Chinese authorities have demolished a well-known Christian megachurch, inflaming long-standing tensions between religious groups and the Communist Party. Witnesses and overseas activists said the paramilitary People's Armed Police used dynamite and excavators to destroy the Golden Lampstand Church, which has a congregation of more than 50,000, in the city of Linfen in Shaanxi province.
ChinaAid, a US-based Christian advocacy group, said local authorities planted explosives in an underground worship hall to demolish the building following, constructed with nearly $2.6m (£1.9m) in contributions from local worshippers in one of China's poorest regions.
The church had faced "repeated persecution" by the Chinese government, said ChinaAid. Hundreds of police and hired thugs smashed the building and seized Bibles in an earlier crackdown in 2009 that ended with the arrest of church leaders.
Those church leaders were given prison sentences of up to seven years for charges of illegally occupying farmland and disturbing traffic order, according to state media.
There are an estimated 60 million Christians in China, many of whom worship in independent congregations like the Golden Lampstand. Millions of Christians, Buddhists and Muslims also worship in state-sanctioned assemblies.
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Edited by: Endy Edeson
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FACEBOOK COMMENTS
View previous comments…Amos Ogungbile
They shouldnt worry, the gate of hell can never prevail over HIS church, coming back better.
Endy Edeson
@Becky: Happy Sunday Becky, my dear sister. For me, it is wrong if the church did not violate any law. Worship is sacred and people should respect others believes. To me, the church is a place of peace and unity. I attended a church service in Lagos on Christmas Day last year and I liked the way the pastor TREATED me. They are nice people. @Amos: AMEN
Friday Omachoko Daniel
Dia families and themselves will suffer desame thing they did to that church:::
Enyinda Nathaniel Okey
We know these people do not believe in God as we do. We should not blame them. We are not sure if the right documents were procurred. This is not Nigeria where anything goes. Respect the laws and constitutions of the countries u wish to do business in
Browayson John Sr.
It's an intentional plot to wipe away Christianity from China and bring in atheism and Scientology in d future. They said they don't want their future generations to be distracted by religion & Christianity but be fully inclined to science, too bad.
Akhigbe Wilfred
They only destroyed a building and not the church. The church is not sand and cement. The church are those that are united in hearts serving God in truth and in spirit. So the church if God in China can never be destroyed. Rather, it has lead to more souls been converted to Jesus Christ.