Chinese authorities blow up megachurch

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...mpstand-church-linfen-communist-a8156031.html

Authorities have demolished a well-known Christian megachurch. Witnesses and overseas activists said the paramilitary People's Armed Police used dynamite and excavators to destroy the Golden Lampstand Church, which has a congregation of more than 50,000, in the city of Linfen in Shanxi province. Local authorities planted explosives in an underground worship hall to demolish it.



The building had been constructed with nearly $2.6 million in contributions from local worshippers in one of China's poorest regions.

The official reason given for the demolition was that the building had been constructed 9 years ago on farmland without the necessary permits, and under Chinese law all religious groups must register with local religious affairs authorities, which had not been done. (The likely reason it had not been done is because the local authorities wouldn't give their approval) There was a permit for construction on the land, but it was a permit for construction of a warehouse, not a church.

Freedom of religion is theoretically guaranteed under China's constitution, but local authorities often resort to the use of technicalities to attack unregistered churches. Charges of land or building violations and disturbing the peace are among the most common.

The government wants people of religious faiths to worship in state-sanctioned assemblies, some argue because it wants to keep a tighter control over religion and is concerned about formation of independent organizations of people forming in the society, which could potentially challenge the government or lead to "social disharmony".



Several leaders of the church had already been given prison sentences up to seven years for charges of illegally occupying farmland and disturbing traffic order, according to Chinese state media.

 

This seems to be somewhat related to the five year Communist meetings.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/sichuan-church-10202017135846.html

 

Nobody can stop God.

 

This is why Democrats adore China.

It is everything they want here.

 

If only they would've worshipped the Polit Bureau instead. They could've had their own bunk in the slave factory and an extra day off each month if they'd just pray to Communism.

 

Chinese nation you must follow Chinese laws and obey the government if you don't you get into trouble with the law its that simple no one says the Christians can't worship but must worship in a manner Chinese authorities allow.

 

Communism is the official religion. The Chinese government doesn't want it's citizens worshiping a hippie white guy.

 

It seems that the Chinese commies were simply following part of the First Commandment =
Exodus 34:13-14 (Voice) =
*13 Destroy their altars and pillars, and cut down their sacred poles 14 because you must not worship any god except for Me. My name is Jealous, and I am a jealous God.*

 

Officially atheist. They don't outright ban religion but the officials put up so many barriers, a lot of people figure it isn't worth the hassle.

 

Stop God from doing what ?

 

Perhaps a blessing in disguise for the worshipers. Mega churches tend to just be siphons from the pockets of the poor to the Preachers pocket.

Then again not much different than a Casino.

 

Umm...Trump is the guy who is praising the dictator of China after being lavished over by him.

 

except anyone who does any thing. straight up detours His big plans.

 

Uhhh....Trump is the guy putting tariffs on China and taking them to task.

 

You mean putting tariffs on American consumers and punishing them for engaging in trade.

 

I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the roaring economy.

 

Roaring for the rich maybe. Their piss has yet to “trickle down”.

 

Everyone who pays taxes benefited. Wait until people file their taxes in April.

If you're middle class, you got a huge tax break. You're welcome to pretend like it didn't happen if you want.

If you're not paying taxes in the first place, you have no reason to whine.

 

Unless you live in a state with state taxes, then you got a huge tax increase.

Also, the tax break was nothing in real terms measured against inflation.

 

Your federal taxes have nothing to do with state taxes.

If your state taxes are high, just look to the Democrats who made them that way. It's what Democrats do.

The tax breaks gave thousands of dollars a year back to hard working families.

I'm familiar with your Pelosi-based "crumbs" theory though.

 

Except they do because you used to be able to deduct your state taxes from your federal taxes. Trump dumped that and raised taxes for millions of people.

State taxes are a necessity unless you want to follow the Red state model of having no or very little state taxes but then needing a bailout in tax dollars from the Blue states.

Those thousands of dollars are nothing in real terms. They do not at all catch up with inflation.

 

Why should you not have to pay federal taxes when everyone else does?

And no, your model isn't what it's cracked up to be. California taxes you per breath and is in financial ruin because of fraud, waste, and stupidity. Train to nowhere comes to mind.

Boo hoo the 1% doesn't get to keep the tax exemption for their million dollar house.

Just think of it as socialism.

 

And yet California doesn’t need to soak in more taxes than it needs because it actually pays for it services, unlike the Red states that parasite off the Blue states because they can’t fund themselves.

What are Red states going to do when they run out of Blue state money?

 

No it doesn't. California is broke.

If Blue states weren't paying federal taxes like you're complaining about, then how were they getting blue state money?

I thought the left liked socialism?

Why are you complaining about getting what you want?

 

Oh look at that. The states with the largest debt burden are almost all blue.

https://ballotpedia.org/State_debt