Christian prisoner alert

[Your_Embryo]

Hi folks. I thought I would start a new thread to give those that might want to know an abridged report of prisoners being held world-wide.

Location: China
Arrested: December 2004


Pastor Zhang Rongliang was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison. According to China Aid Association the July 4 verdict was issued by Zhongmu County People’s Court.

Pastor Zhang Rongliang, a prominent Chinese house-church leader, was arrested in a rented apartment at Xuzhai village the afternoon of December 1, 2004. Zhang already had spent 12 years in prison for his faith during five separate detentions. He experienced harsh torture, including electric shock, during his previous prison terms. After being held in prison for a year, the officials attempted to transfer him from the prison in Xinmi to one in Zhongmu. Fearing that because of his fragile condition he might die, officials at Zhongmu would not accept him. He was instead taken to a hospital in Xinmi. Pastor Zhang suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure in addition to other chronic health problems. Later he was transferred to a Zhongmu City hospital where he spent most of February and March 2006.

He appeared in court April 6, 2006, more than 16 months after his arrest, for his third hearing on charges of “attaining a passport through cheating” and “illegal border crossing.” At this hearing the court acknowledged there was insufficient evidence for the case and asked for legal advice from a higher court.


http://www.prisoneralert.com/pprofiles/vp_prisoner_165_profile.html

[neo of the mind]

Hi folks. I thought I would start a new thread to give those that might want to know an abridged report of prisoners being held world-wide.




http://www.prisoneralert.com/pprofiles/vp_prisoner_165_profile.html

I wonder if there will be some drastic changes in China once all the old communists die off from that country.

[Soren]

I think they are effectivly converting one despotism into another sort, and being quite politically savvy about it too. I wouldn't put money on a revolution in this generation, despite my hopes for change. It ought to also be pointed out that Christians aren't the only religion which suffers persecution in China. It makes me wonder why the advocates of economic liberalization are so myopic in their focus on this growth and their dubious assurances that this will lead to greater social and political freedoms. I'll grant that it leads to change, but whether that means democracy or a a despotism of another brand is far from assured. It seems obvious that China is trying to make the leap from one sort of unfree state to another sort of unfree state and our money is helping them make the switch.:mad:

[neo of the mind]

I can't think of any nation that is mainly Christian that is "despotic", other than Cuba, but communism in itself strives to remove God, so Cuba is not the norm. The nations with the most freedoms our mainly Christian nations, currently or at one time in recent history. So, based on that alone I think Christianity would be a good thing for China and bring about freedom.

[Soren]

I can't think of any nation that is mainly Christian that is "despotic", other than Cuba, but communism in itself strives to remove God, so Cuba is not the norm. The nations with the most freedoms our mainly Christian nations, currently or at one time in recent history. So, based on that alone I think Christianity would be a good thing for China and bring about freedom."Christian" nations with a recent history of brutality and despotism have included Guatemala(we helped add to this problem I'm afraid) and a good number of other Latin American nations, South Africa in its pre-apartheid era along with many other sub-Saharan African nations. I would argue that these behaviors are departures from truly Christian actions, but nevertheless recent history is littered with "Christian" nations which have had despotisms of various sorts.

[neo of the mind]

I woudn't consider your examples as being reflective of the vast majority. I think what I said still stands, in that China allowing it's citizens to express Christianity and allowing Christianity to flourish, would be a positive to the country in many many ways.