Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well yeah I don't know much about the whole thing with Falun Gong. I see a lot of people here with posters showing organ harvesting and dead people and stuff...
it's funny you mention mental health. I would say my mental health was damaged by the notion of a wrathful God who would send you to some eternal 'lake of fire.' I once spoke to a Chinese friend who I was helping with her English who is also Christian about this and she seemed shocked that God would do such a thing. I'm no atheist, but yeah I can no longer believe in that sort of thing ...
Well the literal concept of a heaven and hell as understood in the West is fairly foreign to Eastern spirituality. Eastern religions have beliefs in reincarnation and spirit worlds which largely mimic the real world, while Christianity has a heaven for an eternal reward and a hell for eternal punishment. Moreso than the Chinese being prideful nationalists who steadfastly, resolutely, and in unison reject foreign influence (this is just not true), there's simply little cultural empathy for Christianity. It's similar to how in the individualistic, reward-driven, morally-absolute West, Buddhism has never eclipsed a regional minority popularity.
Most Chinese people maintain some superstitions that are rooted in religion about spirits, and have beliefs that are best described as metaphysical in nature, i.e. energies and the like, but with no religious belief or practice attached... and the cincept of an omnipresent and omniscient god is abstract and strange all the same that a spritual world without a controlling entity is to most Westerners. The concept of original sin and the idea that forgiveness can only be obtained through jesus is another sticking point... most Chinese Christians I've met follow whats basically a vestigal Christianity that omits these concepts rather than embracing them. This adaptation of Christ as a figure alongside Eastern theologic mores is the only way that I could see it becoming popular to any meaningful degree and at that poit it's basically no longer Christianity.
So again, no, Christianity will never become a majority population in China, and TBH I don't want it to.
Well the literal concept of a heaven and hell as understood in the West is fairly foreign to Eastern spirituality. Eastern religions have beliefs in reincarnation and spirit worlds which largely mimic the real world, while Christianity has a heaven for an eternal reward and a hell for eternal punishment. Moreso than the Chinese being prideful nationalists who steadfastly, resolutely, and in unison reject foreign influence (this is just not true), there's simply little cultural empathy for Christianity. It's similar to how in the individualistic, reward-driven, morally-absolute West, Buddhism has never eclipsed a regional minority popularity.
Most Chinese people maintain some superstitions that are rooted in religion about spirits, and have beliefs that are best described as metaphysical in nature, i.e. energies and the like, but with no religious belief or practice attached... and the cincept of an omnipresent and omniscient god is abstract and strange all the same that a spritual world without a controlling entity is to most Westerners. The concept of original sin and the idea that forgiveness can only be obtained through jesus is another sticking point... most Chinese Christians I've met follow whats basically a vestigal Christianity that omits these concepts rather than embracing them. This adaptation of Christ as a figure alongside Eastern theologic mores is the only way that I could see it becoming popular to any meaningful degree and at that poit it's basically no longer Christianity.
So again, no, Christianity will never become a majority population in China, and TBH I don't want it to.
Well of course Buddhism and Chinese folk religion does have the concept of various 'hells' or negative places or states in the afterlife, where one is judged and punished for various sins committed in this life. Haw Par Villa in Singapore illustrates this quite graphically. Like having your tongue pulled out for lying, heart cut out for cheating, sawn in half for theft, burned on a post for being disrespectful to your parents, that sort of thing, but these trials are more intermediate states between rebirths, and are not infinite. The cyclical nature of time is indeed deeply-rooted in Eastern worldview and mysticism and spirituality, although the extent the Chinese take their cosmology seriously I don't know, it obviously varies from person to person. My impression is that most are basically rather irreligious, probably an easier transition towards Christianity than eastern religion, or maybe not.
Interesting. I don't know how different Chinese Christianity is, of course it would vary a lot. I would think that among Protestants at least most of the core doctrines would be preserved if it was largely say American evangelicals who are responsible for church planting and evangelising.
Christianity has increased dramatically in large parts of Asia, including in China, as well as in Africa. In China, many people are becoming Christians because they seem to be fan of Jesus teachings as well as becoming more westernized. In South Korea now Christianity is the largest religion, followed by Buddhism and no religion. The problem with China is that the government is still officially atheist with limited freedom of religion even though Christians are somewhat allowed to worship, although some worship in secret and even underground. I know many Chinese Americans who are Christians and became Christians once they moved to the United States. By next few decades Christianity will be like 15% - 25% of China as predicted.
Taiping Rebellion 2 here we go! Seriously, why would any rational, humanist convert to christianity or islam if they've had a science class, are not suffering, not starving, not poor, and not feeling purposeless? I've never seen the appeal. It just makes it easier for the imperialists to conquer you like africa. I think many chinese convert so they can request asylum in the US. Can't really blame them though. Never trust a communist.
Many chinese in America claim they are christian, but actually they are not. Sometimes, they claim so because of benefits associated with being christian in America. They may go to churches when they first immigrate, to meet more friends, to get more opportunites. but when they establish themselves, they generally do not feel the need to go to church anymore.
I live in Europe and go to a Chinese church sometimes. I found most people there are not christian. Even those who say they are christian will avoid topics like rebirth of Jesus, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MashAllah Shatir
Christianity has increased dramatically in large parts of Asia, including in China, as well as in Africa. In China, many people are becoming Christians because they seem to be fan of Jesus teachings as well as becoming more westernized. In South Korea now Christianity is the largest religion, followed by Buddhism and no religion. The problem with China is that the government is still officially atheist with limited freedom of religion even though Christians are somewhat allowed to worship, although some worship in secret and even underground. I know many Chinese Americans who are Christians and became Christians once they moved to the United States. By next few decades Christianity will be like 15% - 25% of China as predicted.
There is probably growth but like in Communist and Islamic countries Christians practice underground. I met a Chinese girl that was interested in Christianity. I could tell that she was new to Christianity but she was genuinely interested. She later made it to the U.S. and is practicing. People there practice but underground. If the government finds out it's trouble.
That's not necessarily the case. My wife is from China, most of her friends and family still live back there. One of her best childhood friends has become a very strong Christian- and they practice openly in a church, no hiding- nothing underground. She hands out printed material to friends and family similar to the fliers we get here from different religious groups. It doesn't sound like her church or the people who attend ever get harassed by any law enforcement.
It is funny the way many there react to religious activities there. This friend I mentioned above along with her husband and her mother came here to the US to visit us a couple of months ago. The friend and her husband before each meal would fold their hands, bow their heads, and say a prayer out loud before eating- the mother watched them and laughed out loud as she looked back at us, talking about how crazy she thinks it is.
Christianity is allowed in China, but the church itself has to be approved by the government. It's not like in the US where you can open a congregation in a strip mall and call it a day. The people who practice "underground" merely do it because they don't have a church, not because the government is refusing to let them worship. The narrative of "underground" worship under the ever present threat of government oppression is appealing to Western, specifically American, conservative Christians who seem to make paranoia and a persecution complex a cornerstone of their faith.
All one really has to do is look at the evangelical movement in the US to understand why the Chinese govt doesnt want to give them free reign.
Christianity is allowed in China, but the church itself has to be approved by the government. It's not like in the US where you can open a congregation in a strip mall and call it a day. The people who practice "underground" merely do it because they don't have a church, not because the government is refusing to let them worship. The narrative of "underground" worship under the ever present threat of government oppression is appealing to Western, specifically American, conservative Christians who seem to make paranoia and a persecution complex a cornerstone of their faith.
All one really has to do is look at the evangelical movement in the US to understand why the Chinese govt doesnt want to give them free reign.
I haven't really spoken to my Chinese friend about this, but she didn't really mention being persecuted. It's true that the persecution of Christians is often emphasised, but it's of course hard to know the true figures in countries like China or Myanmar. I have another friend, a Karen from Burma/Myanmar who says that the Karen were heavily persecuted by the Burmese government, partly because many were Christian.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
