|
|
Article: A measure of freedom; Open temples, churches and mosques: The governments of Communist China and its democratic neighbor Taiwan both can claim they have religious freedom. But when measured by people's comfort in openly expressing their faith, Chinese freedoms seem fragile.(NEWS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- June 27, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Several days a week several hundred worshipers gather at the big brick church on the edge of downtown.
The services, in this case Christian, are scattered across the clock, some early-morning, some midday, some evening. The idea is to give workers as much opportunity to participate as possible.
They come and go freely. If there are any government men from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) goin' round takin' names, in the words of the U.S. protest song from the '60s, they are not visible.
This church is not all that unusual in China. There are tens of thousands of places of organized public worship throughout the country, reflecting a 20-year ...