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Official Chinese surveys now show that nearly one in three Chinese describe themselves as religious, an astonishing figure for an officially atheist country, where religion was banned until three decades ago.

The biggest boom of all has been in Christianity, which the government has struggled to control.

One way it has tried to do that is by establishing government-sanctioned churches. In one such church in the east of the country, China's Protestant heartland, parishioners bow their heads as the pastor says grace. Hundreds are huddled around circular tables to eat lunch.

The official church is part of what's called the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, the state-sanctioned Protestant organization. Three-Self refers to the strategy launched in the 1950s of removing foreign influences from Chinese churches — self-governance, self-support, self-propagation.

The church is marking husband-and-wife day, which is an annual celebration of faith and community. A thousand people each week from dozens of nearby villages pack into this church, situated about 300 miles from Shanghai.

Among them is Yao Hong, a 38-year-old woman in a maroon jacket who became a Christian almost two decades ago, seeking comfort after her husband at the time had an affair. She believes it's patriotic to be Christian.

"God is rising here in China," she says, gesturing around the cavernous church. "If you look at the U.S. or England, their gospel is very advanced. Their churches are rich, because God blesses them. So I pray for China."

In the past, she has left the village to work in Shanghai. She says her belief in Christ was a lifeline in the alien metropolis and her church acted as her family.

"Whether they know you or not, they treat you as a brother or sister," she says. "If you have troubles, they help out with money or material assistance or spiritual aid."

As China urbanizes and millions of rural migrants experience the social and economic dislocation of traveling to new cities, Christianity can provide them with an instant community.



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Faithful Continue To Push Boundaries


Their powers to govern religion do, however, seem to be waning. That seems clear in a rural village in eastern China, where young people are openly trying to gain converts in defiance of the laws prohibiting proselytizing in public places.

They claim not to be aware of such laws. A crowd of villagers is listening, perched on tractors and low benches, their feet swimming in a sea of mud.

In a fiery sermon, one young missionary makes oblique references to rampant materialism, corruption and the immense wealth gap between rich and poor. It's a message that hits home in this hardscrabble part of China.

"In China, a lot of so-called atheists treat money as their God," storms the young man who is preaching to the gathered crowd. "But only in God's truth can you find real freedom."

China's Christians are pushing back the boundaries, and the authorities don't seem to know how to respond. Recent reports say some leaders of larger unofficial churches are harassed and persecuted and their congregations are prevented from meeting in their previous places of worship.

But in this rural part of China, these young missionaries are operating without hindrance.

After their performance, theu climb into a trailer pulled by a tractor, which will take them to their next destination. They are intent on saving souls, one village at a time.

China's youth once trundled across the countryside spreading communism. Now, they're spreading God's word.

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China's Underground Christians Supported Blind Activist


Underground Christians in China were among those who helped a blind Chinese human rights activist, Chen Guangcheng, escape after four years in prison and 18 months under house arrest.

It was Christian activist Bob Fu who reached Chen by cellphone while at a Capitol Hill hearing and let him make his appeal for passage to the U.S. directly to lawmakers, Reuters reported Friday, about a week after Chen's dramatic escape came to light.

"Chen Guangcheng isn't a Christian, but we Chinese Christians pray for all those in pursuit of the truth," Zhang Mingxuan, a house church pastor from central province of Henan, stated, according to the news agency. Activist and lawyer Chen's case, the pastor added, "has been a blow for China's legal and government officials."

The Christians and other activists who helped Chen escape to the U.S. embassy in Beijing are likely to face pressure from Chinese authorities. "But I'm not afraid," the pastor said. "I don't hate the government. I pray for the government."

Meanwhile, Chen left the embassy to receive medical care in a hospital in Beijing Wednesday, shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in the Chinese capital city for a two-day visit for strategic talks. "Chen Guangcheng has arrived at a medical facility in Beijing where he will receive medical treatment and be reunited with his family," a senior U.S. official said, according to The Associated Press.

Chen, who escaped from his heavily guarded house in Linyi in eastern Shandong province, appeared in a video he posted on the Internet last week, saying, "I finally escaped. All the stories about the brutal treatment I have received from the authorities, I can personally testify they are all true."

The lawyer exposed forced sterilization and other abuses by Chinese authorities. Chinese law requires families to have only one child. While rich Chinese can afford to pay fines for having more children, poor families are often treated brutally. Chinese authorities allegedly impose harsh punishments on the families of women who run away to save their babies.

Chen was arrested in 2007 on charges of disruption of traffic, vandalism and anti-government activities. He was released after four years and three months, and subsequently put under house arrest.

"They broke into my house, and more than a dozen men assaulted my wife," Chen said in his video message. "They pinned her down and wrapped her in a blanket, beating and kicking her for hours. They similarly violently assaulted me."

He Peirong, a longtime campaigner for Chen's release, met him in a secret location and drove him to Beijing. She was supposedly arrested soon thereafter.

"Although I'm free, my worries are only deepening," Chen said in the video. "My wife, mother and children are still in their evil hands. They have been persecuting my family for a long time, and my escape will only prompt more revenge."

It is feared that Chinese authorities might react and crack down on house churches. It is estimated that between 30 and 60 million Chinese are part of the house church movement, an alternative to the government's requirement for all churches to register with authorities.


Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/chinas-underground-christians-supported-blind-activist-74426/#SrAiglvMHuVu3vHi.99


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