News

Marxist View of Religion UnScientific Says Chinese Official

Zhao Fusan, deputy secretary of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, recently told the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference in China, "The orthodox Marxist view of religion as the opium of the people is neither scientific nor complete. We must reject that view.

"Religion is a part of all peoples' spiritual culture. We can see that every peoples Iitgcrature, art, architecture, even philosophy, morality, customs and way of life are all in different degrees influenced by religion."

Blind Leading the Sighted

One Chinese national is using the English language and his blindness as an evangelistic tool.

Located in a college community, Mr. Lim obtains braille Christian literature from the United States.. Decision magazine, for instance reads it, then approaches students who are studying English.

"I don't understand what I am reading," he will say. "Can you explain this phrase in Chinese, so I can understand? It says here that 'We are saved by grace.' Do you understand what that means?"

Of course, the student needs to hear the larger context from which the phrase comes, so significant conversations often ensue. —34.11.

China to be Free of Marxist Ideology

Jonathan Chao, director of the Chinese Church Research Center in Hong Kong, said recently. "In 15 to 20 years, China will be so open to the outside world that she will have been freed from the control of Marxist ideology.

'There will still be a form of socialism, but I think that 20 years from now China will be completely open to the gospel,"

Even today, the economic reforms of the last couple of years have meant a greater degree of freedom for the churches in China's countryside, 'There is greater mobility now,' says Chao. "The house churches are growing. I can say now there are at least SO million Christians in Chin, if not more."

Government Prefers Christian Teachers

One of the organizations attempting to supply the Peoples Republic of China with Christian English teachers was encouraged recently when an official government policy statement was released suggesting that, at this time, Christian teachers are actually preferred over others. Theft moral character and personal lifestyle have been found desirable by the Communist government.

Said one expect in tentmaldng ministries, "The Chinese government doesn't want them to share their faith, but they've found that the Christians fulfill theft contracts and create far fewer social problems than do those who ate not so committed."

The source gave an example of a tentmaker who went in with a group of seven non Christian teachers of English. Within months after arrival, three teachers had been expelled from China for moral problems, and by the end of the school year, the Christian was the only team member still at his post.

The other teachers had found the rigors of the Chinese environment too difficult to endure, The Christian, despite his open testimony and effective witness, was invited back for another year of teaching. —34.11.