Are We Really Surprised? China's Latest Rights Violation

I just ran across a blog post from the Guardian in the U.K. (See article by clicking on this post's title. If not working, here is the url: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/greenslade/2008/07/olympics_journalists_face_hara.html) Seems China can't keep from showing its true colors, despite promises of freedom for journalists.

Are we astonished that a nation who fails to allow freedom for its own citizens to worship (see my most recent blog post) as they choose or even to make decisions regarding their own families or even bodies (limiting children to one per couple, forced abortions for those who have one child already)?

I don't understand why the Olympic Committee chose to reward a country whose policies are so opposed to human rights. What's their next choice, North Korea? Darfur?

Good thing I'm not posting this on the internet in China. It would be blocked and I'd have the police at my door, asking to escort me to the airport to go home. (If I'm lucky.)

The Truth about China

I just read this update from Voice of the Martyrs:

CHINA Prominent House Church Leader Evicted from Home, Forced to Live on
the Streets - China Aid Association
On July 6, 2008, Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials evicted Pastor Bike Zhang, chairman of the Federation House Church, and his wife, Xie Fenglan, from their home in Chaoyang district, Beijing.

According to China Aid Association (CAA), "The couple was able to find shelter in the home of a friend, Niu Bei, until officials found them and forced the Zhang's to leave. Zhang and his wife moved into a hotel in Guo Xian town, Tongzhou district. On July 14, Tongzhou District PSB officials threatened the owner of the hotel to evict the couple or face incarceration. The couple then decided to find residence in Changping county, but were stopped by police officials while on their way and taken to the town government office."

CAA added, "Police interrogated the couple [withholding] food, drink, or rest. Xie Fenglan collapsed due to the stress of the torture. The couple was [later] released from the government office." CAA reported PSB officials continued harassing the Zhangs and continually evicted them from places where they sought shelter.

"Zhang and his wife are now forced to live on the streets and are not able to find shelter. When asked why the couple was being expelled from Beijing, officials responded, ‘Because Bike Zhang met the Americans, and destroyed the harmony of the Beijing Olympic Games.'"

Pray for Pastor Bike and his family during this difficult time. Ask God to heal Xie Fenglan's body and emotions. Pray believers in China will remain courageous as persecution increases ahead of the Olympics next month. Psalm 27:1


Who will tell their story? Who will encourage them as they stand for Christ in a country where so many beliefs, not to mention words and behaviors, are off-limits? How can we support our Olympic athletes and yet protest against the government who welcomes them, but evicts its own people?

This is not an isolated incidenthttp://opendoorsusa.org/. Many human and religious rights organizations have documented the harassment, arrests, torture, and imprisonment of political and religious dissidents in China, Number 10 on the list of countries noted for persecution of Christians.

Spread the truth. And pray. And plug in to the websites of V.O.M., http://www.persecution.com/ and Open Doors, http://opendoorsusa.org/