China Bans the Bible at 2008 Olympic Village

[suburban george3]

This has just been reported on the local FOX affiliate in the Triad of NC. After doing a Google search, their are many right wing and Christian/Catholic sites that are infuriated by this, but nary a word from the mainline media. This story seemed to also break last week.

China is banning the Bible, along with video cameras and cups for 'security reasons' from the Olympic Village. I find this apalling, many atheletes draw faith and inspiration from their religion, Christian or otherwise. I think this goes to show that Beijing was a POOR choice for a host city as China is not ready to allow basic human right or freedom of religion. They also don't want atheletes displaying any type of religious symbols.

FOX8 WGHP Article on China Banning Bibles from the Olympic Village

[Raintree21]

If this is true, I could see some athletes protesting, sort of like the black athletes and their black gloves raised in the air back in the day.

[monsoon]

Lest anyone be surprised by this, we are talking about Communist China, though over the last 20 years that has been sanitized into just China to obfuscate the fact that we love to buy cheap goods manufactured in their slave labor camps. Traditional communism is atheist.

I have to wonder how many of the bible thumpers who are upset about this have homes full of junk made in China. It's a double standard for sure.

[Lowerdeck]

Because you know, Christianity and the Bible has been so revolutionary over the years...

Not surprised China would stoop to doing something like this. Anything that'll unbreak the spirits of the populace, China smothers and then denies.

Then again, good for the people. I rarely thought highly of the Bible anyway.

[tamias6]

Religion and Communism have never exactly got along. How the Russian Orthodox Church survived 70 some years of the Soviet Union is beyond me. So I'm not surprised in the least that China would pull a stunt like this.

[monsoon]

They are not exactly enamored with Christianity anyway given that Christian crusaders tried several times in their history to conquer the place so their Chinese "barbarians" could be converted to European style Christianity. Millions of Chinese were killed in the attempts so I can assume these memories linger.

[Neo]

Well, John Titor did say that 2008 was the last year of the Olympics in his timeline.

Regardless of what anyone thinks of religion, the Bible, etc. this is super imposing on human rights and I too can see athletes protesting. I assume China is also going to ban other books such as the Koran?

[Charlotteman]

Why would anyone be surprised to hear about the Bible ban at the Olympic Village?

When people go to Wally World and buy that wonderfully priced Chinese junk, some forget the reality of what transpires in China. China is a dictatorship with extremely low respect for basic human rights. Dissent is not permitted.

So when we hear that the Bible won't be allowed at the Olympics, we shouldn't be even remotely surprised. China's upper hierarchy/Politburo are despotic to the core.

[nowensone]

I also could care less about the bible here though it is still a fairly blunt kick in the face to Christian countries, one could argue the US being the real target as it is currently the most outspoken in terms of Christian propaganda and prosetylization. The Olympics is about cooperation, coming together, diplomacy, etc. - by doing this China is really telling everyone they don't give a s**t about those ideals. It is really disappointing that this is the country we have come to depend on. I'll bet our great "Decider" has nothing to say on this, knowing that he is not the biggest bully on the block...

Then again, China is apparently encouraging bibles to be located in the hotels outside of the Olympic village, so one wonders if there truly is some kind of security risk.

[Gusterfell]

I assume China is also going to ban other books such as the Koran?

[cinco]

They are not exactly enamored with Christianity anyway given that Christian crusaders tried several times in their history to conquer the place so their Chinese "barbarians" could be converted to European style Christianity. Millions of Chinese were killed in the attempts so I can assume these memories linger.

[monsoon]

Lest we think otherwise, the Olympics have become nothing but an orgy in capitalism as these days they simply would not exist without huge outlays from the corporate multinationals. They are as much about making money for these enterprises than anything else. This is why the event is being held in China. i.e. China holds 1/5 of the world's population which is an irresistible market for said corporations and their olympic organizer minions.

IMO, the last great Olympics were the ones held during the summer of 1984 in Los Angeles before all of the corporate greed took over.

[Charlotteman]

Besides religious literature, other things will also be missing from Beijing during the Olympics. One of the most important essentials that will be missing is clean air. Beijing is one of the filthiest cities in Asia. I can't believe the Olympic committee chose Bejing since it's no secret how fowl the air is there.

Athletes probably need fresh air more than religious literature. In Bejing they will have access to neither.

I've said it a thousand times and I'll say it again--China is a basket case.

[monsoon]

I don't know how you could characterize a country with a 1/5 of the world's population, a nuclear country, and one that just sent a satellite into orbit around the moon as a basket case. It just that China refuses to kowtow to western sensibilities which is why they are so misunderstood. It's the western corporations and their greed beyond anything else that have warped the view of what China is really about.

[Gusterfell]

Looks like this might be moot anyway, as Chinese officials have denied the report.

"There is no such thing. This kind of report is an intentional distortion of truth," said Li Zhanjun, director of the Beijing Olympics media center.

He said texts and other items from major religious groups that are brought into China for personal use by athletes and visitors are permitted. The Beijing Olympics Web site said "each traveler is recommended to take no more than one Bible into China."

Li also said religious services

[nowensone]

Normally I would say 'Great, hopefully it was simply a misinterpretation', except that in a sense it was not - they stated this ban was only meant for Falun Gong texts. Which I am sure most of us know is an internal enemy for the Chinese govt., which are much akin to the Jews, except of Asia.

[monsoon]

^It's rather interesting that you posted a news link to Yahoo. Just this week the CEO of Yahoo had to testify in front of congress on his company's actions in turning over search engine info to the communist government there where they in turned used the info to arrest anti-government individuals. He was also accused of modifying searches such that it pointed to topics favorable to the communist chinese government.

[davidals]

Normally I would say 'Great, hopefully it was simply a misinterpretation', except that in a sense it was not - they stated this ban was only meant for Falun Gong texts. Which I am sure most of us know is an internal enemy for the Chinese govt., which are much akin to the Jews, except of Asia.

[nowensone]

That's pretty neat history stuff, so if they died down in the early 1800's (the first 'wave'), then they must have come along the spice road (Marco Polo?) long before that... I will definitely be looking that up later.

And to mirror the quote in your signature - "When I walk through my past I suppress most memories, for if I didn't I would be who I was, and that I am not."

[Gusterfell]

^It's rather interesting that you posted a news link to Yahoo. Just this week the CEO of Yahoo had to testify in front of congress on his company's actions in turning over search engine info to the communist government there where they in turned used the info to arrest anti-government individuals. He was also accused of modifying searches such that it pointed to topics favorable to the communist chinese government.

[Charlotteman]

Yes China has a fifth of the world's population. It is now a space exploring nation. It is one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

It also has a per capita income of less than $8000 a year. Internal markets are generally not permitted. (Almost all the junk made in China is exported.) Some of the workers that make that junk are essentially slave labor.

Freedom of speech is unheard of. Political freedoms are nonexistent. The recent proclaimation that the Bible won't be allowed at the Olympic Village shows how brittle and paranoid the government is.

Maybe some people might not see China as a basket-case, but I see it as a total failure of a nation. How many people in the world are clamoring to enter China to become Chinese citizens?

[monsoon]

I can cite equally bad statistics for the United States in the areas of crime, people living in poverty, people discriminated against, the divide between the rich and poor (and growing fast), the loss of jobs, starting wars, and so forth. But in terms of being a nation, I don't think either could be described as a basket case. I can't answer the question on if people are clammering to be Chinese citizens, but I think the better question is the average chinese person more or less happy than the american and are proud of the achievements of their nation. That is probably the best measurement on how well they are doing.

[Miesian Corners]

I don't know how you could characterize a country with a 1/5 of the world's population, a nuclear country, and one that just sent a satellite into orbit around the moon as a basket case. It just that China refuses to kowtow to western sensibilities which is why they are so misunderstood. It's the western corporations and their greed beyond anything else that have warped the view of what China is really about.

[Charlotteman]

The best of all worlds would be if the Olympics inspire the human rights community in China to come forward again. The world's media will all be there---the perfect time for a worldwide statement of support for true democracy and freedom in China.