Christian citizens in China who receive social welfare payments have been ordered to abandon their faith or risk losing government support, according to a new report.
The policy impacts low-income religious citizens who receive government assistance, according to Bitter Winter, a watchdog that monitors reports of persecution in China.
Multiple cities and towns across the country have implemented the policy.
In April, officials from several villages in Shanxi province were called together for a meeting and ordered by the government “to remove crosses, religious symbols and images from the homes of people of faith who receive social welfare payments” and replace them with portraits of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong (1893-1976) and current President Xi Jinping.
A Christian in one of the villages told Bitter Winter that officials tore down Christian imagery in his home and hung a picture of Zedong.
“Impoverished religious households can’t receive money from the state for nothing – they must obey the Communist Party for the money they receive,” the Christian told Bitter Winter.
A house church pastor said village officials visited his home in May and replaced a cross with a picture of Zedong.
“All impoverished households in the town were told to display Mao Zedong images,” the pastor said. “The government is trying to eliminate our belief and wants to become…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.