The Chinese Communist Party did not “stamp out” religion and I as far as I am aware no other communist party has attempted to “stamp out” religion except maybe those of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge) and Albania.[/quote]
Okay bad choice of word. They tried to regulate religion by have organizations register with the State. In addition they tried to educated the masses against “Cow gods and Snake demons” and any other forms of superstitions via peer pressure.
The Chinese Communist Party did not “stamp out” religion and I as far as I am aware no other communist party has attempted to “stamp out” religion except maybe those of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge) and Albania.[/quote]
The prevailing view is still that the CCP “stamped out” religion.
Worshiping a God has not been stamped out in China, if you are willing to worship the state-approved God. Nowadays, religion is stamped out when it threatens the rule of the CCP. In recent history, Falun Gong has been “stamped out”. The Dalai Lama is the true spiritual leader for a Tibetan religion, but according to China he is not a spiritual leader. To the CCP, a religion is not something that can threaten the state.
In addition, they try to tie “science” with “atheism” and seem to have found a “scientific” foundation for “atheism.” The CCP does not stamp out any and every religious “fire”. They, with propaganda, “stamp out” religion as we would stamp out a fire when it burns outside of the fire-pit.
Sorry for making back to back posts, but I had already made a mistake with my double posting, so I just edited my last post to be this one. It really made my jaw drop when I read this revisionist talk:
The Chinese Communist Party did not “stamp out” religion and I as far as I am aware no other communist party has attempted to “stamp out” religion except maybe those of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge) and Albania.[/quote]
Okay bad choice of word. They tried to regulate religion by have organizations register with the State. In addition they tried to educated the masses against “Cow gods and Snake demons” and any other forms of superstitions via peer pressure.[/quote]
What’s worse is that ac_dropout has apologized for saying that the CCP stamped out religion. How can you say that the CCP (aka the Chinese political authority) never stamped out religion? You might as well say that the CCP never had a cultural revolution.
Furthermore, how can you claim that no other communist party stamped out religion? Even in supposedly tolerant East Germany:
And Stalin’s communism?
It seems to me like Juba stating “[the CCP] and no other communist party has attempted to “stamp out” religion except maybe those of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge) and Albania.” is saying the Holocaust never happened. The Communist Party was proscribed in Germany in April 1933, after which time the Jewish religion was “stamped out” in Europe. Freedom of religion is still denied by the bullies and cowards who run China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba.
In fact, I think it would be ironic if after all the stamping out of religion done by the Chinese Communist Party that Christianity would start to flourish there.
Whatever. I’m still waiting for any state anywhere to protect anybodies right to freedom FROM religion. It’s an idea whose time has come.
The constitution of the PRC guarantees the right to athiesm. Of course law and practice are not often the same thing, but I’ve never heard of anyone being persecuted in the PRC for not having a religion. In fact, I think they kind of encourage it because no religion = a better mentality. And if someone tries to convert you to their religion, you can call the CCP to take them and do what they do to those kinds of people.
Is that freedom?
I wonder how many of the people imprisoned for religious crimes are actually imprisoned for not co-operating with corrupt officials and business men. Either way it’s a terrible thing of course. It’s just that I get sick of the nonsense associated with religion. Anyway, I’m probably off topic so will just bud out now. Sorry.
[quote=“TainanCowboy”] Interesting projectionS…
[quote]Heavens, Asia’s going Christian
By Michael Vatikiotis, Southeast Asia, Mar 2, 2006
[/quote][/quote]
It will be a good thing, new wine in an old bottle. Interesting story…
[quote=“bob”]At least a few of the Chinese Christians I have met have been of the opinion that there is one God for Chinese people and another for white people. Despite years of religious study they haven’t thought it through enough to wonder about the rest of humanity and most don’t really understand the whole “faith in Jesus” thing but prefer instead to focus on the social aspect of church life and feeling somehow vaguely guilty much of the time.
Oh well.[/quote]
I’m not sure hypocritical is the right word. Arrogant, insensitive, rude, and culturally imperious do come to mind, though.
[/quote]
You know, I’ve never had any Taiwanese or Chinese person EVER insult my faith, however countless Westerners have. I don’t really care either way, however hypocritical, arrogant, insensitive and rude does come to mind when an “open-minded” Westerner tries to tell me that I’m not allowed to have personal faith in God or that I’m stupid because I do.
Christianity is on the rise, but it’s mostly being spread from within, not by missionaries. I attend the Shilin branch of the Taiwanese “Bread of Life Church”. It’s a huge church and growing. The Shilin branch alone has 3 services on Sunday morning and it’s jam packed. Lots of people in their 20’s, 30’s and up. I guess people want to go not only because it inspires them, and gives them hope, but also because they want to experience the transforming power of God in their lives. Religion and religious attitudes are boring and oppressive. A personal relationship with one’s creator is uplifting and free. It’s sad, but even a lot of Christians don’t know the difference. However, this spiritual connection is something that a lot of people are longing for and that is something that transcends race or culture.[/quote]
True about the personal relationship with GOD.
Unfortunately, many Christians are just nominal ones, they just scratch the surface. The conflict between Christian Denominations (Roman Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Church) have a deep theology root that many or most do not understand or know (hence the bad prejudices and misconceptions).
Heretical thinking also goes in line with that too, they only know the tip of the ice berg and thought they were theologian masters. Many of the heretical thinkings had already existed in the early church (in the Roman Empire).
At its highest level, religion is spirituality and philosophy, but at its lowest level, it’s just superstition. “Scratching the surface” is understatement. Most people don’t understand their nominal religion, not really. For most people, it’s just inherited superstition. Living in Taiwan has reinforced this point…don’t try and tell me that most Taiwanese are sincerely religious at a deep level, it’s beyond obvious from daily observation that they’re heavy on ritual observance (shooting firecrackers and burning ghost money) and superstition (when’s ghost month this year?) but that’s all it is, it’s ritual without meaning, the meaning has long been forgotten and only the ritual remains. Most Christians are the same way, just in a different way…I mean, how many so-called Christians believe in such paganistic crap like Angels in America, stigmata, demonic possession, speaking in tongues? How many so-called Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter have pagan origins? A truly spiritual connection with the Creator is too difficult for most people, but superstition is easy to accept as a guide for your life. I guess this is the inner Deist speaking in me…
Believing in Demonic possession and speaking in tongues pagan? :saywhat:
China seems to be trying to reinstall Confucianism. The critics are saying that China won’t be able to appease the masses by teaching them Confucianism. But I think that it might give the masses an alternative to turning to Christianity. According to the article, Chinese schoolchildren are now studying the Confucian Analects in 30 minute lessons.
Well, it’s ignorant superstition, the stuff of fairy tales, not ethical philosophy and spirituality. The Christian intellectual has virtually vanished since most of Western intellectuals have converted to secular humanism since the 20th century or so. That’s a real tragedy for Christianity, as it’s devolved since the 19th century and taken over by the yahoos. It used to be that the majority of men of science and letters were committed Christians, but that is not the case today. Christianity was evolving away from medieval superstition to a more advanced philosophy during the Age of Enlightenment - take America’s founding fathers, for example, most of whom were Deists of various stripes, and who would be apalled at today’s Christian fundamentalists. It’s been hijacked by many deeply ignorant people who read cheap pulp fiction paperbacks about Number of the Beast and coming Rapture, and base their Christianity around the Book of Revelation to the exclusion of the rest of the Bible. Which is ironic, considering that of all the sections of the Bible, written by the mad exiled hermit John of Patmos, has the least authenticity and really doesn’t belong in the New Testament at all (being written decades after Christ’s death by a non-disciple who had never met the historical Jesus).
It’s comic book Christianity.
Literally: chick.com
Demonic possession and speaking in tongues are real, it’s in the New Testament.
Speaking in Tongues is one of the ways of being filled by the Holy Spirit and the demonic possessions are real threats that affects the spiritual well beings of others.
I agree that all the testaments are important, in order to understand the New Testament, it is essential to know the Old Testament as well and how far Christainity has been mislead to the world. That’s why there’s the Reformation in the 16th century and the battle against Heresy in the early church (first 5 centuries). The New Testament, I’ll accept those since the books were accepts in the Ecumenical Councils.
But I do not agree that the above two mentioned are superstition, it might be overblown by some people but it’s real.
Religion everywhere seems to be on the rise. I see this in the world’s media, and amongst people I have known over my life.
Folks are scared and uncertain. And I don’t blame 'em. The world is going under, and pretty damn quickly. I am part of 1st generation in my family that has pretty well given up all hope of this world being a nice place to live for my children’s children.
That’s a real disheartening concept. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of the Spawn.
What interests me in the rise of Christianity in Asia are the REAL reasons why people are flocking to the religion. I can see the poor’s attraction to Jesus, Etc., but what about Asia’s ascendant middle classes? Are members of Asia’s middle classes attracted to the Christian church as part of the ever-increasing yuppie-dum? As part of their increasing desire to accumulate Western Style Packaging, the whole Western “way of life” ?
I can speak in tongues after a couple of pints of pure malt scotch whiskey too as for those demonic possessions… I’m sure they’ve really stayed inside of me and I’ve never affected the spiritual well being of others…
I should know after graduating from the seminary… 
Speaking in tongues? I see it and hear it every week.