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Pastor Sentenced To Chinese Labor Camp
Author: Frederick Meekins
According to the China Aid Association, Pastor Zhang Zhongxin has been sentenced to two years in a Chinese labor camp by Shandong Province authorities for participation in cultic activities. To American ears, such allegations bring to mind images of passing around poisoned Kool-Aid or of adolescent brides forced to wed lecherous old men; however, in this case this pastor engaged in religious exercises most of us take for granted as harmless as organizing a Sunday school.
Since freedom of religion is listed in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, it is a duty of the United States to stand for this liberty in any way proper or possible around the world.
Radical multiculturalists will respond that it is not the place of the United States to be spreading American notions around the world as this could be construed as imposing Western values on other societies. However, another axiom of the economic age in which we live posits that the customer is always right.
If the government of the People’s Republic of China wishes to continue to benefit from the financial patronage and cooperation of the United States, it is only reasonable for authorities over there to respect certain inalienable rights held by all individuals irrespective of what regime they happen to live under.
After all, firms here seeking to do business with the government in terms of being granted contracts are expected to honor any number of obligations that go beyond basic human rights such as minority quotas and prevailing union wages.
It is the prayer and hope of believers in Christ around the world that Pastor Zhongxin’s sentence would be commuted or suspended because in the contemporary world citizens embracing Christianity bring stability to a nation rather than disruption. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ assists both individuals and communities in balancing the seemingly conflicting tendencies towards order and liberty, and in so doing actually makes a nation stronger.
In the Western press, considerable debate has taken place as to the prudence of allowing China to host the 2008 Olympic games. With the eyes of the world turning to that particular nation at this time, there would be no better gesture that China could make to prove it takes its responsibility as a leading power of the 21st century seriously than by guaranteeing that citizens within that country’s borders are free to practice their religion without fear of incarceration or reprisals
by Frederick Meekins
| 1. |
Freewill by Diamond on 08/19/2008, 07:49 AM The creator of the Univers gives the freedom of choice to follow him or not. we are to have dominion on the earth, creeping things not over each other. Humans do not own each other, only the creator of man and yet he wants us to choose him freely.God doesn't force us to worship so no-one should force not to worship. People die and leave everything behind and so it is insane to try and stop people from choosing Jesus Christ or any religion. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no-one comes to the father but through him. Everyone has to make his decision when they hear the Gospel. |
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Mind our own Business by Mark Scheppmann on 08/20/2008, 04:32 PM I don't think the United States has any say or should have any say in the affairs of other countries in the world. Especially not in China in which we are indebted over a trillion dollars in monetary loans. I think the "Religion" in America is starting to finally show its true ugly nature (There really aren't any true Christians here). Maybe China is different--but the United States, least of all the nations has the right to impose its belief systems on other nations (our Political leaders are as corrupt as all the others). The Freedom of religion here is a joke, especially in light of the imperial- militaristic way we are imposing ourselves across the world, like Iraq and Afghanistan. |
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