August 19, 1997 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The following is from The Christian News, July 14, 1997. It is from the article "China's Persecuted Churches," The Washington Times, June 24, 1997, by Paul Marshall --

China's underground Christians are the target of what they themselves describe as the most brutal repression since the early 1980s when China was just emerging from the terror of the Cultural Revolution. These Christians are the last nationwide stronghold of independent thought and expression in China. In a land of 1.2 billion people, there is no dissident organization, no Moscow Helsinki-style human rights group and no Solidarity labor union.

A new human rights lobby comprised of American churches has catapulted the religious persecution issue to the forefront of the foreign policy debate. Unconscionably, some within the Christian community have now taken up Beijing's own defense and deny that religious persecution exists, or else that which does is minor. In reference to China, Victor W. C. Hsu, East Asia and Pacific secretary for the U. S. National Council of Churches, said, "I would definitely not use the word persecution." Their contention relies on the fact that a minority of the Christians in China, in the government controlled and supported Patriotic churches, are allowed to operate and are expanding.

Most Patriotic clergy and their growing congregations are sincere Christians, but independent churches they are not. Once a church registers it comes under the control of the Religious Affairs Bureau, headed since July 1995 by atheist and communist hard liner Ye Xiaowen. On June 6, Mr. Ye described unregistered Christian churches as "evil, illegal organizations that undermine social order." In 1995 China's President Jiang Zemin declared to the Bureau that "We are engaged in a secret struggle against the Church."

Members of the Patriotic churches must be organized into one non-denominational body and are restricted in working with people under eighteen. The clergy cannot preach outside their own area, they must be approved by the government, and their services are subject to monitoring. The Patriotic Catholic Church rejects the authority of the Pope and its bishops are appointed by the government in defiance of the Vatican. Sermons must steer clear of forbidden topics like the second coming of Christ or abortion.

The members of the underground who refuse to join the "Patriotic" churches are hence not some Chinese version of Montana Freeman who perversely refuse legitimate government control. They simply want to worship according to the dictates of conscience. For this they will worship in caves, be baptized at night in ice-rimmed rivers, live underground--and endure persecution.

In 1994-1996 the government intensified its nationwide crackdown on unregistered churches. A further intensification began in mid-1996. The state has begun to target underground house-church leaders for arrest and dole out sentences of three-years "re-education" in their labor camps. Protestant leaders report that about 40 percent of inmates in Henan labor camps are there for belonging to the Christian underground. In Henan Number One Labor Camp approximately 50 out of 126 inmates are imprisoned for underground church activities. During the Freedom House team's visit 85 house-church Christians were rounded up and arrested in two dragnet operations on May 14 in Zhoukou, Henan. On March 16, Peter

Xu Yongze, perhaps the most important underground Protestant leader, was arrested and jailed with seven others in Henan. Reportedly 300 Protestants have been arrested in Louyang in Henan since July, 1996. And it was in Henan that Zhang Xiuju, a 36-year-old woman, was beaten to death by police last year.

The enormous underground Catholic pilgrimage in Donglu, Hebei Province, was banned again this May. Last year, according to the Connecticut-based Cardinal Kung Foundation, 5,000 troops, supported by armored cars and helicopters prevented Roman Catholics from attending the annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of China. In 1995, tens of thousands had participated. A number of Roman Catholic priests and lay people were detained. Others were placed under house arrest, forced to renounce their faith or are subjected to severe restrictions. Around the same time three Catholic bishops were incarcerated and remain imprisoned a year later, and another has disappeared.

Underground Christians report brutal beatings and other torture, including a method seemed designed for Christians that entails crushing the ankles of victims while they are forced to kneel--this "Christian" torture was applied to Liu Zhenying, one of the eight arrested in Henan in March, breaking his ankle.

On Sept. 24, 1996, in Tanghe, Henan, police arrested Elder Feng, Brother Zheng, Brother Xin, Sister Li, and Sister Luo. According to a note smuggled from prison, the authorities bound Sister Luo's arms behind her in an agonizing position and she was beaten unconscious. One of the men almost died from being beaten "for nine days and nights." Members of the group were also poked with electric cattle prods, often while bound. They have been sentenced to three years' labor camp.

In Sichuan the police have been arresting and fining Christians once or twice a year as a form of extortion. If the family can't pay, the police beat the detainee, sometimes while he is suspended from the ceiling. Often they will do this in the presence of the family until the family is ready to do anything to pay.

After witnessing such a scene, a woman hanged herself because she could not find the money to release her grandson.