China confiscates Bibles from American Christians

[LeeFisher3]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080817/ap_on_...les_confiscated

 

Klein said the customs officers had told him that they could each have one Bible for personal use and not more than that. He said the officers had videotaped them and were insisting that they leave the airport.

 

"We don't want to go without taking those books. It cost us a lot of money to bring them here," Klein said. "They're saying that it's illegal to bring the Bibles in and that if we wanted to, we had to apply ahead of time for permission."

 

Don't know about anyone else, but I read about this law when I applied for my first visa.

 

Guess the laws of China don't apply if your right.

[chilton747]

Sounds to me that the Chinese gvt was more concerned about the Bibles being sellable items and not so much the content. People need to learn and respect other country's laws!

I bought a bilingual Bible while I was in China. No problems.

[Randy W]

They had "heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?"

 

Of course!

[LeeFisher3]

They had "heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?"

 

Of course!

They were free to take their personal bible to China so they could personally practice their religion, taking 300 is far from practicing their religion and falls under the category of an invasion as history shows them.

 

If you feel this is not just you should thank the early missionaries in China and the various western governments who cause this to be an issue.

[rogerluli]

[Randy W]

They had "heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?"

 

Of course!

They were free to take their personal bible to China so they could personally practice their religion, taking 300 is far from practicing their religion and falls under the category of an invasion as history shows them.

 

If you feel this is not just you should thank the early missionaries in China and the various western governments who cause this to be an issue.

 

 

Of course whatever they "hear" here in the states is the law in China, right?

[LeeFisher3]

They had "heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?"

 

Of course!

They were free to take their personal bible to China so they could personally practice their religion, taking 300 is far from practicing their religion and falls under the category of an invasion as history shows them.

 

If you feel this is not just you should thank the early missionaries in China and the various western governments who cause this to be an issue.

 

 

Of course whatever they "hear" here in the states is the law in China, right?

I've even heard of people believing the law shouldn't apply to them because of a higher calling, but then that ignores the concept of biblical teachings.

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

When I was in Nanning my wife and I attended Catholic Church service every Sunday while we where together. I never saw any problems there and the Church was packed and the entire Mass was in Mandarin. We had the chance to meet the Archbishop of Nanning there also.

[tsap seui]

It's the "Praise the Lord or We'll Pass The Ammunition Syndrome"

 

History repeatedly shows...the white man sends in the missionarys to give the heathen natives religion. If the heathen natives don't follow the missionary's orders, then the white guy in charge sends in the soldiers to enforce the fact that them heathen natives WILL pray to whoever the white man says they have to!!!

 

If them pesky heathens still don't accept the white man's choice of their religion, then the soldiers start shooting the heathen's leaders and everyone else that don't comply with the missionarys and their soldiers "peaceful" religion.

 

If I had a country, and I saw 4 smilin' yahoos with 300 bibles heading my way....I'd run for the hills....or better yet... just shoot THEM...FIRST!!

 

Missionarys first...the soldiers will be soon to follow.

 

Budda help us all.

 

tsap seui

[david_dawei]

I hope that at least a copy of Lao Zi's Dao De Jing was offered to them as an exchange

[IllinoisDave]

[shushuweiwei]

I hope that at least a copy of Lao Zi's Dao De Jing was offered to them as an exchange

 

The customs official who can be named is not the eternal customs official.

[jim_julian]

Opinion (everyone's entitled to one)

 

Many of you know that I am an active and committed Christian however, when I look at this from my perception of the Chinese government's viewpoint I think the government has a fairly even handed approach.

 

There seems to be not much of an issue in China with churches and mosques that operate in the open and are registered with the government. I should add that I see no evidence that these entities are "party-controlled" as the, in my view, biased AP article states. The issue with the government comes when religion is practiced underground because, I believe, the government suspects that these underground religious organizations may have a political agenda counter to the present government.

 

In my view, Vision Beyond Borders, was both naive and wrong to try to bring 300 Bibles into China without permission.

[chilton747]

 

 

There seems to be not much of an issue in China with churches and mosques that operate in the open and are registered with the government. I should add that I see no evidence that these entities are "party-controlled" as the, in my view, biased AP article states. The issue with the government comes when religion is practiced underground because, I believe, the government suspects that these underground religious organizations may have a political agenda counter to the present government.

 

 

 

 

This is my opinion as well FWIW.

[heyjimi]

Opinion (everyone's entitled to one)

 

Many of you know that I am an active and committed Christian however, when I look at this from my perception of the Chinese government's viewpoint I think the government has a fairly even handed approach.

 

There seems to be not much of an issue in China with churches and mosques that operate in the open and are registered with the government. I should add that I see no evidence that these entities are "party-controlled" as the, in my view, biased AP article states. The issue with the government comes when religion is practiced underground because, I believe, the government suspects that these underground religious organizations may have a political agenda counter to the present government.

 

In my view, Vision Beyond Borders, was both naive and wrong to try to bring 300 Bibles into China without permission.

 

I am also a christian,and i don't understand why bibles need to be smuggled into China,i seen bibles in china,can purchase one in the Walmart(is in chinese,don't know if it has been edited).My wifes mother is Christian,has a bible.not a problem,i agree,i think where the goverment gets freaked out is when,there are the underground churches,and where lots of people gather in one place in secret,where in the goverments mind,it fears it has a political agenda,and fears perhaps some agenda to overthrow the present goverment.To me,theres nothing to fear,but goverments are paranoid,i mean,in the 1970's ,wasn't the American goverment freaked out over "John Lennon".Feared him and had him deported.Goverments are paranoid,it don't matter what goverment.

ah,just my thoughts

 

jimi