Community | August 18, 2008 | 6 comments

China halts Chrisitians bringing Bibles at Border

source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bible18-2008aug18,0,2200726.story

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DeliaTheArtist
" An American Christian group that was stopped at the airport when it tried to bring in more than 300 Bibles won't leave the customs zone until it gets the books back, its leader said today.

The four Americans, led by Pat Klein of the Wyoming-based Vision Beyond Borders, said they were convinced officials wanted them to leave the Kunming airport in southern China without the Bibles, preventing their distribution.

"We paid a lot to come here and bring them," Klein said in a telephone interview from the customs area, where the four have been since Sunday. "We're not bringing in contraband, drugs, evil stuff. We're just bringing in Bibles."

Klein said the Mandarin-language Bibles were printed in Indonesia, transferred to Thailand and flown to Kunming in duffel bags. They paid more than $350 in excess luggage fees in addition to the $200 per person for Chinese visas, plus their tickets.

China is hosting the Olympics through Aug. 24, which has intensified the global spotlight on the country's suppression of religious freedom and violation of human rights. The Chinese say they have printed 50 million Bibles in the last 32 years and are producing 800,000 a month for domestic consumption, but Klein said his Christian contacts can't get their hands on Bibles -- hence his trip.

The officially atheist Communist Party only allows Bibles to be printed under its own supervision for use in state-sanctioned churches and some hotels. Klein said he asked authorities to show him the law in English against bringing in Bibles, only to be brought a vaguely worded postal regulation prohibiting material harmful to China.

"This is ridiculous," Klein said. "The Bible doesn't speak against any of that. . . . They even admitted the Bible was a good book."

Chinese authorities have asked them to apply for a permit, but Klein characterized this as a diversion. Officials at the Religious Affairs Administration could not be reached for comment.

The four said they slept on couches in the customs zone Sunday night, but the lights were on all night and officials kept coming in to question and videotape them and urge them to leave their work space. Chinese authorities told group members they could each keep one Bible for personal use. One of their members was permitted this morning to go buy some food.

The Chinese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. In reality, worship is heavily regulated by a regime wary of political challenge. People who worship outside official institutions face harassment, arrest and years in labor camps.

Klein said the group doesn't want to create problems and will leave China if authorities reimburse their costs."
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6 comments // China halts Chrisitians bringing Bibles at Border

  • Prijedor
    • 0
      Prijedor  

    • The three main and most important religions on this plant have a lot of blood on their hands, but we can wash them by bringing back values and respect and hope that people will actually following the Ten Commandments, all three religions have it, so wtf?

      We all, can forgive and move on. Stop fighting.

      Religion, like Christianity has an ugly reputation and thats one of the reasons a lot of countries dont want them there or their books.

      Missionaries have done some sick and greedy things in past and still doing it, they commit adultery, steeling money, just trying to spread Gods words for the wrong reasons, broke all commandments.
      Also, Christian Pope, old man from Vatican is talking about "Christians should have more kids", Okay, but how about Christians need to start becoming better Christians, half ass dont work for God and yes having kids is better then animals. I agree, kids are cuter :)

      Pastors that get rich off this, its disgusting, church taking the money, to build their wealth. Raise money for a cause overseas then dont hardly work, or they go and treat it like a vacation those few that actually do these things effect everyone else.

      so now we can look and see what Christian missionaries and pastors have been doing in India, there is a documentary out, its sick man, its really sad, so much lying and greed.
      Then there are popes/preachers get busted for sleeping with little kids, now they are paying, I think a billion of dollars to the victims. Like its nothing, kids that are dying dont need that money, kids they molested need that kinda cash so they can grow up and buy the way out of the past.
      Its more common to have sex before getting married and to have abortions in Christianity then other two religions.

      So people that dont know anything about Christianity see that and hear about it so that is what sticks in their heads! So they will throw a red flag down.

      People remember bad more good.

      I think if Christianity just cleans up its image by focusing on people, helping them with out asking for them to join, when they see how good of a person you are to them, they will come to you and ask you "what are you reading" & NO donations and spreading wealth dont work for ever.

      then maybe countries like China will be scared to have freedom of Religion spread for fewer reasons.

      Look whats going on with this world, dont you think all this hate has anything to do with it.

      Hope for peace.
      I hope our kids wont have to go thru what we are going thru.

    • 3 years ago
  • Prijedor
    • 0
      Prijedor  
    • Prijedor:

      These fools, some of these Christian missionaries in Africa are even writting letters back to the US saying how they know the "true Obama". LoL
      They heard it from these "tribes"

      Bunch of TRUEEE Christian missionaries, spreading nothing but PURE Christianity!! They have time to look into 'dirt' on Obama, All in the name of God, while kids are dying there from lack of medicine and from starvation

    • 3 years ago
  • emu1080
    • 0
      emu1080  

    • its hard for me to say this because of my own personal ideals, but i do agree with you mookster, the bible is a 'good book' when not taken literally, but it has the potential to be the inspiration of great misguided evil. still, people should have the freedom to make their own choice, even if it is one of ignorance. if i could afford it i would fly over there with 300 copies of Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion just to balance it out a bit. :)

    • 3 years ago
  • DeliaTheArtist
  • mookster_07
  • mookster_07
    • 0
      mookster_07  

    • While i might side with the chinese when they say that they consider the bible "material harmful to china" However... i think the people of china should at least have the opportunity to decide that for themselves. I don't support christian missionaries, but i do support the freedom to decide for yourself.

    • 3 years ago
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