China's Attack on Religion

[rug]

A Tibetan monk set himself on fire Monday to protest the lack of religious freedom in China, the second such protest in five months. Yesterday the government announced a "strike hard" campaign aimed at the Muslim Uighur minority in the northeastern territory of Xinjiang. Meanwhile, the authorities are tightening control over mainstream Christian churches, stepping up arrests of Catholic priests.

There are few voices exposing the mistreatment of Tibetans and Uighurs, but Catholics have leaders who are beginning to fight back. Last month the Vatican excommunicated two bishops ordained by the state-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, citing church law that clergymen can only be ordained with the pope's blessing. Benedict XVI also deplored the Communist Party's belligerent handling of the ordinations—which went so far as to kidnap priests who are in communion with Rome and force them to take part in the ordinations. Now Beijing is detaining priests who refuse to comply with the Party's demands.

Until last year, Beijing was making progress toward reconciling its "patriotic" church with the Vatican, extracting concessions from Rome with the promise of consultations on future appointments. The Holy See was willing to accept new ordinations of bishops and priests, while most of the previously ordained clergy had quietly pledged their allegiance to Rome. This seemed to be part of a broad recognition by Beijing that mainstream religion is a stabilizing force in society, rather than a subversive force to be feared.

Things started to go wrong last November, when the state-run church ordained a bishop without the pope's approval. The breakdown in relations worsened as Beijing continued a wider crackdown against all forms of freedom of expression. Chinese leaders' fear of democratic movements like the Arab Spring spreading to China was clearly one factor behind this trend.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903392904576512024021013598.html?KEYWORDS=vatican

[LAGC]

1. Do you really expect us to subscribe to Rupert Murdoch's filthy rag just to read the entire article?

Surely you can find a better source...

[humblebum]

2. Yes, the article doesn't speak highly of state atheism.

This can't even be true because the chinese have such a stellar record on freedom of thought and religion.

[LAGC]

3. Why don't you save the rest of us the trouble and quote relevant pieces of the article

So we don't have to pad Rupert Murdoch's pockets, since you apparently are already?

[rug]

4. Sorry, I read it on a free pass.

Here's an update on the Tibet aspect of the art6icle.

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=234134

[LAGC]

5. Thank you for that.

China is definitely in a tough situation, considering its checkered history with religious movements in its past.

One would think if China allowed more religious freedom in general, you'd have less incidents of nut-case religious folks lighting themselves on fire and making a spectacle out of themselves and playing the "poor victim" card, like the Falun Gong.

If China was serious about limiting religious sentiment it could just take a cue from Europe and its high rates of non-believers in many countries there. If places like Tibet weren't so economically backward and impoverished, its doubtful so many would cling to their religion. They should do more to help lift the people up, instead of oppressing them for naturally wanting to cling to backwards beliefs and traditions.

But I don't think China really hates religion as much as it fears not being able to control it. I mean, there are plenty of state-controlled churches being tolerated and even promoted, just so long as they aren't actively undermining the government.