Pray4Yueyang

Athletes, officials, spectators and tourists can pick up the Bible or just the New Testament for free during the Olympic Games next month. Tens of thousands of copies of the Bible, the New Testament and booklets with just the four Gospels (according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) have been printed for the purpose, say officials of China’s Christian society. Rev Xu Xiaohong, an official of the Shanghai-based China Christian Council in charge of publishing, says 50,000 bilingual (Chinese and English) editions of the Gospel booklets had already been printed by June. They are on way to six cities hosting the Olympic events in the mainland.

Several months ago, rumors were started (most likely in a mud slinging effort by China haters) that China had ‘banned’ the Bible in the Olympic Village. Despite the fact there were no reliable sources for the story, it was spread by alot of bloggers and well-meaning, but mis-guided, Christians. It was not, nor has it ever been true.

I don’t doubt that the Bible distribution by the Chinese government at the Olympics is motivated by an effort to control the public perception more so than a true desire to put Bible’s in the hands of people at the Olympics. However, I believe the Bible is the Word of God, it is powerful, and despite the motivation of the giver, it will go out and it will accomplish it’s purpose!

Let’s just pray that some, many, most of these end up in the hands of Chinese who have more ‘limited access’ to the Bible than the tourists and athletes who come from other countries.

BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — China Thursday rebuked reports that the it would ban foreign athletes from bringing Bibles to the Olympic village during the Beijing Olympic Games next year, dismissing them as “sheer rumors”.”We have taken note of the reports and checked with the relevant authorities. The facts prove that the reports are sheer rumors,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a routine press conference.The Catholic News Agency published a report in November citing the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport and Spanish daily La Razon as saying that Bibles were on a list of “prohibited objects” in the Olympic village.

“The Chinese government has never ever issued such a rule, nor any such statement,” Liu said. “China’s religious affairs authorities and the Beijing Olympic organizing committee have not - and could not - issue a rule banning the Bible in the Olympic village.”

China has always respected and protected the religious freedom of foreigners living in China in line with laws and regulations, he said.

According to the Provisions on the Administration of Religious Activities of Aliens Within the Territory of the People’s Republic of China, foreigners are allowed to bring in religious publications, audio-video materials or other objects for personal use, Liu said.

“We are suspicious of the ultimate motivations of those who spread such rumors. They should be responsible, and not do things that are not beneficial for themselves and undermine mutual understanding between China and the world,” he added.

The official China news agency recently released this story…

Hotels in Beijing should provide Bibles for foreign visitors during the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games, a Chinese political adviser said.

“The majority of the foreign visitors expected during the 2008 Games have religious beliefs, and we should cater to their needs,” said Liu Bainian, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Liu, vice-president of the China Patriotic Catholic Association, said on Thursday the service could also help clear up foreigners’ misunderstandings about China in terms of religion.

He added that the Bible is a must at hotel rooms in foreign countries, especially in Europe.

Beijing is expected to receive about 500,000 to 550,000 overseas visitors during the 29th Summer Olympiad, which opens on August 8, 2008 and will run until August 24.

Liu said authorities should encourage local Christians to donate Bibles for temporary use during the Games, after which they would be returned.

“The China Patriotic Catholic Association could also help collect Bibles,” he said.

Zhang Liwei, vice-secretary of the Christian Amity Foundation, which operates the country’s sole Bible printing house, told China Daily that his foundation would try its best to meet demand.

According to Zhang, the Bible is published in Chinese and English in China, as well as in eight ethnic minority languages including Miao and Korean.

At least 40 million copies of the Bible have been distributed across the Chinese mainland since 1980, said Cao Shengjie, president of the China Christian Council. Around 2.5 million copies of the Bible have been published in China annually over the past decade, said Cao.

The Bible first arrived in China 1,500 years ago, while the first Chinese-language edition appeared in the early 19th century.

The Protestant church on the Chinese mainland is one of the fastest growing in the world today, with the number of Christians having reached more than 16 million and still growing fast.

The country also has more than 5 million Catholics.

The Chinese capital currently has over 700 star-rated hotels and the number is expected to reach 800, with 130,000 rooms, before the Olympics, tourism authorities said.

Besides star-rated hotels, Beijing has more than 4,000 non-rated ones that can be upgraded.

This story creates many different emotions as I read it. It helps to put it into context and realize this is propaganda. There is truth in the article, there are also some lies as well as several deceptive statements designed at promoting a false image. I’ll withhold my personal commentary on this and just put it out there for you to read and discern for yourself.

If you have a specific question about this story (or anything related) leave a comment and one of us will reply!

The issue of “Bibles in China” is a very important issue and there are many voices contributing to the ‘discussion.’

According to a recent report by China’s official religious governing authority;

China printed more than 43 million copies of the Bible between 1981 and 2006. Cao Shengjie, president of the China Christian Council, stated on July 6th, that China’s religious freedom is fully ensured.

According to Cao, the China Christian Council (CCC) and the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China (TSPM) held the “Bible Ministry Exhibition of the Church in China” in Hong Kong in 2004; Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York in 2006; and will be held in Germany’s Cologne and Bavaria this year.

China’s government wants the outside world to be impressed by the number of Bibles they’ve printed. However, some are reporting that there is actually a severe shortage of Bibles in China.

Christians across China are reporting a shortage of Bibles, even in cities where Bibles were previously readily available.

There are reports of ongoing house-church raids and arrests, and an unprecedented number of foreign Christians have been expelled from China in recent months.

Still others are coming out and speaking straight to this Government sponsored exhibition, calling it nothing more than propaganda;

“Those who know well about the operation of Chinese government and its sanctioned religious organizations should acknowledge this exhibition is nothing but a PR campaign to cover up the religious persecution image in the U.S.,” CAA stated.

President of CAA Rev. Bob Fu pinpointed the self-contradiction of the Chinese government as saying, “It’s rather ironical that Beijing House Church pastor Cai Zhuohua is serving for three years sentence in the Chinese prison for printing Bibles in China since last year while the propaganda message of this Bible exhibition is that there is freedom to print Bibles in China.”

With the number of Christians in China increasing daily, the need for Bibles is also increasing. Without access to the Bible, China’s Christians will be severely limited in their ability to grow in their faith. For many Christians around the world, it’s hard to comprehend what it’s like to not have access to a Bible… not even ONE!

How many Bibles are on YOUR bookshelf?

• Please pray that the Word of God will make it into the hands of Chinese all across China who want a copy, but don’t have access.