China’s ‘Anti-Cult’ Campaign
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Yet another church has been shut down in China under the Communist regime’s notorious “anti-cult” campaign.
According to International Christian Concern, the Guizhou provincial government had warned the Huoshi church to cease all its religious activities or face fines of $2,023 every day until it does. Not willing to comply, local police raided the church on Dec. 9 during a prayer meeting of nearly 200 members.
Huoshi church is the largest unregistered church in Guiyang, Guizhou province.
Although China’s provincial governments had formerly tolerated house churches, an “anti-cult” campaign was launched last June by Beijing to root out any religious groups that were seen as a threat to the Communist state. Authorities have also used the campaign to limit the expansion of Christianity, which is now the fastest growing religion in China. As a result, in Zhejiang province alone Communist authorities have destroyed more than 1,500 crosses and nearly 400 churches since 2013.
“It is appalling to see a nation which considers themselves a free and open society continuing to persecute the Christian community through intimidation and fear,” said ICC President Jeff King. “The Chinese Politburo is merely following the communist ideology of Maoism and Marxism. Both communist ideologies believe religion is a danger to the state and must be eliminated in order to have ultimate control of the populace. Western nations have been silent for too long on the plight of religious minorities in China. We call on President Xi Jinping to immediately end the intimidation and harassment.”