The REAL weapon they fear
UPDATE: Gee, a first for the 'Grok - even before the post goes up, there's an update....but read it carefully. From the official Chinese news agency:
BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- China Thursday rebuked reports that the it would ban foreign athletes from bringing Bibles to the Olympic village during the Beijing Olympic Games next year, dismissing them as "sheer rumors".
"We have taken note of the reports and checked with the relevant authorities. The facts prove that the reports are sheer rumors," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a routine press conference.
[snip]"The Chinese government has never ever issued such a rule, nor any such statement," Liu said. "China's religious affairs authorities and the Beijing Olympic organizing committee have not - and could not - issue a rule banning the Bible in the Olympic village."
China has always respected and protected the religious freedom of foreigners living in China in line with laws and regulations, he said.
According to the Provisions on the Administration of Religious Activities of Aliens Within the Territory of the People's Republic of China, foreigners are allowed to bring in religious publications, audio-video materials or other objects for personal use, Liu said.
"We are suspicious of the ultimate motivations of those who spread such rumors. They should be responsible, and not do things that are not beneficial for themselves and undermine mutual understanding between China and the world," he added
Such parsing....note that while foreigners are allowed such freedoms, their citizens are not. Once again, we see the value (and the perceived danger) of ideas being allowed the freedom to go where they might. The Bible, holder of such truths that have changed the world, would certainly change Chinese society (and I believe for the better).
And that is what they fear....
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You know, they do everything they can to suppress the practice of religion. They want to drive it underground and keep separate the State and any other than the religion of the State, of Liberalism, of Statism, of atheism. They fear what the ideals of religion can bring - especially that there is something more than the state that is in control and in charge. For if they allow that it is true, some of what they have as control evaporates.
And no, it is not the ACLU that I am talking about...try Communist China:
Just in time for the Olympic Games. And wouldn't this be the first time that an Olympic host ever regulated the religion of the visiting athletes?
And what does the International Olympic Committee say about this? I just went to their web site - the answer is:
<try a cricket chirp here>
It seems that in their rush to have it their way (like Saudi Arabia), they want any Christian athletes to leave their Bibles at home. From the NY Sun:
There are times that words fail me. Yet, why should I not be surprised? For years I have read accounts of the Christian church under severe persecution. Yet, the Church has actually flourished under this persecution - faith has become stronger and probably would (should!) put many of us here in the US to shame in their love for the Lord and His decrees. Like many who have gone before them, they often willingly suffer for their faith and to meet to worship while sometimes, we are just to lazy to get out of bed. We are unwilling to defend our faith, lacking the courage to tell others of our faith or remain silent when disparaging remarks are made.The organizers of the 2008 Olympic Games in China have put the Bible on the list of items that athletes are banned from bringing with them to Beijing, we learn from a report in the Catholic News Service, picking up an item in the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. This would seem to undermine claims by a Chinese government official, Ye Xiaowen, who told Reuters last month that China would accommodate the religious needs of visiting athletes. The Chinese official claimed to Reuters that restrictions on Bibles were intended "to prevent illegal vendors from driving up prices, which are kept extremely low by government subsidies." Only a Communist would buy that economic explanation, which makes no sense.
No, I do not believe that boycotting the Olympics would solve anything - only in a tremendous loss of time and effort, of toil and tears. We here at the 'Grok are of the opinion, however, that more speech is always better than less speech. My suggestion? Just as the crew and passengers once stood up in a hijacked jetliner and said I am an Jew, let all the athletes bring Bibles.
Would the Chinese government, struggling mightily to be recognized as a legitimate power in the world stage, actually deny entrance to entire teams?
I think not.
