A common pattern of behavior in modern times is after a government destroys something important to a people, they then proceed to destroy their homes or means of livelihood so to make them helpless. It is a form of serious abuse intended to cause the mass destruction of a whole people, and arguably could be presented as a possible prelude to a genocide.
The Chinese government has made clear she wants to wipe out all religion, and especially Christianity, from China. The Christian Post reports that a church in China was destroyed by the government, who then went on to destroy the homes of poor Christians.
A month after partially demolishing a church structure in China’s Fujian province, dozens of security guards and officials came back to bulldoze homes in the residential compound where the church once stood.
Guards and officials from the local Ethnic and Religious Bureau stormed the Xingguang Church building in Xiamen city last Wednesday for further demolition of Christian homes in conjunction to the house church, reports the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.
A Christian preacher, Yang Xibo from Xunsiding Church posted videos on Facebook in which dozens of officials from the Urban Management Law Enforcement department can be seen marching toward the remaining structures that were not demolished in June.
While breaking into a Christian home, the officials didn’t show any papers of authorization for their action. When a 67-year-old woman tried to stop them, officials — some of them equipped with anti-riot shields — shuffled her off.
“Other Christians at the scene who were trying to intervene were blocked at the stairs and prevented from moving further. When they questioned the authorities why they illegally entered private property and demolished people’s residence, they were met with silence,” ICC said.
“For the Chinese government to frantically persecute Christians even after their churches were shut down shows how Beijing has no interest in respecting religious freedom,” Gina Goh, ICC’s regional manager for Southeast Asia, said. “What the Chinese Communist Party does not understand is that Christianity will not be wiped out just because the buildings no longer stand. The more the government erodes the rights of Chinese citizens, the more enemies it creates within its territories. One day, this pressure cooker will explode, threatening the CCP regime, the exact endgame it is fearful of.”
On June 11, more than 100 officers from four different agencies came to demolish parts of the Xingguang Church’s interior of five rooms, removing panelling and partition walls, according to the U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Authorities also removed church property, including furniture and educational materials, from the church’s school section.
The timing of the destruction coincided with the State Department’s annual report on international religious freedom, including a lengthy section on freedom of religion or belief violations by the Chinese government. (source)
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