An Interesting Change of Perspective

For all of my life my knowledge of China has revolved around the understanding that China is a communist controlled nation. The Communist Party of China was formed in 1921 and eventually came to control China through revolution in 1947. Since that time China has supported smaller and less formidable communist countries like Viet Nam and North Korea, both in economic and military aid and training.  In the latter years China has evolved into a more modernized and economically powerful world power, yet their strict adherence to the preservation of the Communist Party has never wavered.

Here is where things get interesting. As the Chinese embrace entrepreneurship in their society, and as the global internet and communications now allow the Chinese to see and copy a great many of the modern Western characteristics, the Chinese leadership are concerned. Not so much concerned with the ability of the Party to maintain control of the Chinese government, but concerned with the widespread undermining of China’s moral foundation caused by Maoist communism. It seems that China is plagued by “widespread mistrust and loneliness, as well as pervasive corruption and greed.” (here) So what is the Chinese prescription to address this societal sickness? Christianity, of course. Under China’s current constitution, the practice of differing religions is allowed, as long as it does not take to the streets.  In short, Christianity is booming in China. No one actually knows the true number of practicing Christians in China because the number of official and government sanctioned Churches do not take in the increasing number of “house” churches. A conservative estimate is 60 million. The numbers demonstrate that on a given Sunday in China there are more Chinese in their churches than in all of Europe combined. (here)

So when the Chinese government detects the trend of workplace stress, the breakup of families, a general moral decay and a falling away of their traditional values, they see the inherent moral and religious stability and well-being that Christianity can provide. In the United States on the other hand, with all of our established churches having pews to fill and with an abundance of the same societal issues that the Chinese are concerned with, our all-knowing government turns to an agenda driven by attacks on traditional family values, programs that degrade and diminish the self-worth of individual effort, and is openly hostile to long-held Biblical expressions of belief. China is not perfect, but they have a good handle on this one.