We have a Chinese Hong Kong freind who is a committed Christian. I asked him if he has any concerns about the future of religious freedom now that Hong Kong is part of China. He could not have done more to minimize the notion that religious freedoms could or would ever be in danger here in Hong Kong. The gist of his comment was “We are all very excited to be reunited with China. After all,” he said, “We are all Chinese.”This conversation took place in the same week when the western news media announced that Gao Zhisheng an outspoken Chinese Christian lawyer who advocates for religious freedom and human rights inside of China and is often referred to as the “Conscience of China” disappeared.
Just this month a court in Shanxi province sentenced five leaders of an unauthorized home church to prison terms of up to seven years.
I get the impression that the Christians in Hong Kong are still working to find a balance. On one hand they feel incredibly strong ties to a nation that represents a 2500 year-old cultural legacy –the motherland, if you will. On the other hand, they also understand the policies of the current regime are not exactly hospitable to their Christian faith.
-Jack
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