Religion helps governance, but Communism is not governance, it is violence and terror--it is jailhouse.

Go ahead, comrades, let a thousand flowers bloom is religion. We all know how well that sort of thing worked in THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.

Considering how short a period the Chicoms have ruled China, I think they are seriously underestimating how many believers exist there. '49 to '07 is not enough time to stamp out 1000s of years of faith.

If you read between the lines, they are in effect operating under the Marxist myth that "religion is the opiate of the masses," and simply attempting to "opiate" the masses from the misery.

Let's see how that works out for them.
___

As an aside, I wish intelligent people would stop promoting the nonsense that China is in any way "communist."

They are fascist, and people ought to start saying so.

Bruno" What they are is Boxer-Leninist. Boxer-Leninism is anti-Western, anti-Christian fanaticism masquerading as Communism. The frustration and ressentment entailed in having born into a surpassed cuvilization had been marshalled by the Communists in Russia as an engine to maintain their regime.

Much of what passed for "Communism" in the 20th Century had little to to with Marxist economics and much to do with racist reaction and xenophobic bigotry.

It takes a surpassing ignorance of fascism to think China fascist.

I think Christianity, at any rate, could help, not exactly to prop up the Party exactly, but to ensure a smooth transition. There's a certain tendency towards political quietism in Christianity, the ethos of "turn the other cheek," "My kingdom is not of this world," and "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's," which could make Christians inclined to acquiesce in being governed by any state that gives them freedom of worship, more or less. Anyway, the Party's legitimacy, what there is of it, comes from a) victory in WWII, and b) China's strong economic performance. The official atheist ideology is not helpful, and to the extent that it needlessly alienates religious people, it's a liability. So all in all, I'd say the spread of religion is neutral for the Party's prospects of staying in power, or possibly slightly positive.

The Soviet Union was a different case. For one thing, in Poland, Catholicism was linked with anti-Russian nationalism. Also, anti-Christianity was always much more central to the Soviet creed than to the Chinese Communists' ideology, since it was a visibly Christian society that the Soviets had overthrown. The Chinese Communists allowed the "Three Self" church to exist: their concern was largely just that Christianity not be allowed to be a tool of foreign imperialism. A reconciliation with religion would not be nearly as much of an ideological climbdown for the Chinese Communists as it would have been for the Soviets.

I think Christianity, at any rate, could help, not exactly to prop up the Party exactly, but to ensure a smooth transition. There's a certain tendency towards political quietism in Christianity, the ethos of "turn the other cheek," "My kingdom is not of this world," and "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's," which could make Christians inclined to acquiesce in being governed by any state that gives them freedom of worship, more or less. Anyway, the Party's legitimacy, what there is of it, comes from a) victory in WWII, and b) China's strong economic performance. The official atheist ideology is not helpful, and to the extent that it needlessly alienates religious people, it's a liability. So all in all, I'd say the spread of religion is neutral for the Party's prospects of staying in power, or possibly slightly positive.

The Soviet Union was a different case. For one thing, in Poland, Catholicism was linked with anti-Russian nationalism. Also, anti-Christianity was always much more central to the Soviet creed than to the Chinese Communists' ideology, since it was a visibly Christian society that the Soviets had overthrown. The Chinese Communists allowed the "Three Self" church to exist: their concern was largely just that Christianity not be allowed to be a tool of foreign imperialism. A reconciliation with religion would not be nearly as much of an ideological climbdown for the Chinese Communists as it would have been for the Soviets.

The Chinese state churches (such as the one Clinton visited in Beijing in 1998, which I attended the following week), are basically pabalum. The government knows that the meteoric rise of materialism has fractured the traditional role of 'spirituality' in Chinese society (whatever that means to a Communist dictatorship). So they encourage some form of non-threatening worship (with strong restrictions on what can be taught - like no eschatology, very little on salvation, and of course none of the Caesar and God differentiation, etc.).

The 'private' churches, while not persecuted as they were under Mao, are nonetheless hounded. The severity of the persecution seems to depends on the local authorities, or on Beijing if a direct threat is felt.

The 'state' churches often denigrate and abuse the home churches. There is a clear separation between them among Chinese Christians, and I don't know if there can be a bridge there. Plus, Beijing tends to conflate Christianity with groups like the Falun Gong, who are seen as directly subversive.

No, China is not fascist. Mr. French's article is generally correct inasmuch as there is more and more religious practices as time marches.

It's becoming common to see young school girls and waitress and secretaries wearing the Christian cross on their necklace.

Surprisingly enough you sometimes see the bible in book stores now.

No, China is not fascist. Mr. French's article is generally correct inasmuch as there is more and more religious practices as time marches.

It's becoming common to see young school girls and waitress and secretaries wearing the Christian cross on their necklace.

Surprisingly enough you sometimes see the bible in book stores now.

Yes, but the Party isn't looking for transition.