Recently, the so-called Representatives of the Five Major Religions in China were arranged to wear Red Army uniforms by the CCP authorities and went to Jinggangshan, Jiangxi Province to participate in the “Red Tour.”
Internal sources from Chinese religious circles revealed that dozens of bishops and priests recognized by the Vatican put on Red Army uniforms and received education on “patriotism and love of the CCP” and “core values of socialism.”
Some commentators pointed out that the clergymen took off their traditional religious costumes and switched to the Red Army uniforms- an act of defamation to religions. Meanwhile, the CCP authorities suppressed and consolidated all religions, causing subversive destruction to genuine belief.
The China’s WeChat user named “Public Mission” (公教福传团) announced on the 23rd that the Chinese National Religious Authority has been organising trips for religious representatives to go to Jinggangshan, known as the Communism Revolutionary base where they participate in a Red Tour with the theme of “loving the CCP and patriotism”.
Participants include Zhang Xianwang, Bishop of the Jinan Diocese of Shandong Province; priests Zhang Xinxiang and Zhang Jiaqi; Bishop Lu Peisen of Zhangzhou Diocese; Father Chen Tianhao of the Catholic Church of Qingdao, and nuns, totaling 10 people. The religious figures were all excited to wear Red uniforms.
Zhang Xianwang is a bishop of Jinan Diocese in Shandong Province and a member of the Shandong Provincial People’s Political Consultative Conference. In 2004, he was recognised by the Vatican as the Assistant Bishop of the Parish and became bishop in 2008.
Participants revealed that only a small number of the Buddhist and Taoists on site wore traditional religious clothing instead of Red uniforms.
It has been reported that during this Red Tour, officials did not declare the event, nor has the official website of the National Bureau of Religion disclosed any relevant information.
Radio Free Asia reporters contacted Jinggangshan Hotel staff. They verified the occurrence of the Red Tour and stated that relevant activities have also been reported and filed with the Public Security Bureau.
The reporter dialed Zhang Xianwang, the bishop of Jinan diocese in Shandong Province. Having discovered the reporter’s identity, Zhang said that he could not hear clearly and hung up. Since then, the reporter has made several calls but nobody has answered.
Is there ‘religious freedom’ under the CCP?
Liu Ye, a Chinese priest from California in the United States, pointed out that the bishop of Catholicism took off his bishop’s robe and changed into the military uniform of the Red Army, which is perceived as an insult to the religion.
He said that many of the bishops who had participated in the Red Tour were approved by the Vatican. Now that Chinese authorities and the Vatican are negotiating bishop appointment agreements, this may bring a ‘destructive’ blow to the Chinese Catholic Church.
According to Fu Xiqiu, the person in charge of the China Aid Association at the United States, this clearly shows the CCP’s established strategy for religions. While the CCP is increasing the internal suppression of religions, it is also expanding United Front influences and its military forces.
This is a consistent tactic of the CCP, called split, which draws together one group to attack another. The patriotic religious figures who are enslaved by the CCP or those who are secretly communists themselves will set up ‘patriotic education’ institutes in order to destroy orthodox faith. Independent churches or people are treated as enemies of the CCP by the CCP.
It is reported that there are 9 million to 12 million Catholics in China. About half of them follow the underground church that is loyal to the Pope and refuse to recognise the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association under the leadership of the CCP.
The Qiu Yu Zhi Fu (秋雨之福) Church in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and the Beijing Zion Church have been experiencing suppression recently. Meanwhile, values advocated by the CCP such as socialism have entered various religious communities via the ‘Three-Self Church,’ which is under the dictatorship of the CCP.
The anonymous missionaries from China have revealed that Xi Jinping’s ideologies and the Chinese Communist Party’s promotion of patriotism have gradually entered weekend church services.
(Translated and compiled from Eaglevisiontimes Chinese)
