China Shuts Churches During Olympics

Pastors forced to sign agreements not to meet for 90 days

-- From "Churches ordered closed during Olympics" © 2008 WorldNetDaily 8/13/08

An organization founded by a man who escaped from China after being persecuted for his Christian faith says it has uncovered a secret Chinese government document demanding that churches shut their doors for 90 days around the Beijing Olympics.

"Should church members violate these rules they will be subject to the disciplinary actions of the Chinese government," said the report from China Aid Association, an organization dedicated to helping persecuted Christians.

China Aid said the document, drafted by Chinese government officials, specifies that the house churches in China "refrain from organizing and joining illegal gatherings and refrain from receiving donations, sermons and preaching from overseas religious organizations and groups that have a purpose."

The group asserted the discovery of the document "provides further evidence of the PRC's hypocrisy towards creating a 'harmonious society' marked by religious freedom and rule of law."

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Visitors to Beijing Olympics advised: take no more than one Bible

From "Visitors to Beijing Olympics advised: take no more than one Bible" by CNA Staff, posted 11/7/07

Last week CNA published a report from the Italian daily “La Gazzetta dello Sport” stating that Bibles will not be allowed into the Olympic Village at the upcoming Olympic Games. Since then, CNA has learned that a contradictory set of policies has been put in place regarding the possession of the Bible at the international sporting event.

Making a slight change to its total ban on religious items, the Chinese Olympic Committee has decided, "devotional objects” will be allowed in compliance with Chinese "freedom of religion" laws, but “religious objects meant to propagate a cult” will not be permitted.

“La Gazzetta dello Sport” cites the Chief of Security Fu Qiang who said that he can't specify what objects are included under the item "propaganda" but can assure that personal religious items are permitted.

However, on the official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, a page titled "Entry and Exit: Entry" credited to the Beijing Tourism Administration reads:

"Any printed material, film, tapes that are 'detrimental to China's politics, economy, culture and ethics' are also forbidden to bring into China."

This is immediately followed by a caution about Bibles:

"Note: Each traveler is recommended to take no more than one Bible into China."

Chinese officials did not address the redefinition of the Bible as "propaganda" once the number of copies exceeds one.

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