Established in the 19th century, the church and its parish in Shanxi’s Dongergou village was a massive draw for nearby believers and pilgrims alike. The use of the church was prohibited in July, but members of the congregation still hold mass outside it.
The CCP exerts an iron hand at universities across China in an attempt to make them “more patriotic.” Teachers and staff are expelled at the slightest suspicion of their faith.
After the temple was sealed off in March this year and all the monks were driven away, one of them kept coming back since he had nowhere else to live. Each time he was discovered by local officials who ordered him to leave.
The university student is one of 13 members of The Church of Almighty God that were arrested in China’s capital at the beginning of the month. His release date is uncertain, and family not allowed to see him.
In a conversation with a friend, the teacher had expressed exhaustion with the local government and disapproved of the CCP’s policies. As a result, he lost his job, and his colleagues at school are subjected to strict control.
Any display of disagreement with the Communist Party in China is quashed, even when it concerns the health and wellbeing of an entire town. Nearly 2,000 police officers were sent in to deal with protesting residents in Bahe earlier this month.
As the Chinese authorities have banned products made especially for Muslims, businesses have had to bear substantial direct and indirect losses.
With more churches being closed down or demolished, congregation members now have to wait until its dark outside or meet in secluded places to continue practicing their religion.
Some members of the underground Catholic clergy in China believe that the Vatican-China agreement has exacerbated the persecution of underground Catholics, and they see no hope for their churches to survive.
The Chinese government already maintains a firm grip on citizens’ Internet use. Words and phrases like “Hallelujah,” “Amen,” “Thank God” and “Jesus” are now even more sensitive than they already were to plug into a search engine.