouldn't have been arrested. It's time for Christians throughout the world to begin to understand exactly what this "double-talk" means.

 

I know numerous believers in China from many different provinces that have been systematically mistreated by Public Security officials because they were labeled as "lawbreakers." Some of them have been arrested multiple times for simply following their conscience and practicing biblical Christianity. The book of Hebrews calls people just like them: "those of whom the world is not worthy." They are simply committed, Great Commission Christians, who choose to ignore the governement's ban on sharing the gospel outside the walls of the government sanctioned churches, and rather obey the command of Jesus to preach the gospel to every creature. If that qualifies someone as a "lawbreaker" then sign me up!

 

To qualify as a "lawbreaker" in China, you need only share the good news about Jesus with anyone under the age of 18. There are 500 million children under the age of 18  in China that are thus forbidden to hear the gospel.

 

Jesus said, "Forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven." Should Christian workers obey God or man in this case? Jesus said we should allow the little ones to come to him. He warns those that forbid it that they should prefer to have a large stone around their necks and be cast in the sea than to be found guilty of that. We'd better warn the leaders of China about this danger. It's a greater danger than the beatings that Sunday School workers can face in China. Am I worthy of any charges on this one? I may have to recommit myself to ministry to children in China. There may not be enough evidence to count me in the company of the brave souls breaking this law!

 

To qualify as a "lawbreaker" in China, you need only cross a border into another district or province, without official permission (hard to impossible to obtain) to do "religious work" there, and witness about your Christian experience to another soul on whom you have compassion. The government says, "keep that inside the walls of your church in the district to which you are assigned." Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth." Whom shall they obey in this case? I hope there is enough evidence to convict me on this count. Count me in, I must break this law. Like Peter and John, they cannot help but to tell all the things that they have witnessed Jesus say and do. Me, too!

 

If you lived in China and knew someone lying sick on a hospital bed for whom medical science holds no hope, would you talk to them about how Jesus healed the sick in Jerusalem? Would you dare to tell tham that others were healed when Peter or Phillip shared the good news of the Kingdom of God with them. Would you dare to share the idea that God revealed himself to the children of Israel as "I AM Jehovah, the God that heals you." Would you make the mistake of calling the elders of your church to come and anoint them with oil and pray a prayer of faith for their healing?  If so, YOU might be accused of spreading "dangerous superstistious beliefs" or "disrupting social stability."

 

Would you dare to suggest that faith in Jesus is the ONLY way that someone can get to heaven? Then my friend, you might be guilty of "persisting in the errors of ninteenth century Western Imperialist missionaries." You might be guilty of "offending the public sensibilities" or "propagating a religion not adaptable to socialism."

 

Will you as a Westerner make the mistake of visiting a Chinese Christian leader who has been mistreated for his religious convictions and then to make the contents of your conversations with that individual public? Then you could be guilty of "using religion to inlfitrate China"," being a hostile foreign force attempting to split China", and "leaking state secrets." You too could be a "lawbreaker" in China.

 

Villification is how the Communist party chooses to cover their tracks on repression of their political enemies. When the vatican decided to bestow "sainthood" on Chinese Catholic martyrs of the last century. China's official press responded by accusing all those named as having committed crimes ranging from rape to sedition and murder. 

 

When the government wanted to justify their actions in Beijing in response to the Tian'An Men Square demonstrations of 1989, they accused many of those who had been killed (some of whom where not even involved in the movement, but were innocent bystanders) of "hooliganism" and "anti-revolutionary sedition."

 

Recently Brother Gong Shenliang, currently appealing a death sentence for his role in leading The South China Church, was accused of "rape" as a cover-up of the religious persecution to which he has been subjected. His story, and a report on how torture was used to force a female co-worker to "confess " that he had raped her, can be viewed in the documents you can access with the link at the bottom of this e-mail.

 

First, let me share the true story of a religious "lawbreaker" in China:

 

When a personal friend of mine was arrested for holding a worship conference with 20 church workers, all of his personal possessions were confiscated. Neither he nor his family were ever provided an inventory or receipt of the things confiscated. These thing were never returned. Even his elderly relative's bank book that enables him to withdraw his pension from the bank was confiscated.

 

He was beaten during interrogation, as were some of his female co-workers. He was held in a cage, not a jail cell, surrounded by bars on all four sides as well as above and below. His older brother, who was the only relative ever allowed to see him during his one-and-a-half year ordeal, said he wished he hadn't been allowed to see the conditions where he was held. It turned his stomach.

 

This Christian leader's attorney was refused access to him and told to keep his nose out of the affair if he knew what was good for him, as it wasn't a "legal" matter.

 

One piece of literature that was found in this brother's home was shown to a pastor from the official sanctioned church in his city. The pastor condemned the literature as "cultic." He was asked what might be signs of this "cult" and responded that they frequently clap their hands, cry or dance when they worship. Further questioning of some of the co-workers in attendance at this worship conference revealed that indeed they sometimes lift their hands, clap or cry. They might even dance in response to the joy God gives them when they worship. One this basis, it was determined that my brother was indeed leading a cult and he was sentenced to a forced labor detention camp. In fact this single book he had in his possession was something he had read in order to know how to refute the "Shouters" cult and protect his flock from its' errors.

 

I know many of the people involved in this worship conference personally. They are not a part of the "shouters" cult as they were being accused. They are fundamental, evangelical Christian believers with a passion for Jesus and for lost souls. I wish I could export some of their joy and exuberance to more of our churches here in America.  On the basis of this joy, they were branded a "cult". I hope there is enough evidence of this joy in my life to qualify me to be classified with them!

 

Perhaps as many as 40-50% of churches in America today would qualify as "cults" by this test. Has anyone in your church ever cried in response to reflecting on God's amazing grace? Have you ever been guilty of clapping your hands or raising them during worship? Have you ever experienced the joy of God to such a degree that you might abandon your self-consciousness and personal pride and dare to dance before the Lord as David did when he brought the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem? You just might qualify as a member of a "cult" by China's current definition of the term.

 

This brother was then sentenced by police administrative decision, without a day in court or even formal charges being filed against him. I recently spoke with him during my visit to China. He detailed to me his experiences during his 1.5 year detention.

 

During part of his detention he was forced to stitch leather, soccer balls by hand for 20 hours a day. He said that it was part of a forced sleep-deprivation tactic. These soccer balls are apparently being made for export with forced prison labor. He couldn't tell me the name of the brand in English and I didn't recognize the name in Chinese. But, he said that the logo is a stylized flower. I don't know if these are being imported to the US.

 

He witnessed many people receiving beatings when they didn't meet the quotas assigned for the day. He described to me one fellow inmate who was extremely near-sighted and never managed to meet the quota. He was beaten daily. Their rations consisted of one steamed roll per meal during part of his detention. Never was he able to eat to the point that hunger left him.

 

He is now out, but under surveillance. He has mostly recovered physically from the abuse he received while in prison. His ministry is now hampered significantly because of the likelihood that he will arrested again if he attempts to host any meetings.

 

Amazingly this brother isn't bitter. He has forgiven all those involved in his arrest, persecution, conviction and imprisonment. But, he does express surprise and even disbelief that he could have been treated so. Up until the point of his own arrest and mistreatment, he doubted some of the reports he had heard of similar experiences. He said, "It was quite difficult for me to believe that my own government, whom I have trusted and supported, whom I believed in on principle all my life, could actually do the things that happened to me."

 

So, friend if you find it hard to believe that a nice man like Jiang Zemin could be capable of allowing this to happen or even of promoting this kind of treatment of Christians in modern China, then you are in good company. Many who experience these torturous experiences for the first time can't believe it's happening to them. If you find it hard to believe that he might lie during a live press conference with international coverage, you might also be too naive to accept the idea that Communists, who are avowed atheists, are capable of hating Christians and wishing their ultimate demise. Maybe a re-read of Marx, Engels, Lenin or Mao would be good medicine to alleviate this naivete.

 

Click on the link below to view recently released Communist Party documents smuggled out of China, as well as a detailed record of recent torture of Christian brothers and sisters in China.  I have received many first-hand verbal reports from others whose experience is very similar. Attached is a 4-page document that includes the Table of Contents and Forward to this extensive report for your review.

 

For the rest of this exhaustive report please go to: http://www.religiousfreedomforchina.org/English/docs/Final%20Report.htm.   It is over 100 pages long so take your time.  You may want to copy portions into word and edit it in a condensed content for printing.

Greetings, thank you for doing so much work in raising your voice about the persecution of our brothers and sisters in China.  On a personal basis, I have corresponded with Pastor C* of Beijing for a couple of years now.  On a ministry level, I oversee the Intercessory Prayer Ministry of Christians In Crisis.   The ministry is also an advocate of the persecuted church.  It was founded by Pastor Wally Magdangal who was himself sentenced to death by hanging in Saudi Arabia during the gulf war.  Our website is www.christiansincrisis.org   Right now over 300 intercessors pray for the needs of the persecuted church all over the world and have been praying and interceding for Pastor Gong and the congregation of South China Christian Church.   Thanks for you ministry.  If we can list any of your needs for our intercessors to pray about, let us know either through the web site or directly to ahold@famvid.com for direct distribution.

From: Sabine Becker

To: info@religiousfreedomforchina.org

Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 3:50 AM

Subject: Protest letters help for the persecuted

 

Dear Sirs,

 

I would like to support your efforts for persecuted Christians in China. I publish
cases of opersecuted Christians in a newsletter which is send to about 2000
Christians in Germany. Do you have any prepared protest card or letters which you
could send to me by email since my English is not so goog. I would also need
adresses I could send these letters to.

 

Thank you for your help

 

Sabine Becker
Solidaritaetsfonds "Menschen in Not"
Westerwaldstr. 6
65553 Limburg

From: "Lucia" <lucia@ucanews.com>

To: <info@ReligiousFreedomforChina.org>

Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 3:50 AM

Subject: News enquiry