Job Discussion Forums

[kololam77]

Thanks so much for all of the responses.

I find it interesting that such fundamentalistic and narrow conclusions were drawn re: my intentions for coming to China based on my first post.

Nothing within its (the post) contents even remotely suggested that my first priority for coming to China was to "convert the heathen". The post was merely to discover from first hand accounts what the state of religious freedom is like currently in various parts of China. The mere suggestion that all Christians are coming to China in a "Bob Jones" like fashion with similar intentions - well - is as simple minded as some Bob Jones representatives themselves and the evangelization methodology they employ.

[Lobster]

Kololam, I wasn't drawing any conclusions about your intentions, but my experience with those who are outspoken about religious beliefs is that they are indeed here to initiate some religious conversion among the locals. You weren't exactly clear about your intent, so I mentioned several possibilities.

You were asking what to expect, and I'm telling you straight out. Keep your beliefs to yourself here and you won't have any problems. If you want to be involved in a "fellowship" with the locals, you may open a can of worms.

Do you have any idea of how many faith-based organizations covertly send people here as teachers to convert people they consider "heathens"? Well, I do because I live here and I've met them. These cultists are ready to practice all kinds of deceit to achieve their goals. Their Christianity is an aggressive religion.

You apparently don't understand the sarcasm implied by my use of the word "heathen", which was the word my dear late grandfather used when others asked about my family's religious persuasion.

For people who want to quietly follow their faith, religious freedom is not an issue in China, and the slightest bit of research would tell you that. So, maybe spreading the word is not your first priority, but does that imply that it's still on your list? I truly hope not.

Certainly not all Christians in China are of the Bob Jones ilk, but those who are arouse a deep feeling of mistrust and antipathy in those of us who don't fancy additional scrutiny or ill-will on the authorities' part while we try to do our jobs. Many of the FTs I meet here enjoy China so much because it's mostly free of the dominant religious hypocrisy of many western nations, and we'd like to see it stay that way.

RED

[WordUp]

Christianity appears to be blossoming from what I have experienced. The churches I have visited in Hangzhou and Shanghai are often filled to capacity and more college students seem to be attending. I have been invited by several of my students to join them.

The church where I attend is small and conducted in the local dialect, not in Mandarin, which technically does not matter greatly as I am still working on honing my language skills.

What is not allowed is to attempt to convert folks by any organized means but you can certainly and freely discuss your beliefs if asked, and you can ask the questions in informal settings e.g. over dinner just not in the classroom.

I'd avoid any discussion on the Falun Gong however.

[Noelle]

What an interesting discussion.

I also went to China with an agenda to "preach" if you will. I've never been close to the "Bob Jones" type though.

I feel like certain parts of China are becoming more open but it's important to remember that by doing something as seemingly innocent as inviting a Chinese friend to church (especially a service with foreigners) you could be putting that person at risk.

I was very active at my church in Hangzhou (for foreigners) and always found a way to promote my lifestyle among the Chinese locals who were not allowed to attend church with me. I also managed to discreetly share my beliefs in a classroom full of university students who were wide eyed and facinated about why my boyfriend was doing missions work in Kenya while I was in China "teaching".

I think that Christians in China should always remember that actions speak louder than words. There are ways to incorporate scripture into teaching if you are tactful and respectful of the school's policies and the Chinese laws, but the lifestyle really does reveal a lot in a country of over 4 billion where so many have never heard the simplest message of hope.

[Leon Purvis]

[Noelle]

Nice comeback L.P.
Forgive my mistake if you truly did "count" 1.3 billion. I was only going by what students in China told me 2 years ago. Guess they had a shrink in population since 04.

No, I don't think they need to learn to honor their parents or be taught not to steal because we all know that cheating and copywriting, piracy and plagarism are not really like stealing... I mean ... not really.

I'm sorry, but what is so confusing about asserting that there may actually only be ONE GOD? I can see the cultural resistance to such a notion and I understand that Buddhism allows for many different beliefs in this area but really... I never met a Chinese person who couldn't get their head around the idea. It often came up when they spewed out the phrase "oh my God" (singular) in class.

Finally, before this discussion gets bumped into another forum, teaching simple principles derived from scripture is as easy as giving the students a short history lesson in how a nation was developed... my nation at least. I don't know which part of the western world you come from. Believe it or not, students actually are interested in what the Bible has to say about life and death... can't imagine why...

[danielb]

So kololam77, it may not be your �first priority� but would you try to convert a few?

Noelle, did you convert any?

Just interested.

[Leon Purvis]