About 3,000 Christians in China have been cut off from 125 places of worship in a continuing crackdown on religious activity outside the control of the Communist government.
Authorities in Jiangsu province in east China, north of Shanghai, have been sealing off the gathering places since July, reported the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy.
The reported closures took place in Suqian city, Danyang city and Xushui County.
The Chinese government considers all Protestant churches outside the official government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement to be subversive. The official churches are restricted, to varying degrees around the country, in their doctrine and practice. The vast majority of Protestants are in "underground" churches. Catholics also are restricted to a government-controlled church, which does not recognize the authority of the pope....
Paul Fountain | 1/30/2009
