In China Christians forced to pray for dead Communist soldiers

Although ai Chinese Christians it is forbidden to honor their martyrs, they are now required to pray for the Communist soldiers who died in war with imperial Japan to "demonstrate the good image of peace-loving Christianity in China".

According to the magazine for religious freedom Bitter Winter, il Communist Party of China recently issued a new directive requiring state-sponsored churches to pray for Red Army soldiers who died during the resistance war against the Japanese occupation forces.

The directive was reportedly sent to all churches that are part of the government-controlled Three-Self Church.

The directive orders churches to "organize prayer for peace activities to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the anti-fascist world war around September 3, according to the current situation."

And again: "According to the current local situation, local churches and congregations can carry out relevant prayer for peace activities in a reduced and decentralized form, in line with local requirements for the prevention and control of the new epidemic of COVID, to further promote the beautiful tradition of patriotism and love for religion and to demonstrate the good image of peace-loving Christianity in China ”.

In addition, churches must submit "evidence of relevant activities (text, video and photographic material) to the Chinese Christian Council's Media Ministry Department by September 10" or they will have to face the consequences, again according to Bitter Winter.

In August, members of the Fujian Theological Seminary they were invited to participate in a celebration to pay homage to the martyrs of what China calls "people's resistance war against Japanese aggression".

Prayers were held to ask for the intercession of "Jesus, the king of peace" for the "peaceful reunification" of China.

Although the CCP requires churches to pray for deceased Communist soldiers, Bitter Winter notes that Christians in China are prohibited from praying for their martyrs and those killed by the CCP cannot be commemorated.

Source: ChristianPost. com.