OPINION

Xi’s Chinese Communist Party Banishes and Shames Christian Children

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Imagine, within one generation, religion could be completely wiped out in the People’s Republic of China. Ponder that catastrophic sociological and spiritual reality.

Recently, President Xi Jinping decreed that the CCP must eliminate all deities, to make room for himself, as the one and only true god of the Middle Kingdom.

President Xi Jinping is following in the footsteps of his predecessor Mao Zedong. In fact, some have described Xi Jinping as the Mao of the 21st century, evermore the authoritarian strongman. Mao instructed his followers that children are the masters of the new society. The new society envisioned by Mao and now implemented by Xi does not include religion. As the newly installed Emperor for Life, Xi Jinping commanded that the CCP roll out his anti-religion campaign in 2018:

“We Must Solemnly Reject Religion, We Must Not Believe in Religion.

In the Chinese Communist state, loyalty and homage to the almighty state remain the only permissible sect. Thou shalt have no other gods before me, according to President Xi Jinping. So, at his direction, the CCP is tearing down paintings and icons of Jesus Christ in churches throughout China, and quickly replacing them with photos of Xi Jinping.

The new China policy, issued as Regulations on Religious Affairs, which came into force in February 2018, states that “religion is dangerous for minors, and they are prohibited from participating in any religion-related activities, so as to help them establish a correct worldview, outlook on life, and system of values and form a healthy mind.”

On March 18, 2019, President Xi Jinping urged the importance of cultivating generations that will support the CCP leadership and the Chinese socialist system. Xi stated that this policy must start with schools. Thus, Chinese schools, as early as kindergarten, must ensure that even the youngest Chinese child grow with the “right ideas and thoughts” of communism and atheism. Immediately, CCP government agents began a massive countrywide dragnet to carry out this policy by wiping out religious practice and worship throughout China, and targeting especially, all Chinese children.

The damage is devastating and widespread:

  1. May 1, 2018, the pro-government Henan Province Catholic Patriotic Association, gave notice that any training activities for minors, including summer and winter camps, as well as participation of minors in religious services, should be immediately suspended. Churches that do not comply would be closed forthwith.

In China, no child is allowed in a church, nor are they allowed to participate in any religious activities. Furthermore, the anti-religion posse ambushes and swoops in on children housed in facilities, run by religious organizations, such as, religious summer camps or any quasi-religious recreation. To further impose its atheistic propaganda machine, the CCP also transforms schools into political re-education camps to brainwash children in anti-religion indoctrination. Schools operating as re-education camps demand that teachers erase all mention of God and religion in the curriculum and serve as surveillance agents of the anti-religion state.

To enforce the CCP anti-religion policy and “incentivize” its compliance, these ‘warped fanatics’ impose school tests to gauge a student’s true atheistic belief system.  Students are required to pass atheistic exams to graduate on to university level.

The prophetic and chilling words in the religious persecution Open Doors 2019 China Report predicts that “we will lose the next generation of Christians. This is China’s war on children.” 

The net effect of this onerous government policy is to wipe out all faith in China’s next generation. There are approximately 300 million youths under the age of 18 in China—300 million souls who will never be taught or know God. Under natural and international law every child is endowed with the inalienable and sacrosanct right of religious freedom. It is their birthright. Unless, they are born in China.

The scope, magnitude, and implementation of this draconian policy imposed upon this vulnerable population cries out for justice.

Tragically, the world remains silent and impotent as religion in China is eradicated by the CCP through ordinance after ordinance. Young children must watch the horror of the wholesale demolition and destruction of their beloved place of worship.

The children of China are denied their human right to religious freedom. The CCP is eradicating the religious legacy and family heritage of the children of China. President Xi Jinping decreed that this fundamental right to religious freedom shall be bulldozed into rubble. Thus far, the Xi regime is astonishingly successful in demolishing religion from cradle to grave.

Long ago, warnings were sounded about this catastrophe. The dire prediction was foretold by Bishop James E. Walsh, an American Maryknoll China missionary who was imprisoned by the CCP for 12 years from 1958-1970. Walsh witnessed firsthand that, “nobody has any illusion about Red determination to eliminate all religion.”

All that remains for the children of China, who have been banished by Xi, are the catacombs, where they send up their sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.

Elizabeth Yore is an international child rights attorney and Founder of YoreChildren. She is a coalition partner of Save the Persecuted Christians.