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Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
#11
RE: Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
China's government does not oppress because the party or it's citizens are not superstitious, they are. China's population simply has different superstitions, and China's monochromatic one party rule is just like a God, rule by one.
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#12
RE: Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
(February 12, 2013 at 4:26 pm)Brian37 Wrote: China's government does not oppress because the party or it's citizens are not superstitious, they are. China's population simply has different superstitions, and China's monochromatic one party rule is just like a God, rule by one.


Exactly.

The Chinese government is not persecuting Christians because they are Christians. They are persecuting them because they're not towing the party line.

One of the main jobs of a totalitarian government is to eliminate any group that could possibly challenge their power. Any organization that is not government approved is a target.

Replacing one bad dogma (the infallibility of a god) with another bad dogma (the infallibility of the State) still utilized the same flawed thinking.

You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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#13
RE: Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
I think people really need to learn meaning of concepts like "totalitarian", "dogma of infallibility", and put them in some reality based perspective before using them willy nilly. They most emphatically do not apply to the government in china today.
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#14
RE: Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
(February 12, 2013 at 5:30 pm)Chuck Wrote: I think people really need to learn meaning of concepts like "totalitarian", "dogma of infallibility", and put them in some reality based perspective before using them willy nilly. They most emphatically do not apply to the government in china today.

Thanks for correcting my misconceptions.

I guess I was speaking more generally about totalitarian states.

I will not speak specifically about modern China until I have more info.

You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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#15
Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
(February 9, 2013 at 3:50 am)Zone Wrote: I think he more meant that there must clearly be some deeper truth if people who are otherwise well off with everything they need materially still feel the yearning for the supernatural forces of power. It's a Christian staple argument where anything that you base your life on that isn't God, (money, family, science and so on) will be a false idol and only bring you mysery should that idol of happiness fail you. But God will never fail you (because you can't prove he exists) so you should base your life on him/Christ instead. This will be the subject of books with titles such as "False Gods".

[Image: 02-False_Gods.jpg]

Not that one though, that's the Horus Heresy.

But what people would probably need is full physical wealth and comfort and immortality as well, I think that's really the underlying point they're really making. You don't get to spend all your hard earned dough or enjoy whatever it is you you like when you're dead, so there's no point placing ultimate value in any of it.

"Well off"? A matter of point: you do know that the average wage in China is well below the US, Europe, Japan, etc. right? Also, sixty year old brick buildings aligning dirt roads filled with garbage doesn't seem particularly wealthy to me.

Also, religious practice in many of the above mentioned countries is currently lower than ever: suggesting the opposite.
"Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate by the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony!"
- Dennis the peasant.
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#16
RE: Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
They have turned their attention to the acquisition of spiritual as well as material wealth then, a winning combination. Material wealth being good for a certain amount of time because you can't take it all with you, unless you're an Egyptian Pharoah. That's the point the reporter was trying to get across I think.
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#17
Christian Persecution in "Atheist China"
And the reporter was showing areas with very low income rates as an example.

Boo to the government limiting rights. Boo to the reporter misrepresenting what he reports.

And the reporter was showing areas with very low income rates as an example.

Boo to the government limiting rights. Boo to the reporter misrepresenting what he reports.
"Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate by the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony!"
- Dennis the peasant.
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