Job Discussion Forums

[Roger]

Ah, 'Zero Hero', I forgot to consult with you over the religious freedom issue in China. You must know a few things that no mainlander or mainland-based FT can possibly know...

It would seem that so long as someone is opposed to the current crop of rulers in Zhongnanhai they are welcome for you; this might include a host of unsavoury historic and contemporazry figures that might put the shame on your face, though,...

The Falun Gong are not what you depict them to be - if I understand your stance correctly, anyway! They are an illegal underground organisation. Neither very spiritual nor very orthodox in their means. Please, I know a bit about those thugs and their friends - they are as bad as those you have depicted as their people's enemy! Their followers, of course, are gullible and innocent. In essence, they are victims of machiavellian power brokers. LEt's not get into details about the Falun Gong - their leader is a crook as we well know!

You can desire for better religious freedom, but I would suggest you do that in your own country. I am sure there is plenty amiss there. Why muck up another turf? I happen to know Chinese Christians, and hat off to them for their devotion! I have, on the other hand, also mentioned communism as a persecuted ideology/religion - in many western countries. So, what's the difference?

[Zero Hero]

[tofuman]

I don't know much about Falun Gong. I saw a pretty girl practicing it in SF. Of course, I have seen lots of pretty girls practicing everything from Adventism to Judaism. (Not a lot of difference there.)

I live about 6 hours from Beijing on a fast (?) train. You can walk into a bookstore on a main street and buy a condensed form of the Bible. You can walk onto a church property, next to a police station, and buy a couple or three different versions of the Bible in Chinese or English.

Recently a book entitled Jesus in Beijing stated that Chinese social scientists, in trying to figure out why America became a prosperous and powerful country in such a short time, decided it was because of the influence of Christianity. I had heard the same thing at an English corner from a university student.

It may be that the government of China is not adverse to Christianity if it can somehow be tamed into bringing prosperity and power to China.

Historically, it brought one of the most destructive civil wars in world history to China-the TaiPing Rebellion. Like all historical movements, a number of forces converged to bring about the TaiPing uprising. The influence of Christian missionaries was a definite factor. Certainly they did not expect their message to bring about such a movement, but the wind blows as it will and its path cannot be known.

[SimonM]

[Volodiya]

I never go to an English Corner in which I'm not asked about my faith. At these events, religion is brought up and discussed, freely. (I never bring it up myself, and I let the students carry the discussion forward, just posing a question now and then.)

I would like to re-iterate something I wrote earlier, as it relates to this new, off-topic, discussion which now carries the thread.

My city, Kunming, is full of Christian missionaries- and Chinese Christians- many of them new Christians. They wear their crosses proudly around their necks, and will tell you, if you ask them, that they're Christians. An enormous, new Catholic Cathedral, with a very high steeple, was just completed. It stands, boldly, on the main thoroughfare of our city, on prime, commercial real estate.

[hesterprynne]

I wouldn't worry about your safety as much as your frustration level here. Any teaching contract will specify "No religion in the classroom" as well as something about not disturbing Chinese morals. I have had students who volunteer that they are Christians and go to church. I teach those aspects of Western religions which directly pertain to the subjects in the textbooks or to holidays I celebrate. I do so in a careful and factual manner. "Some people believe"- "what is the difference between fact and belief?" etc. I have been told that some go to church here to practice their English. I am using a wide paintbrush here, forgive me, but I find most Chinese entirely too practical to embrace concepts which are near and dear to my heart, from political ideology on up. And, of course, you would have to deal with the holier-than-thou anti-Christian venom from the vast majority of FT's here. btw, to the poster who likened Adventism to Judaism--- you would horrify both groups!

[Paris]

i live in France and have spent a few months in the USA as well as in Beijing and without any doubt what so ever i would be more scared of getting checked or taken to the police station first in usa, then in france and finally in beijing.
as for religion, well i guess many chinese know their culture and their way of thinking is older than any western ones so you shouldnt try to "convince" or "convert" people, but practising freely on your own you wont have any problem
i think that for us forgeiners there are hardly any difference from living in the us / europe.

[Roger]

[william wallace]

Nothing to say.

[NorbertRadd]

Maybe this is urban legend but supposedly some travelers walked up on a top secret place on the beach.

You'd have been warned and then tackled by Americans. SOP.