CHRISTIANITY CRACKDOWN: Fury as students BANNED from discussing religion

Authorities in China have implemented laws prohibiting teachers and students from discussing religion or promoting their faith, a persecution watchdog has reported.

Now, those attending schools or educational institutions are not allowed to speak about Christianity, or any other religion.

Officials have warned students and teachers will face disciplinary actions if they go against the law.

Authorities have also been properly trained and given strict instructions on how to handle those who defy the legislation.

The Sichuan Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs committee – the body responsibly for religious affairs in Sichuan – has trained more than 100 officials to supervise churches in the providence.

Students across China have also been forced to renounce their faith, or else face disciplinary action.

In Shandong providence, local authorities demanded one student renounce her faith or else she would not receive her diploma.

A medical student in another providence said she was pressured to give up Christianity, and when she refused, authorities said she would be called in to have an “ideological discussion” in the future.

China’s new laws against religion were implemented in February, amid a nationwide crackdown against those practising their faith.

Hundreds of churches have been demolished and Bibles are now banned across the country.

Beijing has also banned public displays of the cross, tearing down Jesus posters across the country and replacing them with photos of China’s President Xi Jinping.

In October, Chinese police arrested more than 20 Christians for praying in the park.

More than 20 members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengu, China, were detained by officers who found the group carrying out a worship service at a local park, persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported.

The detained Christians were eventually released.

In April, China’s religious affairs department published an article stating all churches in country must follow the Communist Party’s rules so that they are “Sinicized” (made more Chinese). 

The article said: “Only Sinicized churches can obtain God’s love.”

As part of China’s “Principle for Promoting Chinese Christianity in China for the Next Five Years (2018-2022)” plan, officials plan to implement “Sincization” across all parts of the country.