12/27/2014
CHINA
As police stops woman who tried to "bring the
Gospel" to Xi Jinping, Wenzhou bans Christmas celebrations in schools and
universities
by Wang Zhicheng
The woman, a member of an underground Protestant community,
denies having mental problems, but wants to spread the Gospel to change party
members' "corrupt thoughts". In Wenzhou (Zhejiang), the authorities crack
down on Christmas celebrations, deemed "Western spiritual pollution".
Surveys indicated that some 60 per cent of university students want to learn
about Christianity. In Beijing, 3,000 people are baptised on Christmas night.
Zhejiang supplies 60 per cent of the world's Christmas decorations.
Beijing (AsiaNews/RFA) - Chinese police detained a
Protestant woman who on Christmas Day tried to put up placards outside the
Zhongnanhai, the exclusive government and Communist Party headquarters, located
near the Imperial Palace.
Zhou Jinxia, who hails from the port city of Dalian in
Liaoning province, tried to put up posters in a bid to "spread the
gospel" to President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan. One placard
read, "God, who loves the world, is calling Xi Jinping and Peng
Liyuan".
After her arrest, the police took her to a psychiatric unit
for a check-up, but she denied having any form of mental illness.
For years, Zhou had tried to petition the authorities to
obtain justice after she was evicted from her home without compensation.
After several failed attempts, she joined an underground
Protestant house church and has tried in the past two years to spread the
Gospel in order to change the "corrupt thoughts" of many people in
China.
Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign possibly led her to
hope that the president would bring justice to her, in the name of freedom of
religion.
Before police took her away, Zhou said she was not worried
about her fate. "I will accept whatever comes," she is quoted as
saying.
Despite the amateurish nature of Zhou's action, such an
incident shows that Christianity is becoming important for many people
disillusioned by the corruption among politicians and members of the Communist
Party.
For several years, a virtual rush to convert to Christianity
has been underway in China, both in its Protestant and Catholic versions.
According to some reports, some 3,000 people, mostly young
people, were baptised on Christmas night, in Beijing alone.
In Wenzhou, the local Department of Education has issued a
directive to limit Christianity's appeal to young people, banning Christmas
events and celebrations in schools and kindergartens, deemed "kitsch"
and "un-Chinese". The crackdown has also been spreading to universities
and colleges nationwide.
Since China opened up to foreign trade, Christmas trees,
Santa Clauses, greeting cards and even crèches have spread widely. Although 25
December is a working day, thousands of young non-Christians attend church
services in order to understand what Christmas is about. Eventually, many of
them eventually sign up for the catechumenate and being baptised.
According to a survey conducted a few years ago at
universities in Beijing and Shanghai, at least 60 per cent of young people are
interested in learning about Christianity.
The directive issued by Wenzhou authorities is part of a
wider pattern, which includes a campaign to tear down crosses and religious
buildings launched in Zhejiang by the local party secretary whose primary purpose
is to reduce the influence of Christianity in society, deemed "Western
spiritual pollution."
Ironically, Zhejiang - in particular the city of Yiwu -
lives off Christmas. About 60 per cent of all Christmas decorations sold in the
world are manufactured in the province.
