The new “Opinions” on how courts should works in the countryside, of which we offer a full translation, calls for a crackdown on unauthorized religions.
Anti-Religious Campaigns
Rural Settlements Ordered to Intensify Crackdown on Religion
In order to qualify as “Beautiful Villages,” they should report that illegal (and preferably also legal) religious activity has been eradicated.
Enter the “Administrative Measures for Religious Clergy”: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
Bitter Winter offer the first English translation of a text converting the clergy in apparatchiks under a system of awards and penalties based on their loyalty to the CCP.
China Uses National Census to Investigate People of Faith
Enumerators of the 7th census are told to ascertain people’s religious status and notify the police about detected religious symbols and “suspicious” behavior.
The CCP Cuts the Number of Churches Through Mergers
To prevent people from worshiping close to their homes, authorities across China close state-run Protestant venues and force believers to attend other churches.
Religious Funerals Dispersed, Cemeteries Desecrated
The CCP bans all religious rites and traditions during funerals and threatens to punish local officials who allow them.
Unlicensed and Official Protestant Venues Destroyed Nationwide
More accounts from across China on crackdowns against Protestant places of worship.
Buddhist, Taoist Temples and Statues Destroyed Nationwide
The CCP continues crackdowns on traditional Chinese places of worship and religious icons.
Closed Churches Ordered to Be Sold, Rented, or Destroyed
Local governments repurpose places of worship and turn them into propaganda centers, entertainment venues, or factories. Some are even leveled to the ground.
Minors Intimidated to Stay Away from Religion
The CCP imposes extreme measures to ensure that the young are not exposed to religion: from interrogating 10-year-olds to separating minors from religious families.