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rhonda
Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 7
Location: USA
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 Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:05 am Post subject: What do I think of China? |
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I think China has a beautiful historical culture, amazing artifacts, a strong sense of artistic creativity.
Yet China imposses too many religious restrictions upon its people.
Are Christians able to freely pray? What happens if someone is caught with a Bible?
The remarks made by Element 105 makes me wary of every wanting to visit China. 
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rhonda
Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 7
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 5:11 am Post subject: |
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exactly, thanks for long winded unwanted unwelcome lecture.
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mally subra
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:04 pm Post subject: What you think of China |
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| Well, Rp has a narrow view of China. China has changed a lot. It is one of the fast developing country in Asia. Investors including those from USA are flocking in China to grab the abundant business opportunities available there. They are more open and relaxed in the policies. That's why more and more people are visiting China nowadays. A friend of mine, who is a 15-year old student visited China last year. He is a Christian and nothing happened to him. Perhaps you should visit China to get a true picture of China!!! |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr.Admiral wrote: |
| There are some three million Catholics in China. Most belong to the state-approved church, while a minority recognize the Pope as their leader. |
I think that's the point when people say there is no freedom of religion in China. Of course there is religion in China (and such a wide variety), but only as the government permits. As you know, there are many denominations of Christianity and many varieties of Islam and Buddhism. What happens to people who wish to belong to sects that are not government approved? By what right does any government have to make laws to control how an individual soul seeks the divine? So you might understand how it seems not free for those of us from countries where every religion is legal (as long as its practitioners don't hurt anyone).
Question: Can a person who devoutly belongs to a religion become a government official? Historically, our experience with east European communist countries is that a person must be an atheist if they wish to become a communist party member and a government official. What is the situation in China today? |
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ricky777
Joined: 16 Apr 2005
Posts: 10
Location: Austria
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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| well, i like China a lot. I like how the people can be happy and have fun about little things. |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr.Admiral wrote: |
hi, Bob, additional:
I'm trying to find out which churches are not "state-approved". Could you perhaps help me? That would be very kind. |
Hello,
It is difficult to find exact information. Perhaps only the CCP has official lists of approved churches or mosques. One detailed report I found is this report from the U.S. State Department: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2002/13870.htm
Particular of interest is this paragraph:
"Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
The State reserves to itself the right to register and thus to allow to operate particular religious groups and spiritual movements...
There are six requirements for the registration of 'venues for religious activity:'
possession of a physical site;
citizens who are religious believers and who regularly take part in religious activity;
an organized governing board;
a minimum number of followers;
a set of operating rules;
and a legal source of income.
The Government officially permits only those churches affiliated with either the Catholic Patriotic Association or the (Protestant) Three-Self Patriotic Movement/Chinese Christian Council to operate legally. Some groups register voluntarily, some register under pressure, and the authorities refuse to register others. Some religious groups have been reluctant to comply with the regulations out of principled opposition to state control of religion or due to fear of adverse consequences if they reveal, as required, the names and addresses of church leaders. Unregistered groups also frequently claim that theological compromises, lack of doctrinal freedom, and stricter control over sermons by the RAB result from registration, which is why they do not register with the Government. Unofficial groups claimed that authorities often refused them registration without explanation. The Government contended that these refusals mainly were the result of these groups' lack of adequate facilities."
I found a few other sites hosted by Christian missionary groups with testimony of witnesses who claimed they were persecuted and some even tortured because they belonged to un-registered churches. But not much specific about what denominations were permitted or forbidden.
It seems any denomination can technically be official if they are large enough to meet the requirements and rent or buy facilities to meet. The problem is many new churches start very small, just a few people meeting in somebody's home. So these would be illegal and have to hide until they grew to an arbitrary threshold size so they can register. |
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ateeq
Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 53
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 6:44 am Post subject: |
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Hello to All,
I'm an Esl teacher in China for the past two years.Besides my teaching I'm doing my religious activities and I found no problem.I have been to different parts of China and found that Chinese people are not much active in religious practise.
Only in Northwest where Islam is on the top.Most of chinese people are secular.Well,what I'm trying to say is that religion belongs to someone believe.And we shouldn't blaim religion.
All the best!
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joyjee
Joined: 05 May 2005
Posts: 8
Location: CHINA
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 8:38 am Post subject: MY GREAT CHINA, I LOVE U SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH |
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| U CAN'T KNOW HOW WE CHINESE LOVE MY COUNTRY ! |
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toninho
Joined: 29 Jul 2003
Posts: 29
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:10 pm Post subject: Living in China |
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 Hi , I'm currently living in Macao SAR which is an integral part of China. Apart from the very hot and humid weather, Macao is a wonderful place to live in. The people are extremely friendly and the food is... out of this world. I mean, you've got to try it to fall in love with it. The people out here all speak Cantonese which is a dialect of the Guandong province and is also spoken mainly in other provinces in southern China.  Welcome to Macau. Here is our website: http://www.cityguide.gov.mo/I'm sure you'll find it interesting! |
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Heath
Joined: 19 Jul 2005
Posts: 4
Location: Macau
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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Hi, I am a student in Macau.
I think there are many Chinese cultures we should know. For example, Chinese people don�t like the chopsticks putting into the bowl of rice when having lunch or dinner. Second, Chinese people don�t like the other people putting their hands on their shoulders when they are first meeting or they are friends too. Furthermore, most Chinese people are like to grip hands with other to show their friendship.
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